Susan Knorr, Milwaukee Public Library, WI, "Touching and exciting, this close-up has immediacy and an authentic voice that bring history vividly to life."-Kirkus Reviews, En route to a photographic exhibit in Paris and a trip on around the world, Edith and Daisy (the narrator) arrive in San Francisco just before the great earthquake of 1906 and are separated from Edith's father in the ensuing confusion. However, Gregory brings the emotions, chaos, and governmental coverups to life, and readers (especially those knowledgeable about the city) will keep reading to see how the girls and San Francisco fare. While the photographic device is interesting, at times it threatens to control the story, and the language of the era sounds stilted. Along the way, the girls connect with a variety of citizens, including (incredibly) Jack London, Enrico Caruso, and a drunken John Barrymore. Their harrowing adventures are captured on film by Edith, a character based on the real photographer Edith Irvine. The two young women find themselves stranded in the city, initially in search of Edith's father but ultimately trying to survive and help other displaced residents. "Touching and exciting, this close-up has immediacy and an authentic voice that bring history vividly to life."-Kirkus Reviews -, Grade 5-8- About to embark on a trip around the world, Edith and her maid are instead swept up in the disorder and turmoil generated by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
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