Book Review: THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906 written by Laurence Yep

Bibliography

Yep, Laurence. THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0060275243.

Plot Summary

Wishing for the adventure, two young boys, Henry and Chin, form an unlikely friendship reading about the heroics of Wyatt Earp in penny dreadfuls. While surviving the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, the boys and their families experience an adventure of a lifetime that bonds the two families of different cultures together. Though the boys had once wished their fathers were like Wyatt Earp, each father proves by their actions in this story that everyday people no matter their background can be a hero.

Critical Analysis

In THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES, Laurence Yep’s style is brief like a newspaper article, yet full of details that tell an entertaining and historically accurate story. The plot of the story is arranged in a lively and fast-paced manner as the characters struggle to survive the great earthquake and the fires that came afterwards. Readers are not overwhelmed with details, and the plot is realistic and authentic for the early 1900’s. Through the characters, setting, and dialogue, the author carefully details the discrimination that Chinese immigrants faced in San Francisco in 1906.

Informational text that teach the reader about earthquakes and fires is integrated seamlessly throughout the story, which enhances the authenticity of story. The Afterword at the end of the book provide even more information that is specific to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and the recovery period after the disaster. The author provides the reader with a list of resources for further research and includes photographs taken of the destruction that occurred after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

The black and white photographs provide the reader excellent visuals that heighten the reader’s understanding of the setting. The main characters are believable and identifiable to the modern reader, yet accurately portrays the attitudes and beliefs of the setting. The setting of San Francisco in 1906 is essential to the authenticity of the story. The descriptions of 1906 Chinatown are rich in detail and paint a picture of the culture of Chinese Americans in the early 20th century.

The story is more than just giving details about the 1906 earthquake. The author takes the characters on a journey that demonstrates human frailty and greatness.  Hardship can bring out the best and worst in all of us and as the character Henry states in THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES, “we don’t have to look far for heroes. They were right under our noses all this time.”

Review Excerpt(s)

2007 Children’s Choice Historical Fiction for Advanced Readers

From School Library Journal

            “But the story as a whole should appeal to reluctant readers. Its natural disaster subject is both timely and topical, and Yep weaves snippets of information on plate tectonics and more very neatly around his prose.” Catherine Threadgill

From Booklist

“Told in the present tense, the narration provides a "you are there" sense of immediacy and will appeal to readers who enjoy action-packed survival stories.” Linda Perkins

Book Connections

Other books by Laurence Yep:

DRAGONWINGS, ISBN 0064400859.

THE DRAGON’S CHILD: THE STORY OF ANGEL ISLAND, ISBN 0062018159.

CITY OF FIRE, ISBN 0765358794.

Other historical fiction books about the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906:

Duey, Kathleen, SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, 1906, ISBN 0671036025.

Tarshis, Lauren. I SURVIVED THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE, 1906, ISBN 0606239367.

Hopkinson, Deborah. INTO THE FIRESTORM: A NOVEL OF SAN FRANCISCO, 1906, ISBN 0440421292.

Activities for THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES: THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE OF 1906:

•  Have students do a web quest or explore the artifacts and resources about the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake using the website, The Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco, at http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/06.html
• Use graphic organizers to compare and contrast the different experiences of Henry and Chin during the earthquake. Explore the reasons behind any differences.
• Have students write a drama based on THE EARTH DRAGON AWAKES and present their work to the group or school.