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Brent Hagen
Children’s Lit
March 15, 08
Historical Fiction
Once Upon America
Earthquake! A Story of Old San Francisco
By Kathleen V. Kudlinski

The earthquake struck in the morning at 5:12 A.M. on April 18, 1906. It lasted about a minute, the aftermath tells a story of the human spirit and the individual stories that impacted those that survived. As one looks back in America about one hundred years we notice many areas were not in place that we have today. The Red Cross was not in place for big disasters yet, and buildings in San Francisco were not constructed to be earthquake proof. Scientists had no idea why or when earthquakes would happen.
The story starts out in the usual family setting. A boy is awakened by dogs barking and decides to get up for the day. He goes to the livery stable to take care of the horses. He notices that mice are running from the stable and the horses are uneasy. That is when the earthquake strikes. Phillip, the main character is knocked down and is just about trampled by one of his horses. When the ground stops shaking, Phillip notices that several of the horses are injured and one so seriously that it has to be put down. The family has major decisions to make about leaving San Francisco. Phillip is the one to stay behind and look after things. It is not just the aftermath of the earthquake to look after but the gas leaks and the subsequent fires.
The story could have happened and in some cases did happen. The story gave an interesting up front and personal look of tragedy and the willingness to continue.
The book was a good example of historical fiction, one that is relevant to America.