Book Recommendation ➱ Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre, Historical NonFiction by Livia Blackburne

Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre by Livia Blackburne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

📖Book Info

In the mid-1800s, a wave of Chinese immigrants traveled to the West Coast of the United States. They were following rumors of Gold Mountain, a land rich with treasure for all who came. When gold proved elusive, they began to seek their fortunes in other ways―as doctors and launderers, as cooks and musicians.

A number of Chinese immigrants settled in Los Angeles, California. It was a rough, occasionally lawless city, and newspapers routinely published anti-Chinese articles, fueling sparks of hatred. On the night of October 24, 1871, the city exploded in violence. In the ensuing massacre, eighteen Chinese men were killed, their dreams turned to ashes.

New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne and illustrator Nicole Xu illuminate a tragic episode in our nation’s past in the hope that future generations can move toward a brighter tomorrow.

💭Our Thoughts

Highly recommend for middle schoolers and up

The illustrations were easily 5-star, giving the reader the sense of being there, a true witness to the events that unfolded. The scenes are detailed in a way that reinforces the storyline and, in my opinion, makes a greater impact on the reader

I appreciated how the author did not soften the events for the reader.

It is a darker part of our history that is not talked about enough, yet should be.

The story not only recounts the details of the Chinatown Massacre and its victims, but it also reiterates how easily a single misunderstanding crafts mob mentality.

Along with the retellin,g the author has included the factual details and the lives of those lost

Author Website: https://www.liviablackburne.com/

 

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