Under the Ashes

Rankin’s brisk-moving debut places a spirited heroine at the center of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Eleven-year-old narrator Littlebeth Morgan’s unladylike antics go unappreciated by her exasperated family, even after she saves her little brother from a rattlesnake (“Held my breath to true my aim, then smote that critter to kingdom come”); following the snake incident, she is sent away from her home in Paso Robles to live with her refined maiden aunt in San Francisco. Aunt Sally tries to make Littlebeth conform to the rigid propriety of the day, but she also stands out as an elegant, independent shop owner. Littlebeth quickly takes to the charming Mr. Steinberg—Sally’s neighbor and would-be suitor—and tries to encourage their frustrated romance, especially when they attend a rehearsal of Carmen at the Grand Opera House. The tone shifts dramatically when the earthquake strikes and Littlebeth becomes separated from her aunt and meets up with tenor Enrico Caruso, as well as a Chinese orphan. Littlebeth’s resilience and strong, memorable voice make this a vivid account of grace under fire. Ages 9–12. (Nov.)