California

Welcome to California, from San Diego to San Juan Capistrano, Los Angeles, the Channel Islands, Monterey, San Francisco, Sacramento, Yosemite, and Death Valley. Lively poems, fun facts and sparkling illustrations, this is our home state. (Picture book)

It's 1906, and young Nick has recently arrived in San Francisco. On the night of the earthquake, Nick leads a little girl and her injured mother to safety, and risks his own life to save his employer's golden dog. A fabulous story that conveys the experience of devastation and heroic efforts after the earthquake. (Chapter book)

"Today I moved to a twelve acre rock covered with cement." Moose Flanagan was an ordinary 7th grader until his dad takes a job on Alcatraz. Now Moose lives on an island where Al Capone works in the laundry, J. Edgar Hoover gets his pocket picked, and a bunch of kids foil an attempted escape. Three funny, unforgettable adventures on Alcatraz! (Chapter book)

Rich bounty of California harvests and those who work the land, in a Spanish and English alphabet – from arboles (trees) to Cesar Chavez, jardín (garden), zanahoria (carrots) and more. Colorful illustrations in gold, greens, reds and browns, like a cornucopia. (Picture book)

Engaging photo-story of a California family as they celebrate Cinco de Mayo with their friends and community – parades with dancing horses and charros, dances, singing, mariachi music, and delicious food at the fiesta. (Picture book)

Illustrated history of the Gold Rush, from discovery of gold in the Sierra, to growing boomtowns, miners at work in the goldfields, tales of riches and losses, plus historical photos. (Chapter book)

Teenage Jack and Praiseworthy, his family butler, head for the gold fields of California, traveling by sea around Cape Horn. In Hangtown, Praiseworthy takes to gold panning with an umbrella, and together they strike pay dirt. Action-packed reading. (Chapter book)

Don't miss two more great California adventures in this trilogy: Bandit's Moon and The Giant Rat of Sumatra

1850. Rachel's family travel in a covered wagon to California, passing herds of buffalo on the prairie, surviving treacherous river crossings and poisoned waterholes, until journey's end at the Sacramento Valley, "the land of milk and honey." Like a long lost scrapbook, filled with personal details and drawings, this is a gem. (Illustrated chapter book)

Pioneer families going to California didn't have it easy, and it could be downright deadly, as the Donner Party found out. After taking a shortcut, they were trapped by winter snows in the mountains, and some starved to death. A gripping true story, good for older kids. (Graphic novel)

Discover the amazing coast redwoods of California – they live for more than 2,000 years, and are the tallest trees on the planet. Close-up illustrations, from seedling on the forest floor to treetops high in the sky, capture the wonder and majesty of the redwood forest. (Picture book)

Poem and stunning illustrations bring to light the Sierra Nevada – glacier-carved granite rocks, majestic sequoias, graceful deer, big black bears, clear streams and alpine lakes, the wide-open high country. (Picture book)

"My pop is building the Golden Gate Bridge." Two boys watch their dads work on the bridge, skywalkers who string the cables, painters, carpenters, riveters, laborers, working together to build the most beautiful bridge. (Picture book)

California from A to Z in quick rhymes and fun facts, plus richly detailed illustrations. "A is for Alcatraz, an island in San Francisco Bay, a fun place to visit, but you wouldn't want to stay." (Picture book)