Chang, Victoria. Eureka. FSG, 01/2026. 260pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-374-39353-3. GRADES 5–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Twelve-year-old Mei Mei lives in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1885, where her parents run a store. After threats of violence and kidnapping in the community, they send her 300 miles away to the small Northern California town of Eureka to work and hopefully go to the integrated school. Based on the true story when the Chinese population was driven out of Eureka, this is told in free verse from Mei Mei’s point of view. Although the story is engaging, the reader never really gets a clear picture of what occurred and what Eureka was like, because we only see what Mei Mei experiences and find out later about other important actions that occurred. Back matter fills in some of the gaps, expanding on the historic incident. Includes California-specific content.
Penny Peck—San José State University iSchool