Outrun the Moon

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Downstairs Girl comes an “evocative” (Kirkus Reviews) story of one girl’s determination to thrive, not just survive, in the devastating aftermath an earthquake brings to her city.

“A historical fiction that features a fierce female protagonist.”—Teen Vogue

“Emotional, entertaining, and bewitching as it brings to life San Francisco in 1906.”—Cynthia Kadohata, author of the Newbery Award-winning Kira-Kira

San Francisco, 1906: Fifteen-year-old Mercy Wong is determined to break from the poverty of Chinatown, and an education at St. Clare’s School for Girls is her best hope. Although St. Clare’s is off-limits to all but the wealthiest white girls, Mercy gains admittance through a mix of cunning and a little bribery, only to discover that getting in was the easiest part. Not to be undone by a bunch of spoiled heiresses, Mercy stands strong—until disaster strikes.

On April 18, a historic earthquake rocks San Francisco, destroying Mercy’s home and school. Now she’s forced to wait with her classmates for their families in a temporary park encampment. Though fires might rage, and the city may be in shambles, Mercy can’t sit by while they wait for the army to bring help—she still has the “bossy” cheeks that mark her as someone who gets things done. But what can one teenage girl do to heal so many suffering in her broken city?

Winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Young Adult • Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature