Product Description

A recent immigrant from Ireland to San Francisco in 1880, Shannon is ready to start school, but is dismayed that her Chinese friend is forbidden by law to attend and that many of her classmates are prejudiced against the Irish as well.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #677123 in Books
• Published on: 1997-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 72 pages

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-5--These titles feature characters previously introduced in the series. The Schoolmarm Mysteries stars Shannon O'Brien, a recent Irish immigrant living in San Francisco in 1880, and highlights the prejudice encountered by Chinese and Irish immigrants. Kai, who lives in a Yoruba village in pre-slavery 15th-century Nigeria, solves the mystery of The Lost Statue, and readers discover that the accomplishments of her culture span back 1000 years. A brief afterword in each book supports the fictional events with facts. Efforts are made to make the plots, characters, and events as historically accurate as possible. Both books have brief chapters with lots of dialogue. The stories center around strong female characters whose dreams, whether to become a doctor as Shannon plans, or an artist as Kai does, are viewed as journeys played out in the simple plots. Full-color illustrations, ranging from small cameos to full-page scenes, are rendered in a style that matches each story's mood and setting. These books will be welcome additions in collections where "The American Girl" series (Pleasant) is popular. As in that series, they advertise the dolls that accompany the stories.

Joan Zaleski, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Terrible
This book had no real mystery. The book was boring. It was ok at the end. I am 10 years old and everyone in my book club (11 girls) rated this book poor.

My favorite Shannon book!
Shannon is an Irish girl starting school in San Francisco in 1880. But her friend Betsy is now going off with her other friends, the Fabulous Four. And then one day, their kind young teacher is replaced by a mean substitute. Where did their nice teacher go? Shannon must find out.

Great Book!
Shannon is starting school in San Francisco (1880). But since she is Irish and just moved here things are diffucult for her. Her neighbor Betsy who has been Shannon's friend all summer long went off with her group of friends. Or as they prefer to be called the Fabulous Four. Which include cruel Margaret, bookworm Rebecca, Betsy, and just in the middle Jeanette. But the girls seem to be so nice to Margaret, even how mean she is. And another thing is troubling her. Mi Ling is Chinese and can't go to the school. But where is Mi Ling in the day? Why is Margaret so mean but has friends? Where did Miss Kennedy go when they had the mean subsitute? Shannon must find out.