• Age: 7 to 11
• Grade: 2 to 5
• Reading age: 9 to 10

In the mid-1800s, a wave of Chinese immigrants traveled to the West Coast of the United States. They were following rumors of Gold Mountain, a land rich with treasure for all who came. When gold proved elusive, they began to seek their fortunes in other ways—as doctors and launderers, as cooks and musicians.A number of Chinese immigrants settled in Los Angeles, California. It was a rough, occasionally lawless city, and newspapers routinely published anti-Chinese articles, fueling sparks of hatred. On the night of October 24, 1871, the city exploded in violence. In the ensuing massacre, eighteen Chinese men were killed, their dreams turned to ashes.New York Times bestselling author Livia Blackburne and illustrator Nicole Xu illuminate a tragic episode in our nation’s past in the hope that future generations can move toward a brighter tomorrow.

Livia Blackburne is a Chinese American writer who penned her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She now writes full-time and is the author of several books including Midnight Thief (An Indies Introduce New Voices selection) and Feather & Flame (in Disney's Queen's Council series), as well as the picture book I Dream of Popo, which received starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus. She is based in California.

Livia Blackburne's profile page

Nicole Xu is an illustrator who was born in Shanghai, China, and grew up in Vancouver, Canada. She attended Rhode Island School of Design and has worked with numerous newspaper and magazine clients. Her work often explores themes of loss, healing, and empathy. Her debut picture book All of a Sudden and Forever is an Orbis Pictus Recommended Book. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her dog. See more of her art at www.nicole-xu.com.

Nicole Xu's profile page