The Girl Who Owned a City
Book description
A deadly plague has devastated Earth, killing all the adults.
Lisa and her younger brother Todd are struggling to stay alive in a world where no one is safe. Other children along Grand Avenue need help as well. They band together to find food, shelter, and protection from dangerous gangs…
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Girl Who Owned a City as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
This book was my childhood favorite, by far. The Girl Who Owned a City is an exploration of life after adults: when every adult suddenly dies, the world is left to their kids… and not everyone will survive. Determined to keep her younger brother alive and the memory of their parents close, Lisa somehow creates a community that becomes a safe haven for miles around. As a main character, Lisa absolutely steals the show; her resourcefulness and grit are unmatched, and stuck with me for years after reading this book. There’s also a graphic novel version, for anyone who prefers…
From Rebecca's list on about loss.
Lisa, aged ten, is one of the oldest people she knows. A plague killed everyone over the age of twelve. Without public utilities, services, or adult supervision, the surviving children band together in family groups for protection and must forage and steal to get food and supplies. Lisa makes some unpopular decisions as she struggles to defend her home and the other children in her suburban Chicago neighborhood against marauding prepubescent gangs.
Even though I read this book as an adult, I sympathized with Lisa, who was left orphaned when her parents died in the plague. We all feel overwhelmed…
From Tracy's list on young people oppressed by dystopian societies.
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