Books Jack Reads

On September 22 2011, 13 year old Lyla’s old life is destroyed when the Christchurch earthquake hits.

 

While her mother and father, who work as a police officer and a nurse, rush to respond to those in need, Lyla and her brother Blake offer their home to neighbours with damaged houses and help to clean up the damage on their street.

 

But as the days go by and the aftershocks continue, Lyla starts to worry. Can she find a way to cope with the chaos?

 

What I liked about this book, and what you will too, is how brave and selfless Lyla is.

 

She did everything from helping to rescue someone’s dog from the damage, to offering a home to people who had nowhere else to go.

 

What I also liked about this book was that for every dark moment like when an aftershock occurred or when the death toll was announced, there are lighter moments as well, such as when Lyla and her neighbours go to watch the Rugby World Cup games.

 

Overall, this is a realistic account of one girl’s experience of the Christchurch earthquake, and is best suited for ages 9 to 13, especially if you’ve lived through this earthquake yourself.