GIRLS SURVIVE Series Part 9

Fumiko's book is set during the 1923 earthquake that levelled Tokyo. I had never heard of this incident, which is why I love this series. It's not afraid to be realistic in that not everyone always makes it, but it's also very good at finding things I'd either never heard of or don't know much about. 

Fumiko and her older brother both want different lives than what they're likely going to get, but their entire world changes when the earthquake hits Tokyo. The earthquake itself doesn't do the most damage. It's the fact that it hits during lunch, so all these hibachis fall over and start fires. As the giant fire rages out of control, Fumiko, her brother and their mother struggle to get across the bridge to the fish market where Father is, only to find out that he's likely back on the original side, as he had to do deliveries. 

Eventually, they do find him in a makeshift hospital and though they've lost everything, they're at least all alive. I enjoyed this one a lot. It's full of action and all the characters are likeable. 

Now we jump to New York City in 1969. 

Flor is a half-Black, half-Puerto Rican trans girl living in Manhattan. Her grandmother catches her looking at her deceased mother's jewelry and scarf, and yells at her for being disrespectful. Flor flees in the night, bringing basically only her sketchbook. Girl, you packed a bag. Why would you not stuff it with a few changes of clothes, some toiletries, and snacks? I found that part really unbelievable. The grandmother was sound asleep. Flor could have packed a little better.

Flor soon meets Tami, a fellow trans girl who teaches her the ways of being a trans female runaway in New York City. 

Soon, they find themselves at the Stonewall Inn with the plan to use Flor's art skills to make a little money. Their drag queen friend Jackie is there to help and has invited the girls to stay at her place that night. 

The initial riot happens that night and the three barely escape. Tami is even in police custody when the confusion allows Flor to get her away from the cops. That night, Flor draws what she saw and, in the morning, Jackie has an idea to turn Flor's art into a flyer that they use to recruit people to come to the follow-up protests. 

This series is short, simple books, but I almost always learn something. I had no idea that even in 1969, it was illegal to serve alcohol to gay and lesbian people. That trans girls could be arrested for wearing feminine clothing in public. We've come a way since then, but is it really a long way? There's sadly still so much farther to go. 

I enjoyed this one a lot, thanks to the excellent characters. Reading also took me back to my city. I used to walk down Christopher Street all the time.