The last thing eighteen-year-old Wilhelmina "Willa" MacCarthy wants is to be a nun. It's 1936, and as the only daughter amongst four sons, her Irish-Catholic family is counting on her to take her vows--but Willa's found another calling. Each day she sneaks away to help Doctor Katherine Winston in her medical clinic in San Francisco's Richmond District. Keeping secrets from her family only becomes more complicated when Willa agrees to help the doctor at a field hospital near the new bridge being built over the Golden Gate. Willa thinks she can handle her new chaotic life, but as she draws closer to a dashing young ironworker and risks grow at the bridge, she discovers that hiding from what she truly wants may be her biggest lie of all.
Amy Trueblood grew up in California only ten minutes from Disneyland which sparked an early interest in storytelling. As the youngest of five, she spent most of her time trying to find a quiet place to curl up with her favorite books. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in journalism, she worked in entertainment in Los Angeles before returning to work in Arizona. Fueled by good coffee and an awesome Spotify playlist, you can often find Amy working on the next post for her blog, Chasing the Crazies.
"Trueblood expertly portrays life in Depression-era San Francisco through the eyes of a young woman." -- School Library Journal
"The history of the bridge, women in medicine, and family life will have great appeal." -- Booklist
"A fascinating glimpse into Irish-Catholic life in 1930s San Francisco, the building of the Golden Gate Bridge, and the limited opportunities for women in that era." Feminists and history-buffs alike are sure to enjoy Across a Broken Shore. -- Childrens Literature Jan 2020
2020 IPPY Award Gold Medalist (Historical Fiction) (2020) - Winner [United States]
2020 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards - Gold Medalist (Young Adult Fiction - Historical/Cultural) (2020) - Winner [United States]
