The Girl Who Owned a City (Young Adult Fiction) [Paperback]

O. T. Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Young Adult Fiction

When a plague sweeps over the earth killing everyone except children under twelve, ten-year-old Lisa organizes a group to rebuild a new way of life.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A killing virus has swept the earth, sparing only children through the age of twelve. There is chaos everywhere, even in formely prosperous mid-America. Gangs and fierce armies of children begin to form almost immediately. It would be the same for the children on Grand Avenue but for Lisa, a yen-year-old girl who becomes their leader. Because of Lisa, they have food, even toys, in abundance. And now they can protect themselves from the fierce gangs that roam the neighborhoods. But for how long? Then Lisa conceives the idea of a fortress, a city in which the children could live safely and happily always, and she intends to lead them there. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

A killing virus has swept the earth, sparing only children through the age of twelve. There is chaos everywhere, even in formely prosperous mid-America. Gangs and fierce armies of children begin to form almost immediately. It would be the same for the children on Grand Avenue but for Lisa, a yen-year-old girl who becomes their leader. Because of Lisa, they have food, even toys, in abundance. And now they can protect themselves from the fierce gangs that roam the neighborhoods. But for how long? Then Lisa conceives the idea of a fortress, a city in which the children could live safely and happily always, and she intends to lead them there. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: First Avenue Editions (February 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822596709
• ISBN-13: 978-0822596707
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (198 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,024 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Having things is something, but not everything . . ., December 19, 2000

By 

"ulalame" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Girl Who Owned A City (Paperback)

I first read this book when I was in 5th grade (I am almost 34 now). The powerful story about how one girl could organize and unite her neighborhood, stave off the gangs, and basically initiate the re-emergence of civilization in a world gone awry after all adults were killed by a plague fascinated me as a child, and has stayed with me over the years. I remember to this day how much of an impact Lisa's poem "Having things is something, but not everything . . . Earning the values for your life is more than just something, it is everything" had on my goals and values growing up.

Many years later, I had to do a paper for an American Studies class in college about an archetypal "American" story, and pulled out my old copy of "The Girl Who Owned a City," and it was only then that I realized that the author was an advocate of Ayn Rand's philosophy. As an adult reading the book, I noticed the political ideology of the author much more. As a child, I thought it was a great story with a moral that was very inspirational to me at the time -- that girls can be leaders and have a creative impact on society.

I give this book five stars, because, whether or not the book contains a political message, it is a great story for kids. After all, how many books today emphasize the fundamental premise that you must work for what is important in life--and not just expect success to be handed to you on a silver platter?

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book but find the older version!, September 16, 2008

By 

S. Stodola (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Girl Who Owned A City (Paperback)

I remember reading this book a long time ago, and when I saw a couple episodes of the TV show "The Tribe" it made me remember it and go searching for it again. The premise is very similar.

I won't go into details on the philosophy and all that; other reviewers already have and besides, I just (still) like the book for the story. But I do have to say - find and read an older edition if at ALL possible! The "new" (1995) paperback is like a condensed version - the language is much simpler, shorter sentences, less moments of thoughtfully-worded consideration... paragraphs are shortened and sentences omitted entirely! The new version basically stinks in writing style, but the original (1977) really isn't that stilted at all. Why did the publishers go and do this? Doesn't make any sense to me. Today's kids aren't that much dumber than they were 20 years ago, that they need a version written for someone four grades lower!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Concept, September 16, 2005

By 

Dave Brown (North Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Girl Who Owned A City (Paperback)

This was one of the first books I was really able to ever get into. Yes, I read it when I was eleven years old. I got into it so much because I could relate to the characters in the book (since they were all around my own age) and I could also relate to the feeling of wondering what life would be like without any adults. At the time, the book scared me. It taught me to value what I've got (especially my parents) and much more! Another reason I found myself able to relate to the book was because it was in writing I could understand. I don't think O.T. Nelson wrote this book for adults. Otherwise it would've had adult language and adult situations. Instead, all of the characters were children. Since most of the book is dialogue anyway, it's very easy to understand why they would not have such "grown-up" thoughts. O.T. Nelson, in my opinion, was trying to appeal to children with this book and so wrote FOR children.

I can honestly say, though, that at almost 20 years old I just finished reading this book for the second time in my life and enjoyed it just as much as I did nearly ten years ago.