Written by María Dolores Águila
*Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
*Language: English
*Print length: 304 pages
*ISBN-10: 1250342619
*ISBN-13: 978-1250342614
*Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Based on the true story of Roberto Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident, this vivid and uplifting middle grade debut novel in verse about one young child's courage to stand up for what is right, and the determination of the Mexican community is perfect for fans of ESPERANZA RISING and INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN.
WHEN INJUSTICE GROWS, RESISTANCE BLOOMS.
Twelve-year-old Roberto Alvarez is the youngest of his siblings, born on United States soil. He’s el futuro, their dream for a life away from the fire of the Mexican Revolution.
Moved by anti-immigrant and anti-Mexican propaganda, the Lemon Grove school board and chamber of commerce create a separate “Americanization” school for the Mexican children attending the Lemon Grove Grammar School. But the new Olive Street School is an old barn retrofitted for the children forced to attend a segregated school.
Amid threats of deportation, the Comité de Vecinos risk everything to stand their ground and, with the support of the Mexican Consulate, choose Roberto as the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the school board in this vivid and uplifting novel in verse based on true events.
From award-winning author María Dolores Águila (Barrio Rising) comes an inspiring novel in verse set against the backdrop of the Great Depression and Mexican Repatriation, based on the true story of the United States' first successful school desegregation case, two decades before Brown v. Board of Education ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
Review
John Newbery Honor Book
Pura Belpré Honor Book
Jane Addams Children's Book Award Winner
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction Winner
NCTE Charlotte Huck Children's Book Award Winner
“This impeccably researched account imparts timely, heartening messages about community activism that will resonate.” ―Publishers Weekly
"This National Book Award longlisted title is both a history lesson and a spotlight on a century of advocacy by the Latino community in the United States." ―Shelf Awareness "
This well-written story of underexplored history makes a large impact . . . sure to entrance readers.” ―School Library Journal About the Author
María Dolores Águila is Pura Belpré Honor and John Newbery Honor-winning author from San Diego. Deeply inspired by Chicane history and art, she seeks to write empowering and inclusive stories about everything she learns. She also loves drinking coffee, browsing the bookshelves at her local library, and spending time with her family. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed picture book, Barrio Rising, illustrated by Magdalena Mora, and the award-winning middle-grade novel in verse, A Sea of Lemon Trees.
