A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez

by María Dolores Águila

Based on the true story of Roberto Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident, this middle grade debut novel in verse is about one young child's courage to stand up for what is right, and the determination of the Mexican community.

Twelve-year-old Roberto Alvarez is the first one in his family 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.

Amidst threats of deportation, the Comité de Vecinos risk everything to stand their ground, and with the support of the Mexican Consulate, chose Roberto as the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the school board.

A 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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Poetry, Novel In Verse, Childrens, Historical, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published September 16, 2025

Reviews

[Carmen Imes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story told in verse for young readers, bringing a historical period of segregation and discrimination to life. I enjoyed this!

[Cassandra Scoblic · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this middle grades novel written in verse. I loved that the author used both English and Spanish phrases throughout the book. I was unaware of the Lemon Grove Incident, and appreciated the historical information at the end of the book.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful middle grade novel in verse that recreates the historical case of Roberto Alvarez vs. the Lemon Grove school board in San Diego. The author captures the Mexican Reparation when raids were conducted and citizens were sent to Mexico without due process. It captures the dust bowl and decline in agriculture jobs that led to Mexicans being targeted for taking jobs from others as well as a boys grief when his friend is forced to leave the country. The culture is captured through customs and family using gorgeous prose. So glad this got a Newbery honor award.

[Christiana Doucette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fictional account of the historical event in Lemon Grove. In the 1930s the school board tried to segregate all the Mexican-American children into a separate school. Roberto is selected by the community as the model student for their case to have the kids reinstated in school. But they face friends being deported (repaitriated) to intimidate them. And so many other challenges. I did not know this history before reading this book. But it feels so heartbreakingly relevant right now.

[Tonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar! I loved the lyrical verse storytelling. I loved that it was written with a youthful voice that allowed so many creative interpretations and descriptions. I could record page after page of poems that resonated, line breaks that created perfect pauses and tension. This could be such a great discussion book for students.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a tender, beautifully told, difficult story of triumph over discrimination for young readers—4th grade and above. An important piece of history I knew nothing about even though I grew up in very close by in Northern San Diego. Such a brave 12-year-old boy facing something seemingly insurmountable. Loved this book.

[Ms. Ballister · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was about an important topic and I'd LOVE to read another middle grade or YA book on this event. It was also beautifully written. I would happily use passages from this book as a mentor text in a lesson about figurative language. Also, I appreciated the use of Spanish that went beyond token words and phrases. This is a good example of translanguaging.

However... the way the story was told had three main flaws, in my opinion. 1) The lack of any B plots or fully fleshed out characters makes this a little too simple and boring. 2) The language was so flowery and yet (paradoxically) sparse that I think readers will have trouble understanding or appreciating what even happened. 3) It just sounded like the author has never met a 12 year old boy or heard one speak!

[Dusty Shell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love middle grade novels with depth and this definitely hits the mark. A young Mexican boy is naive and unaware of racial tensions brewing towards his community until one day he finds he’s no longer allowed to attend his school simply because of his skin color.

Based on the true story of Robert Alvarez and the Lemon Grove incident, this novel written in verse tells the story of how one boy became the face of all the children who looked like him as they fight for equal access to education.

The author did a wonderful job showcasing Robert’s innocence slowly turning into awareness and then into bravery.

Perfectly diverse option for cultural awareness, empathy building, and exposure to different writing styles.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and the author for sending me the a free ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Jennifer Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for netgalley not realizing it was a junior read. It was quite informative in what happened to the Mexican children in California being forced to go to separate schools from whites. How a 12 year old stood up and was brave to speak out against this and how it was overturned because of him. I never knew this went on. I am unfortunately not surprised. I am glad it worked out but am sure it goes on still today. I highly recommend this book.

[Emily McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a reader, I often want to be able to praise a book when I agree with the themes and messages. But here, the execution just doesn’t work. This verse novel has the stilted writing we see so often and a first person narrator moving so predictably from innocence to experience that it feels cliché. I just don’t see it changing readers’ hearts.

I will also add that there is a lot of Spanish. Readers without the language knowledge may feel frustrated and especially disconnected from the characters.

I don’t recommend this, but I wouldn’t discourage readers who are interested.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think novels in verse like this are really accessible way for kids to access historical fiction.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I can be
brave and scared
at the same time.

And when many people
are brave together,
we can do things
that seem impossible.”

[Kim Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictionalized version of the true events of the Lemon Grove Incident, sadly are not terribly different from what is happening in our country right now. Lemon Trees is a testament to how little things have changed in our society, although maybe there is hope? Roberto Alvarez and his classmates had a happy ending.

[Hattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love turning to middle grade and novels-in-verse to learn about history! And this story, set in 1930s San Diego area, was new to me and incredibly prescient.

Roberto Alvarez is a 12-year-old boy who is suddenly caught in the crossfires of racial injustice at the hands of the school district. Will he and his friends really have to leave their school, and instead attend mixed grade classes in a barn? When the community bands together to fight the segregation, the world Roberto knows is destabilizes, and everyone is now at risk. Yet despite egregious attempts at intimidation, this young man and his family demonstrate great courage, and stand up for the rights of the children in their community.

I did find that there is quite a lot of Spanish included that is beyond what I could puzzle out through context. I appreciate that including the family's own language enriches the text, and also puts the reader in a position of not fully understanding all that’s going on, just like Roberto is experiencing, but I do feel it may become frustrating for young readers, which would be a shame.

I learned that a corrido is a traditional Mexican folk ballad, usually recounting stories of historical events. In that respect, this was a perfect subtitle!

I found the author’s note particularly gripping, and am so very grateful to have had the opportunity to learn about Roberto Alvarez and his family. Thank you to María Dolores Águila for penning this beautifully-told ‘Corrido,’ and to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for granting me the privilege to read and review this lovely gem.

[Christina Ensling · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Sea of Lemon Trees" is a historical fiction novel in verse depicting the segregation of Mexican and Mexican-American children in a school district in California during the Great Depression. The Lemon Grove incident was a result of a larger movement to deport Mexican nationals and their American born children to Mexico, many times without due process. In July 1930 students from the Mexican community were told they could no longer go to the grammar school but would have to go to a separate "Americanization" school in a repurposed old barn. In a powerful act of resistance many of the parents sent their children to their old school only for them to be refused entry. A community group was formed to fight for readmittance and ultimately one child was chosen to represent all of the others in a court case. That child was 12 year old Roberto Alvarez. Maria Dolores Aguila presents this story with Roberto as the narrator. "A Sea of Lemon Trees" is a very interesting and moving look at a period of segregation history that is not widely known or discussed in school curricula. It would make a nice companion read to Christy Hale's bilingual picture book: Todos Iguales/All Equal, depicting the same event.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richie’s Picks: A SEA OF LEMON TREES: THE CORRIDO OF ROBERTO ALVAREZ by María Dolores Águila, Roaring Brook, September 2025, 304p., ISBN: 978-1-250-34261-4

“The doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place in the field of public education. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal."
– Chief Justice Earl Warren, Brown v Board of Education (1954)

“Hope” is the thing with feathers -
That perches in the soul -
And sings the tune without the words -
And never stops - at all”
– Emily Dickenson (1861)

Roberto Alvarez, the youngest of four siblings, is a twelve-year-old in La Mesa, California at the dawn of the Great Depression. He is a star student and fully bilingual, with great handwriting and perfect attendance at Lemon Grove Grammar School.

“MRS. MARKLAND’S RULER THWAPS
against the chalkboard,
and everyone jumps,
like marionettes on strings.
Enrique! Mrs. Markland scolds. Mr. Green’s
office, now!
A sheepish smile spreads
across Enrique’s face
as he walks
s l o w l y
to the door
while Mrs. Markland
scowls and taps her foot.
To my left,
Mary and Socorro
hide their giggles
behind their hands.
That’s enough, students, scolds Mrs. Markland.
When I glance at my best friend, David,
he shrugs.
We go back to subtraction.
Look, whispers David. They’re sending him home.
My eyes follow
his index finger
through the window
as Enrique walks
toward the Mexican side of town,
la colonia.
Something about it
does not sit right,
but when Mrs. Markland calls my name,
I answer
the math problem
because that is
the only thing
I am sure of.
436.

DURING LUNCH
David and I trade burritos.
I saw him, says Carter, his mouth full. He was
playing around.
Nuh-uh, says Pancho, shaking his head. He
wasn’t!
What do you think, Roberto? asks Carter.
I shrug.
C’mon, Roberto, says Carter.
I didn’t see, I say.
Your nose was buried in a book, laughs Pancho.
I don’t think they should have sent him home, says
David.
What do you mean? I ask.
David, Pancho, and Carter
look at each other.
They only send the Mexican kids home, says
Carter. The other kids always come back from
the office. Haven’t you noticed?
I pick at the brown paper
wrapped around my burrito
as I think about this.
He’s right.”

Back in 1930, in addition to the rank prejudice, Mexican Americans were being scapegoated as being responsible for the country’s growing economic woes. To too many of the townspeople, Roberto and his friends are seen as “greasers,” “wetbacks,” and “beaners.” The school trustees decide to require the Hispanic students to leave the school and, instead, go study in a shack (la caballeriza) on “their” side of Main Street.

Roberto’s parents keep him out of school. They protest the change and organize a community group to fight it. Through the Mexican Consulate, they acquire legal counsel and support. American-born Roberto is chosen as the lead plaintiff in a planned lawsuit. Roberto himself comes to the conclusion that,

“At school, they told us we were all equal…I
start, unsure of what to say next.
My lips are dry
in the cool night air
when it finally comes to me
and la caballeriza is not equal.”

But pressure is forcefully applied to the Mexican-American community to accept the planned segregation. Threats and intimidation are followed with deportations, school expulsions, and loss of government benefits. (Sound familiar?) It is all too much for some parents, who reluctantly send their elementary students to the barn-like “school.” Finally, Roberto gets his day in court:

IT’S TIME TO TELL MY STORY
With trembling knees,
I rise from my chair.
I put one hand on a Bible
and the other over my heart.
Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, so help you God?
The courtroom is quiet.
My voice is loud and clear.
I will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth, so help me God.

A SEA OF LEMON TREES: THE CORRIDO OF ROBERTO ALVAREZ is a must-have for collections serving elementary and middle schoolers. Based upon America’s first successful school desegregation court case (Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District), we can imagine this student making American history. It’s a verse novel that is a compelling and important piece of historical fiction.

In the process of learning this history, young readers will pick up dozens of Spanish words and read lots about Mexican American meals and holiday customs. An afterword explains how, back in the 1930s, contempt for Mexicans led to hundreds of thousands of Mexican nationals and their American-born children being forcefully and illegally deported without due process.

Yep. The prejudice and hate never ends.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This novel in verse takes us to San Diego in 1931, where Roberto Alverez is attending the Lemon Grove Grammar School. He has some good friends, and enjoys his studies, which he knows are important. When the students of Mexican descent are told that they will now be attending the Olive Street School, which is a converted horse barn, the parents aren't happy. All but one, a farrier who worries that not complying with the demand will hurt his business, refuse to send their children. Eventually, they are faced with the threat of deportation if they don't. The families appeal to the Mexican Consulate, and get help as long as the families help pay for the legal fees. Roberto is made the lead defendant. Raids are prevalent around La Colonia, the Mexican-American neighborhood, and one of Roberto's friends, David, is deported with his family. The trial is difficult, with teachers such as Mrs. Markland wrongly stating that all of the Mexican students are behind in their studies, but the judge eventually decides in favor of Roberto, and the students are sent back to Lemon Grove.
Strengths: While this topic has been covered in Brimner and Gonzales' Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez, it is a fascinating and timely one, and this fictional treatment will give slightly older readers a first hand look at a historical event. Readers will be able to put themselves in Roberto's shoes and imagine what their lives would look like if they were suddenly made to go to a different, much inferior, school. The story of the Lemon Grove school is an interesting one, and reading this book might encourage students to investigate this case, and similar cases like Mendez vs. Westminster School District.
Weaknesses: While I very much appreciated the inclusion of Spanish words, there were quite a number of them, and I was not always able to intuit the meaning from context. Middle school students who don't know Spanish might want to have a dictionary by their side while reading this.
What I really think: It is sad when history repeats itself, and given the current political zeitgeist, this is a topical read, along with other books about inequities in the educational system like Conkling's Sylvia and Aki, Hitchcock's Ruby Lee and Me, or the nonfiction We Are Your Children Too: Black Students, White Supremacists, and the Battle for America's Schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia by Pearson.
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[Sally Kruger]

Roberto Alvarez is twelve years old. He has grown up on the U.S. side of the southern border. For most of his life he has thought of the border as an invisible line. He and his family have traveled back and forth from one side to another with little thought of danger or the possibility of not being able to return to the U.S.

Roberto's story takes place in 1930-1931. It details a time much like current times. Those in charge of his community have decided that the children of Mexican descent should attend a separate school. This means that Roberto will be forced to leave the Lemon Grove school to go to the Olive Street school that is basically just an old barn.

Some of the students agree to make the move because their parents fear deportation. In fact, this happens to Roberto's best friend, David. It's possible that Roberto may never see David again. Roberto's parents decide to keep him at home rather than send him to the new school, and when they consult a lawyer about the situation, they decide to fight.

Roberto becomes involved in the legal fight as the lead plantiff representing all the other children. He knows this will require being in front of the court answering questions from both sides. Roberto knows how important this is as he prepares with the help of the lawyer.

A SEA OF LEMON TREES by Maria Dolores Aguila is historical fiction written in verse. Readers will feel the sense of injustice many are feeling today about immigration and the deportation of people who have lived in the U.S. for years with their families. This is a book that needs to be in classroom and school libraries everywhere.

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical fiction novel-in-verse is based on the true story of the Lemon Grove Incident, which took place from 1930-1931 in Lemon Grove, California. It shares an account of the first successful school desegregation case in the United States and is a compelling story of a community banding together to fight for their children to be properly educated. The events unfold through the perspective of Roberto Alvarez, who became the lead plaintiff for the case brought against the Lemon Grove School District. Águila does an excellent job of bringing to life the experience of the Mexican American community in Lemon Grove. Readers are immersed in the fear and uncertainty felt by the children when they are no longer allowed to attend their beloved school, as well as when one family is deported. Hardships are shared, but so are the many joyful moments, celebrations, and traditions that build a community.

The frequency of Spanish words and phrases in the text may prove frustrating to readers with no knowledge of the language. A glossary or pronunciation guide, neither of which are provided, would have been helpful additions—though most of the meaning can be gleaned from context clues. The end of the book includes an author's note, a note on language, a bibliography, and "A Brief Background and History of the Lemon Grove Incident." This inspiring and beautifully, though sparsely, written story imparts the privilege and importance of a good education without being preachy. Hand to readers who love historical fiction and burgeoning civil rights activists.

Recommended for readers in grades 5-8.

[Londa · Rating 5 out of 5]

1930 or 2025?

ARMED MEN
in military uniforms
with guns and clubs
rounded up four hundred people
niños
viejitos
mamás
amigos
like cattle.

A Sea of Lemon Trees is a middle grade book written in verse and very much like another middle grade book I enjoyed, Brown Girl Dreaming, it should win many many awards.

In dozens of mostly 1-2 page poems, a relatively unknown event plays out in lovely prose.
Before this book, I had never heard of the Lemon Grove Incident. Separate but Unequal rears its ever-present head, this time in a Mexican American community in California. Roberto and his friends have their entire existence upended for no reason other than hatred. They find a way to fight back even though their chances of winning are dismal.

The story is told well, the people become real, and I was very invested in how it would all turn out for them. I learned so much about their daily lives and traditions. This book is extremely timely and I would recommend it for young readers as well as adults.

Hard to believe this happened almost 100 years ago, and in some ways, we are here once again. Maybe this time, we will learn. Maybe.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and provide an unbiased review

[Dest · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had previously read and enjoyed Todos Iguales / All Equal: Un corrido de Lemon Grove / A Ballad of Lemon Grove, a bilingual non-fiction illustrated book about Roberto Alvarez and the Lemon Grove case, so I was familiar with the history. Telling a fictionalized version in verse didn't do much for me, but I can see how some young readers might connect more with it. I was disappointed that when we got to Roberto's testimony, the poem was about the questions he was asked but did not include his answers.

There's a good amount of Spanish in the mostly English text. Sometimes the meaning is clear from context, but not always, so readers who don't understand Spanish may need help.

I recommend also reading Tonatiuh's Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation also set in California but 16 years later in 1947.

[libreroaming · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 rounded up. A novel in verse about the true story of the Lemon Grove Incident, where 78 Mexican American students were segregated to an "Americanization" school, and their legal fight to be returned to their original school. The real plaintiff, Roberto Alvarez, is the first person POV of the book and it follows his emotional coming of age in these circumstances.

The short poetry chapters are good for reluctant readers, however there is a significant amount of Spanish in the novel and not all of it is translatable through context clues, so I would encourage an adult to help translate those parts for kids who may be frustrated by the language barrier. The novel is divided into four parts, and surprisingly the first half is the stronger one, with vignettes of Roberto's life that really capture his transitional state from a child to something more: his family's future. I would say the weakest part was the actual court case, which I would have expected to take up more of the novel and for Aguila to delve into the emotional important rather than relay the historical record. "A Sea of Lemon Trees" was still a strong novel throughout, and unfortunately very relevant to today's political climate.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

These excerpts stood out to me because they capture the heart of A Sea of Lemon Trees: resilience, survival, communal responsibility, the strength of ordinary people, and the values we inherit without even realizing it. Mama’s repeated reminders show how care and responsibility are taught through everyday actions, especially in hard times.
Dinner is always a surprise
--
Because mama is teaching
Mercedes and Beatrice how to make something from nothing
It is a type of magic
only mothers know.
--
Mama says
Son tiempos difciciles,
And we must always help our neighbors.
Mama says
Juntos salimos adelante,
And we much always help our neighbors.
Mama says uno nunca sabe,
And we must always help our neighbors.
Mama
With soft eyes
The color of freshly turned earth,
And hair that curls like clouds,
Who smells like home
And never forgets las viudas o los huerfanos,
Hands me a wicker basket,
And send me to help our neighbors.
--
Mr. Green’s shoulders hunch
When he takes a deep breath
And shake when he lets it out.
I feel sorry for him.
But for only a second.
Because even if he doesn’t agree,
Doesn’t want to,
Doesn’t think it’s
Right…
He
Still
Does
It.
And it’s what you do
That counts.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

2026 Newbery Honor book
2026 Pura Belpré Children’s Honor Book

Maria Dolores Aguila has retold the little known history of the Lemon Grove Incident of 1930-1931. The Lemon Grove, California school board, PTA, and chamber of commerce decided to create a separate “Americanization “ school for the Mexican students at the Lemon Grave Grammar School. The families formed el Comité de Vecinos de Lemon Grove to fight the segregation. They asked the Me Ivan Consulate for help, hired lawyers Fred C Noon and A. C. Brinkley to represent them. Twelve year old Roberto Alvarez, born in California, an outstanding student and bilingual in English and Spanish was selected as the primary plaintiff. The Mexican students were expelled for truancy for not attending the Olive Street segregated school. Families were threatened with deportation, which happened to Roberto’s fictional best friend and his family.
This fictional telling in verse combines a historical event and reimagining of the author’s family history to portray the courage, determination of the Mexican community to get equal, not segregated, lesser, education for their children. Roberto was indeed their hope for the future.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this book drew me in. It's so beautiful. Some of the poetry is lovely, but over all, I felt the book lacked a level of emotional resonance I longed for throughout my reading. The end section: A BRIEF BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF THE LEMON GROVE INCIDENT was an interesting and informative retelling of the novel's story. But it felt like it had the same amount of emotion as the story itself, which proved that something was lacking in the novel. I just never really FELT what Roberto felt. His personality was too flat and accepting of what went on around him. I didn't see why HE was the one to stand up for the entire community, when really, he just seemed confused and unaware of the situation. Reading in the acknowledgments that this book started out as a picture book made my heart fall a little. I think it would have made a stunning picture book with luscious illustrations that could bring the emotions to the forefront and a story told in a way young readers could relate to better. Wish I could have loved this book more.

[Dale Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

(JF) 11.04.2025: this was a highly rated historical fiction prose novel reviewed in a recent Sunday NY Times; I was so enthralled with the review that I ordered the book; the story is based on the true story of Roberto Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident emphasizing a young child's courage to stand up for what is right. Also emphasized is the determination of the Mexican community...considering that this reader struggles with JF novels and poetry in general, this is a real risk...; 11.05.2025: what a beautiful story, amazingly so. Because it was a JF novel, it was easily understood. In addition, I learned a lot, both from the story itself and the information at the end of the book. I am not so sure about the poetry—it seemed more like someone talking to me, rather than poetry, but then I am no scholar of poetry…a worthy read; 2025 hardcover via purchase, 304 pgs.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciate the story, and the author's attempt to convey the sense of the musical storytelling of the Mexican corrido, the actual story would have been better told in a non-fiction format. By way of comparison, a similar story of educational segregation, though based on economical, social class, and perceived worker displacement-based prejudice versus race-based, is author Jerry Stanley's "Children of the Dust Bowl: The True Story of the School at Weedpatch Camp," which also took place in California. It is a compelling, emotional non-fiction read, and a book which used to be part of our school's 4th Grade Reading curriculum back in the 1990s-2000s. Having read and been deeply moved by the story of the Weedpatch Camp school, I was left with the impression that this book was a missed opportunity.

[Java Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew nothing of this incident which isn't shocking since there is little to no information about certain events that affect minorities in our history books. I didn't know what to expect especially how it was written, however the writing was easy to follow along and even though there wasn't a lot of extra detail I was able to feel how Roberto felt. I was about to imagine what life was like, how scary this must have been. I appreciate stories like this so that I can teach my son, and it's so daunting that there are similar things like this happening today. I think it's a great read for not only children, but adults. I can guarantee you that not a lot of people know about it, and I feel like as writers it is important to bring stories like this in front.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roberto Alvarez lived in California in 1930. The school board decided that all students of Mexican heritage must attend a different school. Most of the colonia decided that they would not send their children to school if they couldn't attend the Lemon Grove School. They were threatened, and at least one family was deported to frighten the other families. But they persisted and took the case to court with Roberto Alvarez, a 12 year old student, as the defendant. And they won the case. Unfortunately, this didn't stop many other examples of segregation and unfair policies from occuring in California and other states.

I really enjoyed that this was a novel in verse. I don't read a lot of poetry, but I have come to enjoy novels in verse.

[JL Salty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: g no sex or violence or profanity, Spanish or English
Recommend: novel in verse, historical fiction

I think the author intended this book for younger readers but I’m not sure it’s going to connect except as a class read, or for those with specific curiosity. And there’s a lot of Spanish that English only readers will struggle with.
I think it carries as much importance for white kids to know this history as for Hispanic heritage readers. Because what we don’t n ow about history, we are truly doomed to repeat.
I love that the Mexican consulate helped with this case. I don’t know why. But I do.