Courtney S’s Reviews > Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna > Status Update

"Perhaps, despite the revolution or my bare feet, the stars
above weren’t all too distant."

“Petra, I know you mean well,” said Abuelita. Her tone had softened.
“But dreams like yours are barefoot dreams. They’re like us barefoot
peasants and indios—they’re not meant to go far. Be content with what you have.”

“You’re trying to change who you are, and that’ll drive you crazy,” said
Abuelita. “Accept things as they are. Besides, knowing to write your name
is a lot more than your mamá, your papá, or I ever knew.”

"'“My mamá says you’re a pretty girl,' said Adeline.
I lowered my eyes as warmness flushed through me. My dark skin and
almond eyes had offended people many times. It was nice to be seen
differently."

"I was sure she meant what would happen after the church, but I didn’t want to think about it. Not right now. I wanted to keep chatting, to keep learning. I wanted to, for a moment, forget all my pain and anguish. My day with Adeline had been like a sweet siesta, and I refused to be awoken."

"“My mamá told me that when good, hardworking people have
dreams, it’s always nice to help make them come true.'"

"She told me stories she’d read
about an orphan girl who lived with two evil sisters and another about a
princess who’d been poisoned with an apple. I shared stories about
Huitzilopochtli, the hummingbird of the south, who guided our ancestors
through the wilderness to build Tenochtitlan, and about my favorite, Tlaloc,
the supreme god of rain.""

"Adeline continued to talk, and she talked a lot, but she also listened to
everything I said. She shared her dreams of being an animal doctor, and I
told her mine of learning to read and write." (pt 1)

"Los buenos, the good people, and los malos, the bad ones, were different to everyone. Some loved the rebels for fighting for the poor. People who loved the Federales hated the rebels for having brought disruption into their lives. Early on, I’d learned to keep my mouth shut."

"I’d never been ashamed of my dark skin or full lips... Girls with fair skin were always spoken to better, they never had to wait in any line, and they always appeared cheerful and carefree.
Girls with dark skin were expected to feel ashamed, to walk with their
heads low and know their place in the world. Problems arose when you
went against these expectations."