Adventure in the City of Stories
A follow-up to Cousins in the Time of Magic, Adventure in the City of Stories finds cousins Jorge, Camila, and Siggy on another time-traveling adventure. This time, they discover hidden treasures in their aunt’s attic that belonged to famed Latina librarian and author Pura Belpré, a signed copy of one of her books and hand-made puppets that had been found in a closet at the Latin History Museum where their aunt works. But now the New York Public Library has reported them missing, and Tia Xia is afraid they will accuse her of stealing! With help from a clay-pot-turned-magical-time-portal in their aunt’s backyard, the cousins travel to 1930s New York City to return the artifacts to the New York Public Library. And along the way, they meet Belpré herself!
Each cousin’s personality shines through, making this an enjoyable read. The trio also encounter racism in various forms, both in the present day and in the 1930s, which draws attention to the issue in a way that is sensitive and thoughtful for kids. The fast pace and high stakes kept me engaged to the very end. I especially appreciated the Special Notes section, in which the author gives information on the real-life history that inspired the story. Overall, it was an enjoyable novel that I would recommend for kids 8-12.
