Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna) through Raincoast Books. Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.
Being inspired by the stories of her grandmother led author Alda P. Dobbs to research her history. Her desire was to know what the truth was about her past. Through her research Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna came to life. The history of the Mexican revolution of 1910-1913 was a terrifying time for the people of Mexico. This is just a glimpse into that story.
Family history inspired Barefoot Dreams
Don’t you just love books that teach history without being a dry boring read? Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna was inspired by the author’s gramma telling her story to her grandkids. Sourcebooks is the publisher, with 288 pages geared to youth 8-12 years old.
Spanish phrases litter the pages with readers assisted through connotation or english phrasing defining words used. The only exception to that rule is the Spanish titles for each chapter. Some titles are obvious like El Escape but others like El Llanto de Tata. It’s good to be challenged to learn a new language don’t you find?
My review for Raincoast Books was accomplished using an ARC version.
Learning More
This is not a book of illustrations. It is a book about a Mexican family and the horrible ordeal they went through. Their experiences shine a light on the horrows of the civil war. The battle between the Federales and the rebels was intense and at times brutal. Since this family speaks Spanish, it makes sense that spanish is part of the lexicon. We see this in chapter headings as well as within the story itself.
Most of the time the meaning to the Spanish phrase could be discerned contextually. There was the odd occasion where I didn’t know what was being said. I wished there had been a spanish to english page included for all phrases used by Petra and her family.
I loved learning about the family connection that inspired this story. What the author learned that was different than her gramma’s recollections, and what was the same. Such a neat story behind the story.
You’ll find that the text is easy to read, suitable for middle school readers. As an adult I found it to be a thoroughly interesting read and would recommend it to others happily.
Should Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna Be Read?
I found Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna to be a good read in and of itself. Knowing that it was based in history, and then being able to see the timeline of the revolution was an added bonus.
If I were studying Mexico with middle school or high school students, I would be happy to add this book to our studies. This will be a good precursor to learning more of the history of Mexico, and gives an excellent look at the human element. Seeing how the conflict impacted normal people living their lives…. It was sad and yet… Gratifying. Seeing the strength in Petra, watching her make difficult decisions, and holding to her promises. Watching her strength of character, and how her whole family pulls together. Seeing the random kindness of strangers. A good read.
I won’t say it was always an easy read. Bad things happen. People die. Homes are destroyed. Hard events fill the pages. But in between it all…. decency and kindness and strength of character prevail. For some middle school readers it might be too much, you would know your children best.
This sounds like it was quite fascinating to read. I’ll have to look it up.
I thought it was well-done. 🙂 a thoroughly enjoyable read.