This month’s Author Spotlight is María Dolores Águila, author of A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez, a 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, based on a true story.
Your very special debut middle grade novel A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez is based on the real life Lemon Grove Incident of 1931. What about this time and place in history spoke to you as inspiration for this book?
María Dolores Águila: There were a few different things about this time and place in history that drew me in, but the biggest one was the Mexican diaspora experience during the Great Depression. It’s such a complex period in our nation’s history, carrying a certain kind of mythos all its own.
One day, I found myself wondering…what did the Mexican diaspora call the Great Depression? What did they call the Dust Bowl? That curiosity led me down a rabbit hole. I wanted to know everything about what life was like for Mexican Americans during that era. That’s when I came across the Mexican Repatriation, which I had never heard of before, and it was a paradigm shift for me. I learned how corridos were used to share news with family back home, singing about raids, deportations, and economic struggles. I had to share what I learned.
P.S. During my research, I found out that the Great Depression was often called La Crisis, and the Dust Bowl was sometimes referred to as La Gran Polvareda, a phrase that appears in a corrido from that time.
This book speaks powerfully to the emotional impact of segregation and discrimination on children. Lines from the main character, Roberto Alvarez, like “I straddle two worlds, and two cultures, never enough, sometimes too much of either” so poetically and poignantly give the reader insight into how challenging it is for him to navigate. While this is a very specific story inspired by true events, what aspects of his story do you feel will resonate most with modern children?
María: Growing up as a Chicana in San Diego, I’ve always struggled with questions of identity. My Spanish isn’t perfect, so I’d get called a pocha. Other times, I’d get praised for “how well I speak English,” which made me feel weird. That in-between feeling, of never being quite enough for any one part of who you are, is something I think a lot of kids can relate to. Roberto’s story speaks to that. He’s trying to make sense of where he belongs, and I think modern children, especially those navigating multiple cultures, identities, and/or languages, will see themselves in this story.
It also was so clear throughout the immense, deeply personal risk that Roberto’s community was taking to stand up for what was right. “Together we rise…or fall” stayed with us. What do you hope young readers will take away from this book in terms of community building in resistance?
María: What I hope, more than anything, is that young readers come away with a sense of social capital, recognizing the deep roots of resistance within their communities. I want them to see that they come from a legacy of people who have stood up, spoken out, and created change together, even at great personal cost. I hope this book, that Roberto’s story, inspires them to become leaders for change in their local communities.
We’ve read that you were also inspired by your own family history in the making of this book. Can you share more?
María: Yes! When I was a kid in the nineties, my grandmother took the test to become a U.S. citizen. Years after she passed, I started researching our family history and found out something surprising: her mother, my great-grandmother, was a U.S. citizen! Which meant my grandmother could have gotten her citizenship through her. I also learned that out of all her siblings, she was the only one born in México. The others were born in Texas, and her birth happened during the time of the Great Depression and the Mexican Repatriation.
Because I didn’t know this history while she was alive, I never thought to ask why that was. But that’s what I’ve come to believe. It showed me how important it is to know our history, so we can talk to our elders and ask the questions while we still have the chance.
Can you share a teacher or librarian who has inspired you?
María: My high school English teacher, Mrs. Hall, once told me that I was just as good a writer as she was, and I was only in ninth grade. I’d always loved reading and writing, and dreamed of becoming an author, but hearing those words from her meant everything. It laid the foundation for me to believe in myself. English teachers, and teachers in general, play such an important role in the lives of young readers. I admire them deeply and carry that encouragement with me to this day (20+ years later!).
What book made you a reader?
María: I was always a reader. Before I could read on my own, I’d make my mom read my favorite books over and over again. There’s something that reading just does for me, and I’ll always choose to read a book over watching TV or a movie (so far this year I’ve read 163 books). My imagination is better than anything on a screen.
That being said, the first book that truly spoke to my reader’s heart was The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros. It was the first time I ever saw myself in a book, and it was a profound and transformative experience. That’s why I write now; so that kids can have the same feeling I did when I realized that my story was important enough to be in a book. .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
María Dolores Águila is a Chicana poet and 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.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águila
Ages 8-12
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.
★ “Powerful and lyrical… A moving portrait of community resistance.” – Kirkus, starred review
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 critically-acclaimed author María Dolores Águila (Barrio Rising) comes an inspiring debut 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.
PRAISE FOR A SEA OF LEMON TREES
★ “This evocative novel in verse is beautifully crafted with both gravity and heart. Roberto’s voice is powerful and lyrical, capturing feelings of fear and solidarity… A moving portrait of community resistance and a young boy’s quiet courage.” – Kirkus, starred review
“Short and accessible sentences volley between beautifully simple and lyrically detailed, an elegance that nonetheless deals with a difficult period of history that feels all too current.” – BCCB
“[A] fast-moving, introspective novel in verse based on true events.” – Booklist
“A beautiful and essential lesson in courage.” – William Alexander, National Book Award-winning author of Goblin Secrets
“Poignantly told in Águila’s heartfelt and accessible verse… A Sea of Lemon Trees belongs in every U.S. History classroom – Andrea Beatrice Arango, Newberry Honor Award-winning author of Iveliz Explains it All
“A deeply moving and poignant story about the strength of community, the ties that bond, and the power of coming together in the face of social injustice. A heart wrenching novel in verse that will have you crying with both outrage and triumph. – Monica Mancillas, author of Sing it Like Celia
“A must-read. Aguila sweeps us into our not-so-distant past with beautifully crafted verses full of heartache and hope–and with a timely eye to our own futures.” – Tracy Badua, author of Freddie Vs. The Family Curse
“The parallels to today left me breathless… This beautiful novel in verse about Roberto Alvarez, the young man who, along with his community, stood up to the injustices the community suffered, gives us hope that if we stand up for our rights, justice can prevail.” – Terry C. Jennings, author of The Little House of Hope and the Definitely Dominguita series
“A lyrical and engaging read celebrating community standing together against oppressors. Águila’s beautiful telling of this landmark civil rights case reminds readers that courage is a seed that is nurtured by family, community and belief in justice. This book is a beautiful tale of determination, family and unity.” – Lizz Huerta, author of The Last Dreamer
