A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez written by Maria Dolores Águila provides an intensely emotional look into the events leading up to the 1931 court battle in which twelve-year-old Roberto Alvarez stood up against racism and school segregation in Lemon Grove, CA. This historical novel in verse unequivocally shines a light on issues of discrimination and inequity that to this day undermine human rights in the United States. Reading this novel is a challenge and inspiration to not fall into apathy when confronted with injustice, but to remember that each individual plays a role in shaping the narrative of our time.
The novel is told through the eyes of Roberto who struggles to understand the fear and anxiety that has gripped his small community as the news of raids and deportations fill the newspapers. “A raid at La Placita Park in Los Angeles, California. Armed men in military uniforms with guns and clubs rounded up four hundred people, niños, viejitos, mamás, amigos, like cattle.” (p. 169-170). Young Roberto is devastated when he learns that his best friend, a U.S. citizen, is being “repatriated” to Mexico. He also learns that he and all his classmates of Mexican descent are being forced out of their current school and moved to a makeshift classroom in la caballeriza, the barnyard. This begins the journey, the corrido, of Roberto who is selected to be the lead plaintiff in the court case against the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District. An important aspect of the storytelling in A Sea of Lemon Trees is the use of translanguaging between English and Spanish throughout the novel. Switching seamlessly between the two languages forces the reader to really listen to the voice of the narrator. Translanguaging becomes a symbol of the strength, resistance and dignity of Roberto and the Mexican American community in standing up against dehumanization based on immigration status and racial identity.
The back matter of the book provides the historical framework to what was termed The Lemon Grove Incident. This incident occurred just after the start of the Great Depression. The immigrant population became the target of anger and hostility due to lack of jobs and financial hardships across the country. In response, the government began to forcibly deport both Mexican nationals and their U.S. born children to Mexico. Águila shares in the author’s note how this piece of Mexican American history is a piece of her own family history as well.
Águila is a Chicana poet and author who lives in San Diego, CA. This is her first book for middle grade readers. She also wrote the picturebook Barrio Rising: The Protest that Built Chicano Park. These stories are much needed. By valuing and upholding the voices and experiences of those who throughout history have worked to create a more just world, we open opportunities for meaningful dialogue, mutual respect across cultures, and hope for a better future. As Roberto in A Sea of Lemon Trees states, “When many people are brave together, we can do things that seem impossible” (p. 270).–Recommended by Cynthia Ryman, California State University Monterey Bay
Title: A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez
Author: María Dolores Águila
ISBN: 9781250342614
PubDate: Sept. 16, 2025
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
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- Themes: Cynthia Ryman, Maria Dolores Aguila, Sea of Lemon Trees
- Descriptors: WOW Recommends