Review: A Sea of Lemon Trees

By Maria Dolores Aguila

New York : Roaring Brook Press, 2025. Fiction. 272 pages.

I will be recommending this book to anyone and everyone! It's a gorgeous novel in verse, based on true events in an agricultural town in California in the early 1930s. Some in the community were in favor of segregation and planned to send all of the Mexican American children to a separate school. However, many in the community knew segregation was wrong and they put their own plans in place to resist segregating the schools. This decision to oppose segregation required the sacrifice, persistence, courage, and bravery of community members young and old.

Roberto Alvarez, a 12-year-old will become the lead plaintiff in the court case fighting school segregation. Roberto believes in the power and strength of community, and knows that even though he is young, he can make a difference by standing up for what he believes in. I loved reading about Roberto's determination and willingness to bravely fight for what he knew was right.

I found this story to be a powerful testament to the belief in the importance of education and community. I appreciated the willingness of so many people to fight for what they believed in, even when others were telling them that these actions were hopeless. I was moved by the vulnerability shown by Roberto and his family, and the acknowledgment that even worthwhile causes face many obstacles.

Comments

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