Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

In this historical novel by Alda P. Dabbs, Petra Luna and what remains of her family brave crossing the US-Mexico border in hopes of fleeing the chaos the Mexican Revolution is creating. They go through the harsh desert searching for a safe place to stay, as their town was burned by the Federals. Petra’s mother died and her father was dragged away by soldiers, so her only remaining family members are her abuelita, her little sister Amelia, and her baby brother Luisito. Every night, Petra dreams about learning to read, but her abuelita insists that they are nothing but “barefoot dreams,” ones that are not meant to go far. Petra doesn’t let this stop her and continues to fight through the challenges of family, loss, war, racism, and finding the strength to carry on.

This was a quick read because the action was very intriguing and captivated my attention. It also particularly struck me that this girl, who is only twelve years old, is completely responsible for her whole family. Anyone who likes historical fiction and adventure will enjoy this book, especially those who love a strong heroine.