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Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs

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Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna

by Alda P. Dobbs

Narrator Ana Osorio

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Length 5 hours 19 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“I read this Fourth of July weekend which was the perfect book to give me a different perspective on what America means to a family fleeing a war-torn country in search of a better life. Dobbs' great-grandmother inspired this heart-wrenching, incredible story of 12 yo Petra Luna's "barefoot dreams" of learning to read and write and protecting her family. I loved the earnest determination and bravery of Petra, her closeness with her 2 younger siblings, and how her abuelita taught her to listen to the natural world to survive the harsh desert conditions to make their way to the U.S. border. It was such a beautiful mix of mythology and holding tight to dreams. The war brutality was presented realistically--the danger wasn't glossed over, but instead presented in a child-thoughtful way. I learned so much about a time in history that I didn't know much about. My 10 year-old daughter and I highly recommend!”
— Candice • The Haunted Book Shop

Summary

A riveting tale of one girl’s dangerous journey to cross the U.S. border, based on a true story.It is 1913, and twelve-year-old Petra Luna’s mamá has died while the revolution rages in Mexico. Before her papá is dragged away by soldiers, Petra vows to him that she will care for the family she has left—her abuelita, her little sister, Amelia, and her baby brother, Luisito—until they can be reunited. They flee north through the unforgiving desert as their town burns, searching for safe harbor in a world that offers none.Each night when Petra closes her eyes, she holds her dreams close, especially her long-held desire to learn to read. Abuelita calls these barefoot dreams: “They’re like us barefoot peasants and indios—they’re not meant to go far.” But Petra refuses to listen. Through battlefields and deserts, hunger and fear, Petra will stop at nothing to keep her family safe and lead them to a better life across the U.S. border—a life where her barefoot dreams could finally become reality.

Children's