Chapter 1: Punished 1. PUNISHED
Camila was crying. This was not exactly unusual for sensitive Camila. What was unusual was that Camila was crying about school. As far as her cousin Jorge could tell, quiet, straight-A Camila was an academic whiz.

But there sat Camila, cross-legged in the prickly grass, crying about how much trouble she was in. Jorge was kneeling in front of her, trying and failing to be comforting.

“What’s the big deal?” Jorge said. It was hard to understand Camila between sobs, but apparently it was all about some books she had brought to school. “So your teacher told you to bring the books back home. Who cares?”

Camila burst into an even more hysterical sob. She was clutching a piece of paper, which she held out to Jorge. “That’s not all. The principal sent this letter to the whole school. The principal, Jorge! I can never go back there now.”

Jorge took the paper. It was on very official-looking Sunshine Middle School stationary. But for a change, the letter wasn’t about Camila’s latest honor roll achievement. In fact, without ever mentioning her name, the letter made Camila sound like some kind of criminal. Jorge mouthed the words quietly as he read:

Dear Parents, Students, and Faculty,

Yesterday it came to my attention that a student brought several inappropriate books to school with the intention of distributing them to other students. The books were confiscated in a timely manner, and I wish to reassure you that Sunshine Middle School prohibits the circulation of unapproved books within our school.

Sincerely,

Principal Santos

“Geez, Cami,” Jorge said. “What kinds of books were these, anyway?”

“They were for my friend Marisol.” Camila sniffled.

It was news to Jorge that Camila had friends that weren’t household pets, but he decided to play it cool. “The girl who just moved into that house on Glades Street?”

Camila nodded miserably.

“Sooo… what were the books?” Jorge grinned. “Come on, you can tell me.” It was fun to imagine well-behaved Camila sneaking racy romances into school. He always thought the books she read were about puppies and kittens and that sort of thing, but apparently he had been wrong.

“It’s not like that!” Camila shrieked. “I swear, they were just normal books. In Spanish!”

“Oh, right,” Jorge said. “Marisol doesn’t speak much English yet.” Marisol was one of the immigrant kids who had started at their school recently. Jorge and Camila’s aunt Xía had been going to visit the new families as much as possible, which was probably how Camila and Marisol had gotten to be friends in the first place. It helped that the cousins were bilingual—talking to Marisol in Spanish wasn’t a problem.

“So the books were in Spanish,” Jorge prompted. He tried to think of how Cami could have gotten in so much trouble if the books weren’t about anything scandalous. “Were you using them to pass notes in class?”

“No!” Camila wailed. “Principal Santos said it’s because we shouldn’t read books about race in school!”

“Oh.” Jorge paused. “Were they books about race? How did Principal Santos know what the books were about—does she even speak Spanish?”

“She doesn’t! And they weren’t!” Camila said. “I just brought Marisol a couple of my favorite books in Spanish. You know, about Latino kids. Like us.”

Jorge frowned. It sure seemed to him like Camila had been framed. She hadn’t done anything wrong.

“The worst part,” Camila said sadly, “is that now Marisol probably hates me. She got in trouble too—and she didn’t even get to read the books.”

Suddenly Jorge had a brilliant idea. He knew exactly how he would cheer up his cousin. “Wait here, Cami. I have a great idea.”

He stood up and ran inside the house. It was a Monday, which meant that Jorge, Camila, and their other cousin Siggy were all at their aunt Xía’s house after school. As usual, Siggy was busy recording videos, and Tía Xía was working in her bedroom. Neither of them noticed Jorge beelining it for the kitchen.

In the kitchen, Jorge scrambled up to the counter and stood on it to reach the highest cabinet. This was where Tía Xía stored her prime snacks and desserts, like dulce de leche–filled alfajores from her trips to South America. Jorge spent a lot of time perusing this cabinet, which was how he had found the treasures he was about to bring Camila.

Jorge reached into the back of the cabinet and pulled down an old book and two ratty hand puppets. One of the puppets looked like a mouse, and the other like a cockroach—but both of the animals were dressed in fancy, though now faded, clothing. He jammed the book and puppets under his arm and jumped down from the counter. In a second he was out the front door.

“Cami!” Jorge shouted. “Look! Tía Xía has this cool old book. You could show it to Marisol. It’s in English but it has a lot of Spanish words and it’s pretty easy. Here.”

Camila, who had finally stopped crying, took the book curiously. “Perez and Martina,” she said, reading the title aloud. “Oh! It’s a story about the Cucaracha Martina and the Ratoncito Perez.” Her mom was always telling the famous folktale about a cockroach named Martina and a mouse named Perez. She thumbed through the book, admiring the illustrations and the heavy old paper.

“Let’s bike over to Marisol’s house and show it to her,” Jorge urged. “It’s so cool. She can’t be mad at you if you bring her a peace offering.”

Camila turned the book over. “I don’t know,” she said thoughtfully. “It’s not ours. Do you think Tía Xía would mind?”

Jorge raised an eyebrow. In his best imitation of their aunt, he said, “¡Mi cielo! What’s yours is mine! You never have to ask your tía!”

For the first time since she was called into the principal’s office that afternoon, Camila burst out laughing. “You’re right,” she said. “Tía Xía always tells us to take whatever we’d like, especially her books.”

“Let’s go see Marisol,” Jorge said, relieved that Camila had finally stopped crying.

Camila scrambled to her feet. “Hey, what are those?” She pointed to the puppets, still tucked under Jorge’s arm.

Jorge loaded a puppet onto each hand. “Perez and Martina, at your service!” he squeaked, making the mouse puppet’s mouth move up and down.

“Whoa,” Camila said. “I wonder where those came from?”

“You know Tía Xía.” Jorge shrugged. “She’s always collecting old stuff from thrift stores.” He led the way toward the garage, where there was a jumble of sort-of working bikes for the cousins to use.

But before they got to the garage, a boy stepped in their way, casting a long shadow down the driveway. Jorge groaned. Cooper Tumbor lived in the house behind Tía Xía’s. He was rich, and he was a bully.

“What do you want, Cooper?” Jorge really didn’t need Cooper’s energy in his life right now.

“Got yourself some new gloves?” Cooper smirked.

Jorge looked down at his arms. He hadn’t taken off the hand puppets. Camila stood next to him, clutching the book.

In a flash, Cooper grabbed the book out of Camila’s hands. “More illegal books, Camila? Geez, I never thought a Goody Two-shoes like you would get in this much trouble.”

“You heard?” Camila gasped.

Cooper chuckled. “The entire school heard.”

Camila gaped at him. Cooper was a year ahead of her, in Siggy’s grade. Today had been bad enough, but it was even worse if even the eighth graders had heard about it.

“Give that back,” Jorge snapped. He reached for the book, but with the puppets on his hands, he fumbled, giving Cooper enough time to snatch it away. Angrily, Jorge ripped the puppets off his hands and let them fall to the ground. “I mean it!” he snapped. “That’s our book!”

Jorge lunged forward, but Cooper was too quick. He ducked under Jorge’s outstretched arm and plucked the Martina the cockroach puppet off the ground. “Gosh, what a dirty old rag,” he said with a sneer. “Is this what your aunt uses to clean her house? No wonder the place is filthy.”

Camila’s back straightened. “It is not!” she yelled. Tía Xía, whatever her faults, was never happier than when she was bleaching everything in sight. Her house wasn’t new and fancy like Cooper’s, but it was definitely clean.

But Cooper just grinned. “Guess no one will mind if I drop these in the dumpster where they belong, then.”

By this point, Jorge had thrown his entire body at Cooper, trying to knock him off his feet, but Cooper was a lot bigger and taller than Jorge, and he was holding the book and the puppet high in the air.

“I think it’s my responsibility to make sure your delinquent cousin doesn’t spread around more delinquent literature,” Cooper said with a cruel laugh.

Now Camila threw herself at Cooper too. “There’s nothing wrong with that book!” she shouted at him. “You’re the one who’s a bully!”

Finally, Jorge managed to knock the book out of Cooper’s hands. “Got it!” he shouted triumphantly, racing across the yard and away from Cooper.

Cooper whirled around; the Martina puppet flew off his hand. Camila scooped it up, grabbed the Perez puppet too, and took off after her cousin.

They only had a half-second head start, and Cooper’s legs were a lot longer. “Jorge!” Camila called. “What are we going to do? He’s gaining on us!”

Jorge looked over his shoulder. Cooper was just a few feet behind them. Jorge scanned the yard, searching for something he could climb up, dive behind, or kick in Cooper’s way. They needed to stash this stuff somewhere Cooper couldn’t follow them.

Which was when Jorge thought of it.

The perfect plan.

Jorge knew exactly the place. It was the most secret and hidden place he had ever encountered, and he was pretty sure Cooper wouldn’t be able to follow them. In fact, Cooper probably wouldn’t even try to follow them.

Because while Tía Xía’s yard might have looked just like every other yard in Miami, it was anything but. Tucked away in the far corner of the front yard was an old clay pot called a tinajón. In the olden days, these clay pots had been used to collect rainwater. Now they decorated front yards. But Tía Xía’s tinajón wasn’t just decoration.

It was magic.

And Jorge was running in that direction. “Come on, Cami,” he grunted, picking a fallen coconut off the ground and throwing it over his shoulder.

The coconut landed at Cooper’s feet. He tripped, lost his footing, and fell down hard.

Those thirty seconds were all Jorge needed. He grabbed his cousin’s wrist, tucked the book safely under his arm, and dove into the mouth of the tinajón. For a moment, the cousins were plunged into darkness. They smelled humid earth and briny air. Then an invisible force yanked them forward, and they tumbled down through the tinajón into a world they thought Cooper Tumbor would never find.

Reading Group Guide

Adventure in the City of Stories

By Emma Otheguy

About the Book

Jorge, Camila, and Siggy are back for another time-traveling journey as they race to clear Tía Xía’s name! She has been accused of stealing valuable artifacts: a signed copy of a picture book by the famous librarian Pura Belpré, and two handmade puppets. The cousins are sent back to 1930s New York City in the midst of the Great Depression when even paper for printing books was considered a luxury. Antonia, an outspoken Puerto Rican girl, rescues the cousins after they’re also accused of theft by a wealthy socialite. With the power of community and storytelling on their side, Jorge, Camila, and Siggy concoct a wild plan to amend the wrongdoings against their family and Antonia’s, but will time turn against them?

Discussion Questions

1. Camila, Tía Xía, Gabriela Mistral, and Antonia are all accused of wrongdoing. What are the similarities in their stories, and why does it matter that they are all women and girls?

2. Cooper seems to have it in for the Hernández family, showing prejudiced behavior and bullying them. How would you deal with bullying and prejudice? Why do you think Cooper acts this way? Use examples from the book and from your own experience to answer.

3. Tía Xía explains that Pura Belpré’s version of “La Cucaracha Martina” was “‘More than impressive. Bold. Radical.’” (Chapter two) Explain what she means by this. Think about the language(s) you and your family speak. How easy is it to find materials in these languages where you currently live? Share with the class.

4. Camila feels anger build in her chest at being wrongfully accused. (Chapter three) Has this ever happened to you? Or have you ever accused someone without knowing the full details? Why does this happen? How can it be prevented?

5. Mrs. Wilson uses the word “unassimilable” when speaking about Puerto Ricans. Describe United States culture and how someone would assimilate to it. Is assimilation possible? Discuss in small groups, then share with the class.

6. Camila remembers this saying about time travel: “If you sew a stitch in time, you pull a thousand threads.” (Chapter five) Think about a moment in history that you wish you could travel to, if you had the opportunity. If you changed something about that time period, how would your life change today?

7. The 135th Street Library is full of people with different skin tones, hair types, and accents. Antonia comments, “‘This isn’t Arturo’s library, this is everyone’s library.’” (Chapter seven) A library is meant to be a space that welcomes all. As a group, discuss your local library. What resources does it have available? Do you feel welcome? If not, how would you feel welcome? Can you share this feedback with the librarians?

8. What purpose does an archive serve? Use examples from the text to explain. Have you ever visited an archive? How is it different from a library?

9. Arthur Schomburg tells Antonia to show Mrs. Wilson evidence of Puerto Rican greatness. What is the evidence she provides, and is it enough to change Mrs. Wilson’s mind? Explain.

10. Why does it matter so much to the Wilsons to have Antonia write a positive review of them and their factory? Why do they expect Puerto Ricans to be grateful even when the Wilsons treat them poorly? Use examples from the text to support your response.

11. Why does Tía Xía show compassion toward Cooper, and what was your reaction to that? Do you think he deserves her understanding? Explain your answer.

12. Beatriz states, “‘When workers read, they have power.’” (Chapter twelve) Explain what she means by that. Use examples from the text, current events and history, or personal experience to respond.

13. What was your reaction to learning about the United States’ ban on flying the Puerto Rican flag in the novel? In small groups, share moments in history you were shocked or surprised to learn about. Did anyone in your group know parts of history that you or others didn’t? How do you learn about history, and why does it matter?

14. Beatriz reminds Antonia to write her perspective because all the workers at Mr. Wilson’s factory are Puerto Ricans, and he can’t afford to lose everyone if he punishes Antonia’s dad. Explain why there is power in numbers and why all the other workers would support Antonia’s family.

15. What makes Camila stop feeling “small and worthless inside” when she thinks about getting in trouble for sharing books in Spanish? (Chapter fourteen) Should she have felt that way in the first place? Explain.

16. Anne Carroll Moore was a librarian who opened the Central Children’s Room at the New York Public Library in 1911. She was a pioneer in changing children’s services in libraries, including advocating for children to borrow books to take home. Why is it important for children to have access to libraries? Why does story time exist?

17. How does Gabriela Mistral’s poem “Miedo” (Fear) make you feel? (Chapter fifteen) Do you agree with Camila’s explanation of “real power”? Explain.

18. Jorge states Pura’s book is “‘evidence that our stories are worth printing in books, and always have been.’” (Chapter sixteen) Find at least three other forms of media, including books, that act as evidence of the impact and greatness of Latinos in the United States.

Extension Activities

1. Principal Santos doesn’t think the kids should read about race in school, and decades prior, Eva Wilson believed books in Spanish shouldn’t exist. Why do these characters want to censor certain stories? Visit your school’s library and your public library, and explore their collection of books about race. How do their collections compare? Write a list of at least five reasons why it is important to learn about the histories and American experiences of ethnicities not your own.

2. In 1996, the American Library Association established the Pura Belpré Award, named after the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. Choose one of the books that have won the award, read it, and prepare a book report. ALA’s list of all winners and honor books can be found here: (https://www.ala.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/belpre_winners_coms_1996-to-present.pdf)

3. Gabriela Mistral decides to help the cousins because she also experienced being kicked out of school for writing her truth. Though she grew up in Chile, censorship and freedom of speech are global issues. Write an essay or a poem about what freedom of speech means to you and why it matters. You can reference a piece of history or a personal experience to help guide you.

4. Siggy realizes that the scary newspaper headlines contributed to Mrs. Wilson’s fear of Puerto Ricans, and he wonders, “Did the newspaper never print good stories about Puerto Ricans? Or was it that Mrs. Wilson never bothered to read those stories?” (Chapter six) What do you think? In groups of four, collect current newspapers from school, the library, or family members, and examine the headlines. What messages do they send? Are they targeting specific people? To ensure you have a complete understanding about a group of people or an event, choose one of the articles and find at least three additional sources from different news outlets and alternate perspectives.

5. Adventure in the City of Stories speaks to archives and books like “La Cucaracha Martina” as evidence of Latinos’ amazing history. As a class, think about what you want to leave as evidence of your life. Bring in an artifact that represents your story and present it to the class.

6. Camila thinks, “The Latino kids at Pura’s library were already a part of a great American story, with acting and music and literary stars all their own. They didn’t need to change anything to belong.” (Chapter thirteen) In groups, share your favorite great American stories, including stories you heard from your family. Write and illustrate your version, then compile all the stories into one book.

Guide written by Cynthia Medrano, Librarian at the Highland Park Public Library.

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