Adventure in the City of Stories

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Adventure in the City of Stories (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2026) by Emma Otheguy and illustrated by Poly Bernatene is a fun novel of time travel that just came out in July.

Seventh grader and honor roll student Camilla is crying because she got in trouble with the school principal for bringing inappropriate books* to her Miami school, and now a letter has been sent to all the parents talking about how they were confiscated. Cami thinks she can’t ever go back to school. To cheer her up, Jorge shows her their aunt’s old folktale book and puppets. But when an eighth grade bully threatens to throw the book in the dumpster, the two jump into a magic tinajón (large pot) to escape and get transported in time and place. Back to 1930s New York. Where more trouble awaits.

I loved the mix of contemporary and historical in this story. It was a pleasure to “meet” some people from the past, including Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. I learned some Spanish as well as history. And who doesn’t love magic?

The book is a companion to Cousins in the Time of Magic, which I hadn’t read, but now want to. This story definitely stands alone. (I was given a copy of the book from the publisher for review.)

Read about the author here and see Emma’s other books here.

Read about the illustrator here–there are spot illustrations throughout the book. See Poly’s books here (he’s an author as well) and check out his his kid friendly illustrations here.

*The books were in Spanish about Latino students.