Adventure in the City of Stories by Emma Otheguy, illustrations by Poly Bernatene

Adventure in the City of Stories by Emma Otheguy, illustrations by Poly Bernatene
Publisher:  Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon and Schuster
Published:  July 21st, 2026
Format Read:  E-book
Number of pages:   224 pages
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Opening Lines:  "Camila was crying."

Camila is saddened when her attempt to bring a Spanish book to school to welcome the new girl, Marisol, is viewed negatively by Principal Santos.  Jorge attempts to make her feel better by showing her the puppets and an old book that he found in Tia Xia's cupboard and suggests they share them with Marisol.  

When they try to bring the items to Marisol's house, Cooper intercepts them and insists that Camila is carrying another "illegal book."  He grabs for it, and after a brief struggle, Jorge manages to pull it away.  Realizing Cooper may try to blame Tia Xia for the book's disappearance, Jorge and Camila run and hide inside Tia Xia's tinajón.  

Meanwhile, Siggy and Tia Xia see a news report announcing that historical artifacts, Pura Belpré's puppets and a first edition of her Perez and Martina book have been stolen from the New York Public Library.  Tia Xia is alarmed because those very items appeared in her supply closet at the Latin History Museum.  To protect her from being accused of any wrongdoing, Jorge, Camila and Siggy must travel back to New York City into the 1930's and return the missing items to the library where they belong.

Adventure in the City of Stories is a companion novel to Cousins in the Time of Magic, and both books center on time-travel missions.  In this installment the trio experiences life during the Great Depression.  They encounter Eva Wilson, a wealthy woman who promotes assimilation, and Antonia, a young girl whose father works in Mr. Wilson's factory and whose job is threatened after Antonia writes about the factory's harsh working conditions.

The story is beautifully illustrated by Poly Bernatene, whose artwork vividly conveys the era, the action, and the characters.  The book has strong kid appeal and is filled with fascinating historical details, the decrease in book printing during the Depression due to paper shortages, the banning of books, information about Latino storytellers, and Puerto Rico, and the essential role of librarians and reading in preserving culture.  There is a helpful section at the end that highlights all the historical figures mentioned in the story along with a glossary of terms.  Overall, I loved how the book encouraged readers to learn and make connections with historical events.