Alda P. Dobbs

Come see me and Sarah Guillory this Saturday at the LOUISIANA BOOK FEST as we discuss Perseverance in MG.

Hope to see you there ❤️


tipsy

Teachers, students, families, librarians and all who love children’s books are invited to the 2022 Children’s Book Festival’s virtual author and illustrator panel on Friday, Nov. 4. Co-hosted by the CU Boulder School of Education and the city’s largest independent bookshop, the Boulder Book Store, the event features award-winning authors and illustrators. All Colorado registrants are offered a voucher for one free book, while supplies last! ➡️ Swipe right to see all of the amazing panelists that will be featured at the event. Free and open to the public, and attendees should register at colorado.edu/event/bookfest (link in bio). The festival aims to build interest in acclaimed authors and books, particularly authors of color and books that represent diverse cultures. #CUBoulder @cublibraries @boulderbookstore

Free VIRTUAL Event #5 in Colorado:

Univ. of Colorado Boulder
11/4 @ 11am MST (1pm EST)

Learn more about these fantastic authors ( and ) and our books!

tipsy

Colorado Event #4

Join me this weekend for my fourth event at THE BOOKIES!!

SUNDAY, Oct. 23 @ 3pm
DENVER, CO

We'll be celebrating THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER! 🌼🌙


tipsy

My goodness!! Check out this amazing review by the spectacular E Train!!

E Train Talks📚Podcast on Instagram: "In honor of #hispanicheritagemonth I read the profound and heartwarming #novel THE BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA by, #author @aldapdobbs. The #story follows 11 year old Petra Luna, A protagonist inspired by... E Train Talks📚Podcast shared a post on Instagram: "In honor of I read the profound and heartwarming THE BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA by, . The follows 11 year old Petra Luna, A protagonist inspired by the author’s grandmother who endured ...

Colorado Event #3

Join me for my third event at THE BOOK BAR!!

SUNDAY, Oct. 23 @ 10:30am
DENVER, CO

We'll be celebrating THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER! 🌼🌙


tipsy

The Other Side of the River - Alda P. Dobbs | Latino Book Review The Mexican refugee character that readers met in Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna (2021) is back, but this time she is on the other side—the United States’ side—of the border. In The Other Side of the River, the second middle-age grade historical novel wri

Colorado Event #2

Join me for my second event!

SATURDAY, Oct. 22nd
FORT COLLINS, CO

We'll be celebrating our past and present along with BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA! 🌼🌙



tipsy

Hey, Colorado!

Event #1
I'll be near the Rockies these coming days/weeks! First event:

FRIDAY, Oct. 21st
Loveland, CO

I'm thrilled to be a keynote speaker at the REFORMA Conference. Scroll –> to see the amazing line-up! I hope to see you there 😊


tipsy

Look at these BEAUTIFUL smiles!! Finally, it's almost here!! The amazing folks at Fuerza Latina and Poudre River Public Library District are hosting me this Saturday (10/22 ) in Fort Collins, CO at Wolverine Farm. Join us as we discuss and celebrate Petra Luna! I can not wait to see you there ❤️



tipsy

Join me at this FREE VIRTUAL event: Latinx Kidlit Book Festival this FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, at 1:00 PM ET using the link below:

https://youtu.be/-HhOEkC3wtI

¡Hasta pronto!




tipsy

A chance encounter with Holden Caulfield inspired S.A. girl to be a writer "The Other Side of the River," a novel for young readers by Alda P. Dobbs, follows a girl...

Hey, SAN ANTONIO!!

I'm here and ready to party with you at THE TWIG tonight at 6:30pm!! We'll have the UTSA Mariachi, homemade tamales and pan dulce!! Come and learn about Petra Luna's new journey in San Antonio!

Hope to see you there!

tipsy

Happy Book Birthday to THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, new book from author Alda P. Dobbs. This middle-grade novel continues the story of Petra Luna from Alda's first book, and Petra Luna and her friends are having a party on my blog. There's even a giveaway! Head over there to join in: https://www.samanthamclark.com/2022/09/06/book-birthday-bash-the-other-side-of-the-river/

** La Choza / The Hut **

Where were we?? That’s right… the Mexican Revolution. We talked about the harsh poverty people like my great-grandmother endured in the 1910’s. This photograph depicts many details I’d heard in family stories. It shows the inside of a typical hut, like what my great-grandmother and even my grandmother called home. Huts like these had no furniture – no couches, chairs, tables, beds – everything was done on the earthen floor. People sat on the floor to cook, eat, while the very elderly sat on wooden crates. During the Mexican Revolution, my great-grandmother's father dug a hole inside the hut, a hole large enough for him to fit in. He went on to cover it with straw mats and baskets to keep it concealed. This hole was meant to help him hide, to help him stay alive after the Federales showed up…

tipsy

** Mississippi Book Fest **

I had a ball at this wonderful book fest and met amazing people like and . But my trip's highlight was visiting two schools! Here I'm with a group of amazing students from BRINKLEY Middle School in Jackson, MS. Thank you Mrs. Harris for the beautiful reception and Jackson Public Schools and for making this possible!! ❤️❤️

tipsy

** TRIPLE GIVE AWAY**

Visit Laura Roettiger's Blog using link below to learn about our books, and leave a comment to enter to win these three amazing upcoming books by and yours truly ❤️

https://lauraroettigerbooks.com/2022/08/18/triple-middle-grade-book-giveaway/

tipsy

** DOUBLE GIVEAWAY**

Want to learn about the impacts of the Mexican Revolution? About the lives of Mexican refugees in the U.S. back in 1913? Then sign up for our Goodreads giveaway!! is giving away a total of 30 copies of BAREFOOT DREAMS OF PETRA LUNA and THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER in ten days!! Below are the links:

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/350932-barefoot-dreams-of-petra-luna

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/350935-the-other-side-of-the-river

tipsy

Thank you Melissa with Imagination Soup for this AMAZING review!!

A stunning sequel to Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, this poignant historical story shows Petra Luna's grit and determination to help her family and survive in their new home in Texas, USA after escaping Mexico during the Mexican Revolution.

12-year-old Petra Luna is a complex, likable girl with faults, big dreams, and fierce loyalty who constantly solves problems for her family and takes her responsibilities seriously. Once she gets the family to San Antonio with a bartered train ticket, she finds them shelter and gets a job. She's a hard worker but gets fired due to nepotism. Luckily, she finds another job with the nuns and becomes close with sister Nora who encourages and supports Petra’s barefoot dreams of learning to read.

The Other Side of the River is a poignant, must-read novel about family, literacy, immigration, growth mindset, and community. I LOVED IT and you will, too!!!

COMING 9/2022!

GET IT:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3BXJc6e (aff)
Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/8466/9781728238449 (aff)

Sourcebooks Alda P. Dobbs

Thank you Mary R. Lanni for your wonderful review of THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER. Click on the link below to check it out!

The Other Side of the River Read more about this and other great books on my blog at www.maryrlanni.com/blogAnd sign up for my monthly newsletter to get book recommendations for kids, t...

Join us at Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library Thursday, July 21 at 2:30 as we welcome acclaimed author Alda P. Dobbs live and in person to discuss her book . The book is compelling historical fiction, written for middle-grade audiences, and has been chosen as a 2022-2023 nominee. Free tickets are required and will be available at the Children’s Reference Desk at 2 PM on the day of the program. Read Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna https://bit.ly/3PszTib

Hey, SAN ANTONIO!!!
I'll be in town this Wednesday and I'd love to see you at one of my library events! Please help me spread the word. The COLLINS GARDEN BRANCH event is special because it's my childhood library ❤️ Yes, my old stomping grounds - the South Side 🥰 Thank you for making this dream come true! I hope to see you there 👀

tipsy

Youthful Dreaming and Daring…
Resilient characters, vibrant paintings, tantalizing details, and real history animate stories for the whole family. Meet the captivating authors who have created them at the Mississippi Book Festival on Saturday, August 20, 2022 staring with our first panel announcement, Middle Grade Dreams!

Four middle-grade authors celebrate characters who craft dreams of equality and adventure.

Clara Martin Hammett (moderator)
Linda Williams Jackson - The Lucky Ones
Jimmy Cajoleas - Gussy
Alda P. Dobbs - The Other Side of the River
Angela May Books - The Islanders

¡¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!! ¡¡Viva México!! Celebrate with good tacos, cold margaritas, and Petra Luna 🎉



tipsy

Happy Wednesday, everyone! I'm excited that Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna has been shortlisted among many other wonderful books for the Reading The West Award. Thank you for this great honor!! Please go to the website below and VOTE for your favorite book❤️and help spread the word!

https://readingthewest.com/32nd-annual-shortlist-titles/

tipsy

Are you in the Fort Worth/Dallas area today? Join me Monkey and Dog Books tonight at 6:30pm! Learn about the research and inspiration behind Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna 🌜 We’ll have nice giveaways too 🎁
Hope to see you there!

'Tis the season of one of my favorite flowers! How cool is it that bluebonnet season and the TLA Conference coincide? I'm honored that Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna was nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Master List Award 2022-2023! Being from Texas, this is a dream come true. I look forward to meeting many cool librarians from my state tomorrow in Fort Worth!

tipsy

What an honor to see Petra Luna among these incredible books!! 📚 Thank you RBmedia and Sourcebooks Kids for making this possible, and thank you Ana Osorio for your incredible performance!! 🎭

RBmedia Produces Audiobook for 2022 Newbery Medal Winner - RB Media On Monday, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video, and audiobooks for children and young adults. We’re proud to be the audiobook publisher for so many of the 2022 Youth Media Award winners. Celebrating its 100th year, the John Newbery Medal for the mos...

It's an honor to be featured by my local school district!! I want to thank Ms. Jessica Grace, Ms. Courtney Dyer, fantastic librarian Ms. Shelly Smith, and the many wonderful staff members at MISD for all their amazing work and dedication!

Project Impact: Mentor Spotlight Local author participates in Montgomery ISD Mentor Program, encouraging students to follow their dreams When you look back over your life and see the impact that others have had on your development…

Good afternoon! Join me tomorrow for this event. It's such an honor to present for Children's Book Insider - a resource that did wonders and gave so much inspiration in my early days of writing :-) Hope to see you there!

On the Next Kidlit Social - Mining Your Family History to Create Compelling Fiction / WriteForKids – Writing Children's Books On the next Kidlit Social (Tuesday, January 18 at 5 PM Pacific, 8 PM Eastern), meet Alda P. Dobbs, author of the acclaimed middle grade novel The Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. We'll be talking about mining our family history for inspiration, and how to keep the spirit of the true stories alive whil...

2021: This has been a memorable year and as we wrap it up, I want to thank for believing in Petra Luna from the start. They are an amazing team and I’m fortunate to get to work with such dedicated and enthusiastic people. Thank you for everything and for this beautiful mug!

tipsy

Francisco “Pancho” Villa: His birth name was Doroteo Arango. At age 16, he kills an hacnedado who tries to assault his sister and then flees to the mountains of Chihuahua and Durango. He hides for many years and changes his name to one that had belonged to a notorious outlaw, perhaps to cause confusion among the Rurales who were after him, or to raise fear in people he came across. He joins a group of bandits and survives by steeling cattle from haciendas. He changes his ways after learning of Madero’s plan for a revolution, and in 1910, joins the movement against Díaz. His skills of navigating and surviving the harsh environments of the desert and the sierras pays off. A natural born leader and a military genius, he begins winning battle after battle against the better equipped and trained Federales. Despite having the heart of a lion and a short temper, he always had a soft spot for the poor, especially children. Several sources I read claim that every time he saw a group of poor kids he’d say, “We should build a school there.” He believed education empowered a society and he was willing to risk his life to empower the poor.

Celebration: I didn’t have a Quinceañera growing up. My mom had offered one but I knew it was an expense my family couldn’t afford. I ended up having a surprise dinner party with close family friends and, to this day, it’s one of my fondest memories. BUT on September 18, 2021, I woke up feeling as giddy as a quinceañera who was about to have her BIG party! I’m far from being fifteen, but my book launch this past fall was a dream come true. Throughout that day I imagined the possibilities with the heart of a “quinceañera”. Thank you everyone for celebrating the launch of this book with me!

I’ve been asked if there’s an audio book of Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, and I’m happy to say, there is one!! These two pictures show me and my kids at a recording studio just after I read the “Author’s Note”. Yay!!

The Great Escape: While imprisoned, Madero begins writing El Plan de San Luis Potosí, in which he declares Díaz’s reelection of 1910 null and void and urges Mexicans to raise arms against the Mexican government at precisely 6pm on November 20, 1910. In October, Madero escapes from prison and is smuggled across the U.S. Border, and once in San Antonio, Texas, he finalizes his plan (the photograph shows him walking between two men down Commerce Street in San Antonio). November 20th comes and goes with only a few revolts that are quickly suppressed. But a boisterous man who hails from the mountains of Chihuahua steps up to help Madero. He recruits men from all classes and all walks of life, who like him and Madero, will risk life and limb to end the tyranny.

Francisco I. Madero: Growing up, I noticed almost every town in Mexico had a street named "Madero", and after my research, I learned why. Madero was born into a wealthy family who owned an Hacienda in Parras, Coahuila. He was educated in Paris and also attended UC Berkeley. Unlike other hacendados, Madero provided his workers clean living quarters, built schools for their children, and made education mandatory for young ones. His personal physician also looked after the entire community. He believed it was efficient and benefiting to everyone when hacendados took care of their workers. His philosophies were always at odds with those of his wealthy neighbors, and he increasingly grew frustrated and upset with the corruption in politics and government. In 1910, Madero challenged Porfirio Díaz by declaring "Sufragio Efectivo, No Reelecion", or "Effective Suffrage, No Reelection". Díaz immediately had him arrested, but Madero had already ignited the hearts of many.

Courage: I found old photographs that showed children with timid smiles and hopeful eyes, but I also saw many that revealed gazes full of courage and defiance, more than likely in response to the oppression surrounding them. In their eyes, I could hear them say “Enough!”. By 1910, under the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, the disparities and injustices in Mexico became unbearable and many Mexicans had reached a breaking point. One man, who believed in a different philosophy than his wealthy counterparts, displayed the same defiance and took action in hopes of creating a better México for ALL Mexicans.