Barrio Rising

Jane Addams Children’s Book Award Finalist
Kirkus Best Books of the Year
NPR Books We Love List
A One Book, One San Diego Kids selection
ILA 2025 Notable Books for a Global Society

“A blossoming young activist joins her neighbors in the fight to build Chicano Park in Águila and Mora’s celebratory tribute to San Diego’s Chicane community… . Charged with soft purples, vivid greens, and bold reds, Mora’s lush digitally colored charcoal and watercolor artwork dreamily elevates this tale of social achievement, depicting pivotal scenes like a series of interconnected murals. Águila’s sharp, evocative text touches upon crucial moments: the community’s peaceful takeover of the disputed site, clashes with the police and city officials, and the arrival of allies in neighboring communities and across the state.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“In this activist picture book, a child living in San Diego’s Barrio Logan vividly narrates, in English and Spanish, a story of individual and collective strength… . In a powerful work that celebrates community engagement at any age, Mora’s pencil, charcoal, watercolor, and digital illustrations contrast hard-edged concrete and metal with cloudlike jacaranda blossoms and vivid hand-rendered murals.”—PW, starred review

“Águila weaves together images of daily life in Barrio Logan with community members’ experiences of the city’s lengthy neglect and environmental racism against their community, to tell the story of the fight to build the park, which was ultimately successful… . Mora employs a blend of vivid colors, sepia tones, and pastel hues to highlight the intensity of the struggle and the everyday beauty for which the protesters were fighting, ending with depictions of the inspiring murals that residents eventually painted in the park.”—Horn Book

“Told with lyricism, this picture book presents kids with a real-life community experience of advocacy. Readers will come to understand how the trials and tribulations of a group of vecinos uniting created something beautiful. Recommended for all collections, especially those serving Chicano ­communities.”—School Library Journal for El barrio se levanta

“This true-to-life title is a worthy addition to picture book collections, sure to spark conversation and inspire young readers.”—School Library Journal for Barrio Rising

“Chicana poet Águila employs lyrical language to depict a thinly fictionalized account of the April 1970 protest by San Diego’s Barrio Logan residents … Aztec and Mayan cultural symbols appear throughout, reflecting the actual artwork in the park. Appended with a more detailed history of this event and additional resources, this is a welcome addition to Chicane resistance and resilience literature.”—Booklist

“A heroic, triumphant picture book.“—WackyMommy.org

Maria Dolores guila is a Chicana poet and writer from San Diego, California. Deeply inspired by Chicane history and art, she seeks to write empowering and inclusive stories about everything she learns. She also loves drinking coffee, browsing the bookshelves at her local library, and spending time with her family.

Magdalena Mora is a Minneapolis-based illustrator and graphic designer. She has illustrated numerous picture books including Still Dreaming/Seguimos Sonando and The Notebook Keeper, both of which were 2023 Pura Belpre Honor award winners. Magdalena grew up between Chicago, Mexico, and California. When not drawing, Magdalena likes reading, people-watching, and trying to find the best tacos in the Twin Cities. Mostly the latter.

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