Adventure in the City of Stories (Cousins in the Time of Magic 2) by Emma Otheguy

What worked:

Each book in the series is set in a different time in history. This time, the cousins travel back to the United States in 1930, trying to return a “stolen” book from a present-day New York library. The book creatively describes life during the Great Depression, as the kids navigate the city. There’s an emphasis on racial prejudice, specifically against Puerto Ricans. A wealthy white woman tries to exaggerate her influence by focusing on any negative news stories that involve Puerto Ricans. She wants Puerto Ricans living in New York to become more “American”, although she’s reminded that Puerto Ricans are, in fact, already Americans. Some prejudicial thoughts are eerily similar to those the cousins have experienced in the modern world. The end of the book includes the author's words explaining factual historical information related to elements of the book. 

The cousins, Jorge, Camila, and Siggy, are the main characters, and they each have important roles in the story. Tia Xia is the dependable savior for the cousins during the adventure. The kids know she can always resolve their problems, although they’re all separated in this story. Tia Xia has experience with time travel, and she always seems to know people from previous trips into the past. One Harlem archive owner is aware of her time-traveling and is an invaluable asset in solving the conflict. Tia Xia also seems aware of how situations will work out, creating calmness and confidence in the other characters. An obnoxious, rich bully in the present has a surprisingly helpful part in resolving the conflict in 1930. 

What didn’t work as well:

The characters from the past are too carefree about the cousins traveling through time. They’re more curious and excited about the possibility than alarmed or disbelieving. Also, the mechanics of time travel aren’t clear. The characters hop into small boats and are carried to where and when in history they need to go. 

The final verdict:

You can still enjoy this book without having read the previous one. The plot is fast-paced, and it provides fun information about United States history. I recommend you try it for yourself.