Unearthed: A Jessica Cruz Story -- Lilliam Rivera, Paperback

Acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera and artist Steph C. reimagine one of DC's greatest Green Lanterns, Jessica Cruz, to tell a story about immigration, family, and overcoming fear to inspire hope.

Jessica Cruz has done everything right. She's a dedicated student, popular among her classmates, and has a loving family that has done everything they can to give her a better life in the United States. While Jessica is a part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, allowing her to go to school and live in the U.S., her parents are undocumented. Jessica usually worries for her parents, but her fears and anxiety escalate as a mayoral candidate with a strong anti-immigration stance runs for office.

As the xenophobia in Coast City increases, Jessica begins to debate whether it's worth renewing her status to stay in the U.S., or if her family would be safer and better off moving back to Mexico. And despite her attempts to lean on her friends and family, she finds herself constantly visited by visions of Aztec gods, one pulling her towards hope and the other towards anger.

But when her father is detained by I.C.E., Jessica finds herself being pulled into an abyss of fear. With her father gone and feeling helpless, Jessica must find her way out of her fears and ultimately become a voice for her community.

Author: Lilliam Rivera
Publisher: DC Comics
Published: 09/14/2021
Pages: 208
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.83lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781779500519
Audience: Young Adult

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/01/0001
School Library Journal 12/01/2021 pg. 98

About the Author
Lilliam Rivera is an award-winning writer and the author of children's books Goldie Vance: The Hotel Whodunit, Dealing in Dreams, and The Education of Margot Sanchez, and the forthcoming young adult novel Never Look Back (September 2020) by Bloomsbury. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, The New York Times, and Elle, to name a few. A Bronx, New York, native, Lilliam currently lives in Los Angeles.

Steph C.is a Mexico-based artist and illustrator known for her stylish and vibrant characters and sharp, geometric compositions and designs. She has created illustrations and character concepts for independent clients, magazines, local books, collaborations, and original artwork. She aims to inspire others through art and share stories of her own.