Series: American Stories for Gutsy Girls #1
Published by Thomas Nelson on May 26, 2026
Genres: Children's, Children's Educational
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From Hispanic author Hailey Alcaraz, this historical tale of arson, sleuthing, and finding friendship in unlikely places is based on the real Hotel Adams fire of 1910. It's up to two Latina girls to turn their knack for being overlooked and underestimated into their greatest strength as they unravel a complex web of suspects, clues, and motives.
Ruth and Luisa live very different lives within the dusty desert town of Phoenix. Ruth is the only child of a political official. She spends her days stuffed into scratchy dresses and smiling prettily in the ballrooms of the Hotel Adams. Luisa is a young housekeeper. She looks at the Persian rug and thinks, I also know what it feels like to be walked over, barely noticed, and covered in other people's dirt. The girls stumble into a partnership when they overhear a plan to set fire to the hotel, a political hot spot for the growing western town. As they race to figure out who is behind the plot--and how to stop them--they must not only overcome what other people expect from them but what they've grown to expect from themselves.
Part of the Own Voices historical series American Stories for Gutsy Girls Five Days at the Hotel Adams ...
Transports children into the past with a compelling story full of secrets, subterfuge, and sisterhood;
Encourages tweens to look for friends in unexpected places;
Is perfect for fans of Pam Muñoz Ryan and Erin Entrada Kelly; and
Includes black-and-white illustrations.Enjoy this fast-paced adventure story in which two girls race against the clock to stop a crime as they learn that good always comes from trying your best--even if the outcome is the last thing you expected.
Five Days at the Hotel Adams is the first novel in a new historical fiction series for children. These standalone books feature strong female characters from underrepresented racial or cultural backgrounds. The stories are well-researched and bring the past to life, and there are occasional black and white illustrations. Mothers who grew up reading American Girl and Dear America books will enjoy having something similar to share with their girls.
In this story, two girls try to solve a mystery. Ruth and Louisa meet at The Hotel Adams, a fancy hotel in Arizona territory. Ruth is the only daughter of a wealthy political official, and Louisa is a Latina hotel maid. Despite their differences, they become friends, and they investigate a potential crime. Author Hailey Alcaraz brings the hotel atmosphere to life, and the characters are memorable and easy to root for.
Someone is planning to commit arson at the hotel, and as the girls try to figure out who, they learn about challenges and controversies with Arizona’s bid for statehood. They also learn something surprising about Ruth’s past. It turns out that her long-deceased mother was Mexican, and that Ruth is mixed-race. I thought this was a great twist, but that is only because I hadn’t read the marketing blurb closely. For some reason, the publisher spoiled this plot twist up front, describing both girls as Latina.
With the mystery plot, there is a lot of build-up without much payoff. (This paragraph and the next involve spoilers!) The girls never solve the mystery, the hotel burns down in spite of their efforts, and the story skips over the action that could have happened during the fire. The girls assure themselves that even though they accomplished basically nothing, at least they became friends and learned a lot about Arizona Territory. As a reader, however, I felt cheated.
Since the real Hotel Adams burned down in 1910 without explanation, I can see why the girls couldn’t solve the mystery. Still, that’s no excuse for not dramatizing the crucial event of the whole story, when the whole book counts down to the day of the blaze. Then, to make matters worse, the ending is a rushed info-dump. Alcaraz ties up loose ends by telling the reader what happened to various characters, and these updates feel tacked on and unnatural. The author spent too much time describing the girls’ repetitive, failed investigative efforts, and then there wasn’t enough space for emotionally significant things to actually happen at the end of the story.
Christian parents should know that even though this book is from Tommy Nelson, a historically Christian publisher, there is no significant faith content in the book. There are a few offhanded references to church and prayer, but that’s pretty much it. You would find more faith content in most mainstream children’s books published in 1910. Families should approach this as they would any other contemporary middle-grade novel, without expecting a Christian message.
Five Days at the Hotel Adams has a great premise and memorable, likable main characters. However, even though I enjoyed many aspects of this story, the book suffers from problems with pacing and has an unsatisfying ending. As a result, I cannot personally recommend this book, but I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it, either. People looking for engaging, well-researched historical fiction can enjoy this story, even though I would encourage them to have accurate expectations for the ending.