Christina Diaz Gonzalez Books in Order

How to Start Reading Christina Diaz Gonzalez

Christina Diaz Gonzalez has written across a wide array of formats and genres, including historical fiction, action-adventure duologies, contemporary graphic novels, and collaborative fantasy. Because her books span different styles and universes, there is no single chronological order for her entire catalog. Instead, the best path depends entirely on what kind of story you want to read first.

For readers who appreciate deeply moving historical fiction and family dramas, The Red Umbrella is the absolute best place to start. It is her debut novel and established her signature ability to blend historical events with personal, emotional resilience. If you prefer high-octane action, start with Moving Target. For fans of graphic novels, the award-winning Invisible is a must-read.

The Cuba Companion Novels

Though they are technically standalones, Christina Diaz Gonzalez has written two books that form a powerful companion pair exploring different generations of the Cuban migration experience. While you can read them in any order, reading them in publication order offers a deeper appreciation of the historic and familial connections.

• The Red Umbrella (2010): Set in 1961, this novel follows 14-year-old Lucía Alvarez as she is sent from Cuba to the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan—a real-world historical initiative that relocated over 14,000 unaccompanied Cuban children to escape the political unrest of the revolution.
• The Bluest Sky (2022): Set twenty years later in 1980, this companion book centers on Héctor during the Mariel Boatlift. As tension rises in Havana, Héctor faces the grueling choice of leaving his homeland behind. Gonzalez has shared in interviews that this novel contains a "secret" connection to her debut, linking the characters and settings of both generations.

The Moving Target Duology

If you are looking for an action-adventure thriller packed with ancient mysteries, secret societies, and archaeological puzzles, you should read this duology in strict chronological order. It follows Cassie Arroyo, an art history student in Rome who discovers she has the unique ability to alter destiny using an ancient artifact known as the Spear of Destiny.

1. Moving Target (2015)
2. Return Fire (2016)

Graphic Novels

Gonzalez has also expanded her storytelling into graphic novels, collaborating with talented illustrators to tell engaging stories for middle-grade and young adult readers. These are standalone works that can be read at any time.

• Invisible (2022): Illustrated by Gabriela Epstein. Inspired by The Breakfast Club, this graphic novel features a diverse group of five bilingual Hispanic students who are thrown together to complete community service hours. The book is uniquely formatted in both English and Spanish, highlighting themes of empathy, visibility, and friendship.
• Offside (2026): Co-created with illustrator Mari Costa, this graphic novel explores the dynamics, struggles, and triumphs of a co-ed middle school soccer team.

Other Standalone Novels

These individual novels do not share characters or continuities, making them perfect entry points that you can pick up whenever you like:

• A Thunderous Whisper (2012): A gripping historical fiction novel set during the Spanish Civil War. It tells the story of Ani, a 12-year-old Basque girl who becomes a spy for the resistance, helping to smuggle secrets in the shadow of the bombing of Guernica.
• Concealed (2021): A sci-fi mystery thriller about a girl named Katrina who has spent her life changing names and locations under what she believes is the Witness Protection Program. When her parents suddenly go missing, Katrina must team up with a new friend to uncover the truth about her identity, which is connected to cutting-edge CRISPR gene-editing technology.

Collaborative Series: Spirit Animals

Gonzalez contributed to the highly popular, multi-author fantasy franchise Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts. While the main series is written by a rotating cast of prominent authors, you should read the series in order to follow the overarching plot. Gonzalez wrote the seventh book in this second cycle:

• Stormspeaker (2018): Book 7 of the Fall of the Beasts series. In this installment, the young heroes must travel to the desert region of Nilo to prevent the Wyrm from taking over the land, facing trials that test their bonds with their spirit animals.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez Books in Publication Order

If you prefer to read along with the author's career progression, here is the complete publication order of her works:

1. The Red Umbrella (2010)
2. A Thunderous Whisper (2012)
3. Moving Target (2015)
4. Return Fire (2016)
5. Stormspeaker (Spirit Animals: Fall of the Beasts Book 7) (2018)
6. Concealed (2021)
7. Invisible (2022)
8. The Bluest Sky (2022)
9. Offside (2026)