Hispanic Heritage Month
From September 15 through October 15, the library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing the histories, cultures, traditions and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.
Join us for library programs featuring conversation, literature, food, dance and cultural exploration. You can also discover celebrations taking place throughout the Northwest suburbs and Chicago.
Library Programs & Events
Blue Zone Foods: Brazil
Tuesday, September 8, 2–4 p.m. / Register starting September 2
Tuesday, September 8, 5:30–7:30 p.m. / Register starting September 2
ESL Read Aloud: Have You Seen Marie? by Sandra Cisneros
Wednesday, September 9, 10:30 a.m.–noon / Register Now
Wednesday, September 16, 10:30 a.m.–noon / Register Now
Wednesday, September 23, 10:30 a.m.–noon / Register Now
Virtual: Inglés para Hispanohablantes
Wednesday, September 9, 11 a.m.–noon / Register Now
Wednesday, September 23, 11 a.m.–noon / Register Now
Globetrotters: Argentina
Thursday, September 10, 4:15–5:15 p.m. / Register starting September 1
Making Churros
Saturday, September 12, 1–3 p.m. / Register starting September 2
Community Event: Heritage Fest
Saturday, September 19, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. / Arlington Heights Historical Museum / Learn More
Music in the Stacks
Saturday, September 19, 2–3:15 p.m. / Learn More
Hablemos Español (Let’s Speak Spanish)
Monday, September 21, 6–7:30 p.m. / Register Now
Ballet Folklorico de Chicago Performance
Saturday, September 26, 11 a.m.–noon / Register starting September 1
Chicagoland Events
Northwest Hispanic Chamber Annual Hispanic Heritage Night Game
Wednesday, September 2, 5–9 p.m. / Wintrust Field, Schaumburg / Learn More
El Grito Chicago
Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13, 2–10 p.m. / Grant Park, Chicago / Learn More
Annual 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade
Sunday, September 13, noon–3 p.m. / Little Village, Chicago / Learn More
Celebración de los Árboles
Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27 / The Morton Arboretum, Lisle / Learn More
Hispanic Heritage Fest at Brookfield Zoo
Saturday, September 26, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. / Brookfield Zoo / Learn More
Chicago Latino Dance Festival at Humboldt Park
Sunday, October 11, 3–5 p.m. / Humboldt Park, Chicago / Learn More
Community Partners Shout-Out!
The library is grateful for the amazing community partners who help us connect with and support the Hispanic community throughout Arlington Heights and the Northwest suburbs.
Northwest Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Northwest Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Thank you for uplifting, connecting and empowering Hispanic entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners. The library is proud to collaborate with you to share valuable resources, educational opportunities and community events.
Misión San Juan Diego
Misión San Juan Diego
Thank you for welcoming the library into your vibrant Spanish-speaking community. Through outreach events, bilingual resources and Spanish-language programs, our partnership helps make library services more accessible to Hispanic families.
United Palatine Coalition
United Palatine Coalition
Thank you for bringing local organizations and community members together to reduce barriers and connect families with essential resources. We value our collaboration through community outreach, educational opportunities, resource-sharing and digital inclusion efforts.
Hispanic Heritage Month Booklists
The possession of Alba Díaz
"When a demonic presence awakens deep in a Mexican silver mine, the young woman it seizes must turn to the one man she shouldn't trust... from bestselling author Isabel Cañas. In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family's isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong. Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family's legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin's betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can't help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them... and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon's thirst for blood grows stronger. In the fight for her life, Alba and Elías become entangled with the occult, the Church, long-kept secrets, and one another... not knowing that one of these things will spell their doom"--
My name is Emilia del Valle
"In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman. To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man's pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan. As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny." --
The Grand Paloma Resort
"The Grand Paloma Resort is a lush paradise in the Dominican Republic where the guests enjoy incredible luxury, and the staff is always eager to please-that is, until they are pushed to the brink"-- Provided by publisher
Hombrecito
"A novel by a brilliant new voice, Hombrecito is a queer coming-of-age story about a young immigrant's complex relationships with his mother and his motherland."--
Catalina
"Catalina is trying to work out her own life as she leaves her undocumented family behind to enter Harvard. Suffering from bouts of PTSD, she struggles to connect to her new world just as she struggled to make sense of her old one. She infiltrates the subcultures of elite undergrads-internships and college newspapers, parties and secret societies-and observes them like an anthropologist, but then falls in love, or something like love, with a fellow student, an actual anthropology scholar who wants to teach her about the Andean world she was born in but never knew. They are drawn to each other by the strange attraction of exocticized fascination-she, a real live Latin American, becomes a subject of academic interest; he, in turns, draws her fascination as a white legacy admit born into the strange world she now navigates. Catalina is uncertain: should she let herself become what he wants her to be and take up residence in his secure and privileged world? Or should she return to the life she's known, with all its thorny precarity? Who is she anyway?"--
The dance and the fire
"After years apart, three high school friends return to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where an intense love triangle once left an indelible mark on their adolescence. The city, surrounded by a ring of claustrophobic wildfires, brings out the past and confronts them with their present: they must once again face the entanglement of friendship and desire, the seemingly distant discovery of sexuality, complex parental relationships, and the daunting task of artistic fulfillment. In the background, two forces of chaos and destruction are a constant presence. As fires ravage the physical landscape, one of the friends begins choreographing an ecstatic dance inspired by the German expressionist Mary Wigman and medieval Danse Macabre. What starts as a coping mechanism for the anxieties of youth and climate catastrophe becomes an overpowering, all-consuming hysteria. Mysterious powers are awakened, the boundary between reality and myth begins to blur, and the friends find themselves immersed in an increasingly turbulent and uncertain universe"--
Loca
"It's 1999, and best friends Sal and Charo are striving to hold on to their dreams in a New York determined to grind them down. Sal is a book-loving science nerd trying to grow beyond his dead-end job in a new city, but he's held back by tragic memories from his past in Santo Domingo. Free-spirited Charo is surprised to find herself a mother at twenty-five, partnered with a controlling man, working at the same supermarket for years, her world shrunk to the very domesticity she thought she'd escaped in her old country. When Sal finds love at a gay club one night, both his and Charo's worlds unexpectedly open up to a vibrant social circle that pushes them to reckon with what they owe to their own selves, pasts, futures, and, always, each other." --
Speak to me of home
"What does it mean to call a place home? From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jeanine Cummins comes a deeply felt multigenerational family story On her wedding day in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1968, Rafaela Acuña y Daubón has mild misgivings, but she marries Peter Brennan Jr. anyway in a blaze of romantic optimism. She has no way of knowing how dramatically her life will change when she uproots her young family to start over in the American Midwest, unleashing a fleet of disappointments. In the 1980s, against the backdrop of her mother's isolation in St. Louis, Missouri, Rafaela's daughter, Ruth Brennan, wants only to belong. Eager to fit in, Ruth lets go of her language, habits, and childhood memories of Puerto Rico. It's not until decades later when Ruth's own daughter, Daisy, returns to San Juan that her mother and grandmother begin to truly reflect on the choices that have come to define their lives. When a hurricane ravages the island in 2023, leaving Daisy critically injured, Rafaela and Ruth return to the city where it all began. As they gather at Daisy's bedside, we follow them back into the pasts that brought them to this point: we watch as they come of age, fall in love, take risks, and contend with all the heartbreaks, triumphs, and reversals of fortune--both good and bad--that make up a meaningful life. As old memories come to light, so do buried secrets, leaving everyone in the family wondering exactly where it is that they belong. A striking, resonant examination of marriage, family, and identity, Speak to Me of Home is ultimately a story of mothers and daughters that asks: How can three women who share geography and genetics have such wildly different ideas of where they come from? And, more importantly, can they discover a common language to find their way back home?"--
The intrigue
"Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won't last forever, and he's desperate to get his hands on a real fortune. He thinks he's found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn't expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt's household. When Inés discovers Ulises' true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They'll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast and clean. But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained on. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated. Venture into the streets of a small town where the patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust"--
Last night in Brooklyn
"New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a captivating story about a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor's secret past, laying bare the mounting tensions at play in a rapidly gentrifying, early 2000's Fort Greene, Brooklyn. SPRING, 2007 At twenty-six, Alicia Canales Forten feels smothered by her future. She's in a long-distance relationship, living at home with her mother's beliefs, saving up for her wedding to a future doctor. But after Alicia ventures out one night in the neighborhood of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, she finds herself lured by the siren song of youth and possibility that the striving crowd of creatives holds, and moves in. No one embodies this more than La Garza, a larger-than-life, up-and-coming fashion designer whose epic house parties fuel neighborhood lore. La Garza's life, observed by Alicia from her apartment across the street, seems to hold the allure and fearlessness Alicia has never dared to imagine for herself. But when Alicia's wealthy banker cousin moves to the neighborhood, she finds herself increasingly drawn into both his and La Garza's precarious lives. Against the backdrop of a potentially life-changing presidential election and a looming once-in-a-generation fiscal crisis, Last Night in Brooklyn explores the dark compromise of the American Dream for people of color living, unknowingly, in the twilight of a cultural moment. It is a story about everything money can buy--and the destruction of what it can't"--
I give you my silence
"In his final novel, the Nobel Prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa returns to his native Peru"-- Provided by publisher
Autobiography of cotton
"In 1934, a young Jose Revueltas traveled to Tamaulipas to support the cotton workers' strike in Estacion Camaron, which became the basis of his landmark novel Human Mourning. In her own groundbreaking novel, Autobiography of Cotton, Cristina Rivera Garza recounts her grandparents' journey from mining towns to those same cotton fields as it intersects with Revueltas's life in a vivid and evocative history of cotton cultivation along the Mexico-US border. Through archival research and personal narrative, Rivera Garza chronicles the way cotton transformed the borderlands by reconstructing the cotton workers' strike and reveals how cycles of deprivation and ecocide persist across generations. Deeply personal and politically acute, Rivera Garza crafts a new kind of border novel that tells how a brittle land radically altered her grandparents' lives and the territories they helped develop. An intimate fictionalization, Autobiography of Cotton reveals a rich social history of agricultural colonization, labor activism, environmental degradation, and cross-border migration"-- Provided by publisher
Frida's cook
"This colorful, emotive historical debut whisks us to the home of Frida Kahlo, where food, art, and love weave together an unforgettable story of friendship and loyalty, with a bright Coyoacán as a vivid background. A hidden painting. A buried past. A legacy waiting to be uncovered. Mexico City, 1939: Young and determined Nayeli Cruz flees from her Oaxaca home to arrive in Mexico City with neither friends nor prospects. Alone and armed only with her sharp wit and extraordinary talent in the kitchen, she finds herself in front of La Caza Azul, the home of Frida Kahlo. As she begins work as the artist's cook, Nayeli is pulled into Frida's world of pain, passion, and defiance. But it isn't long before amid the vibrant tapestry of flavors, scents, and colors, the two women form a deep bond--one that will shape the course of Nayeli's life and leave behind a secret buried in art. Buenos Aires, Present Day: Paloma, Nayeli's granddaughter, stumbles upon a mysterious painting depicting her grandmother as a young woman. The artist's identity is unknown, but the artwork's existence threatens to unravel long-held family secrets. As Paloma delves into her grandmother's past, she uncovers a tale of passion, betrayal, and resilience that challenges everything she thought she knew about the one woman who raised her"--
My name is Emilia del Valle
"In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman. To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man's pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan. As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny." --
Deeper than the ocean
"One hundred years after the shipwreck of the Valbanera, known to history as the 'poor man's Titanic', Mara Denis gets an assignment to report on the Canary Islands, where her ancestors lived before they moved to Cuba. Unexpectedly, she discovers that the grandmother her mother cherished was listed among the dead of the Valbanera, years before Mara's mother was even born. This fateful twist changes everything Mara thought she knew about her family and herself, and sends her on a quest to find the truth. If her great grandmother is a ghost, who is she and where did she come from?"--
Malinalli
An imaginative retelling of the triumphs and sorrows of one of the most controversial and misunderstood women in Mexico's history and mythology
Last night in Brooklyn
"New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a captivating story about a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor's secret past, laying bare the mounting tensions at play in a rapidly gentrifying, early 2000's Fort Greene, Brooklyn. SPRING, 2007 At twenty-six, Alicia Canales Forten feels smothered by her future. She's in a long-distance relationship, living at home with her mother's beliefs, saving up for her wedding to a future doctor. But after Alicia ventures out one night in the neighborhood of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, she finds herself lured by the siren song of youth and possibility that the striving crowd of creatives holds, and moves in. No one embodies this more than La Garza, a larger-than-life, up-and-coming fashion designer whose epic house parties fuel neighborhood lore. La Garza's life, observed by Alicia from her apartment across the street, seems to hold the allure and fearlessness Alicia has never dared to imagine for herself. But when Alicia's wealthy banker cousin moves to the neighborhood, she finds herself increasingly drawn into both his and La Garza's precarious lives. Against the backdrop of a potentially life-changing presidential election and a looming once-in-a-generation fiscal crisis, Last Night in Brooklyn explores the dark compromise of the American Dream for people of color living, unknowingly, in the twilight of a cultural moment. It is a story about everything money can buy--and the destruction of what it can't"--
My (half) Latinx kitchen half recipes, half stories, all Latin American
"'What are you?' is a dreaded question that has followed Kiera Wright-Ruiz around her entire life. She is half Latinx and half Asian, and her journey to understand her identity has been far from linear. Though she is a first-generation American, she didn't grow up in a home where many traditions from her family's home countries were passed down by her parents. Kiera's childhood was complicated, and the role of caregiver was played by various people in her life: from her mom and dad to her grandparents and foster parents. Many of whom were from all different parts of Latin America, and each of them taught Kiera something about what it means to be Latinx through their food. This cookbook is the story of Kiera's journey to embrace her identity and all her cultures: Latinx, Asian, and American"--
Dreaming of home how we turn fear into pride power, and real change
"A MacArthur "Genius" shares her inspiring story, from undocumented newcomer to leader in a powerful immigrant youth movement. Dreaming of Home is a coming-of-age story both for a young woman finding her true self and for a social movement of immigrant youth trailblazers who inspired the world and changed the lives of millions. Cristina Jiménez's family fights to stay afloat as Ecuador falls into a political and economic crisis. When she is thirteen, her parents courageously decide to seek a better life in the U.S., landing in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, New York. There are many challenges, but eventually, Cristina discovers she is not alone; she finds her calling within a community of social justice organizers. With deep candor and humor, Cristina opens the door to what it's like to grow up undocumented and the reality that being a "good" immigrant doesn't shield you from systematic racism, danger, or even the confusion of falling in love. Through personal stories and historical truth telling, Cristina invites us to acknowledge the America that never was and to imagine the America that could be when everyday people build power and fight for change. And she reminds us that home is more than a physical place on the map, offering each of us a roadmap for finding the home within even when the world around us seems to be crumbling"-- Provided by publisher
Alligator tears a memoir in essays
"A darkly comic memoir-in-essays about the scam of the American Dream, healing through community, and doing whatever it takes to survive in the Sunshine State-from the award-winning author of High-Risk Homosexual"--
Tías and primas on knowing and loving the women who raise us
"Born into a large, close-knit family in Nicaragua, Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez grew up surrounded by strong, kind, funny, sensitive, resilient, judgmental, messy, beautiful women. Whether blood relatives or chosen family, these tías and primas fundamentally shaped her view of the world-and so did the labels that were used to talk about them. The tía loca who is shunned for defying gender roles. The pretty prima put on a pedestal for her European features. The matriarch who is the core of her community but hides all her pain. In Tías and Primas, the follow-up to her acclaimed debut For Brown Girls with Sharp Edges and Tender Hearts, Mojica Rodríguez explores these archetypes. Fearlessly grappling with the effects of intergenerational trauma, centuries of colonization, and sexism, she attempts to heal the pain that is so often embodied in female family lines. Tías and Primas is a deeply felt love letter to family, community, and Latinas everywhere."--
Crying in the bathroom a memoir
"From the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, an utterly original memoir-in-essays that is as deeply moving as it is hilariously funny"--
Latinoland a portrait of America's largest and least understood minority
"A sweeping yet personal overview of the latino population of America, drawn from hundreds of interviews and prodigious research that emphasizes the diversity and little-known history of our largest and fastest-growing minority. LatinoLand is an exceptional, all-encompassing overview of Hispanic America based on personal interviews, deep research, and Marie Arana's life experience as a Latina. At present, Latinos comprise 20 percent of the US population, a number that is growing. By 2050, census reports project that one in every three Americans will claim Latino heritage. But Latinos are not a monolith. They do not represent a single group. The largest numbers are Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, and Cubans. Each has a different cultural and political background. Puerto Ricans, for example, are US citizens, whereas some Mexican Americans never immigrated because the US-Mexico border shifted after the US invasion of 1848, incorporating what is now the entire southwest of the United States. Cubans came in two great waves: those escaping communism in the early years of Castro, many of whom were professionals and wealthy, and those permitted to leave in the Mariel boat lift twenty years later, representing some of the poorest Cubans, including prisoners. As LatinoLand shows, Latinos were some of the earliest immigrants to what is now the US--some of them arriving in the 1500s. They are racially diverse--a random fusion of White, Black, Indigenous, and Asian. Once overwhelmingly Catholic, they are becoming increasingly Protestant and Evangelical. They range from domestic workers and day laborers to successful artists, corporate CEOs, and US senators. Formerly solidly Democratic, they now vote Republican in growing numbers. They are as varied culturally as any immigrants from Europe or Asia. Marie Arana draws on her own experience as the daughter of an American mother and Peruvian father who came to the US at age nine, straddling two worlds, as many Latinos do. LatinoLand unabashedly celebrates Latino resilience and character and shows us why we must understand the fastest-growing minority in America"--
Harvest of empire a history of Latinos in America
"A sweeping history of the Latinx experience in the United States. The first new edition in ten years of this important study of Latinos in U.S. history, Harvest of Empire spans five centuries--from the European colonization of the Americas to the 2020 election. Latinos are now the largest minority group in the United States, and their impact on American culture and politics is greater than ever. With family portraits of real-life immigrant Latino pioneers, as well as accounts of the events and conditions that compelled them to leave their homelands, Gonzalez highlights the complexity of a segment of the American population that is often discussed but frequently misrepresented. This landmark history is required reading for anyone wishing to understand the history and legacy of this influential and diverse group"--
My side of the river a memoir
"Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez reveals her experience as the U.S. born daughter of immigrants and what happened when, at fifteen, her parents were forced back to Mexico in this galvanizing yet tender memoir. Born to Mexican immigrants south of the Rillito River in Tucson, Arizona, Elizabeth had the world at her fingertips as she entered her freshman year of high school as the number one student. But suddenly, Elizabeth's own country took away the most important right a child has: a right to have a family. As her parents' visas expired, they were forced to return to Mexico, leaving Elizabeth responsible for her younger brother, as well as her education. Determined to break the cycle of being "a statistic," she knew that even though her parents couldn't stay, there was no way she could let go of the opportunities the U.S. could provide. Armed with only her passport and sheer teenage determination, Elizabeth became what her school would eventually describe as an unaccompanied, homeless youth, one of thousands of underage victims affected by family separation due to broken immigration laws. For fans of Educated by Tara Westover and The Distance Between Us by Reyna Grande, My Side of the River explores separation, generational trauma, and the toll of the American dream. It's also, at its core, a love story between a brother and a sister who, no matter the cost, is determined to make the pursuit of his own dreams easier than it was for her"--
Visitations poems
"In these poems, Alvarez traces her life gently, a fingertip following lines on a page, through memories of her childhood in the Dominican Republic, a dictatorship dramatically survived, family and sofrito, tías and the sisters who forged her, her move to America and overcoming English, the search for mental health and beauty, redemption and success. We meet her grandchild and her mother, her lovers and the homes where she grew up and into the formidable writer read in thousands of classrooms across America today. In these poems, her wisdom is as clear and beautiful as the light that shines through crystal and yet grounded through form and the substance of self-knowing."-- Provided by publisher
Citizenship notes on an American myth
"In this one-of-a-kind book, Daisy Hernández fiercely interrogates one of the most complicated subjects of contemporary life and politics: citizenship. Braiding memoir, history, and cultural criticism, she exposes the truths and lies of how we define ourselves as a country and a people. Turning to her own family's stories-her mother arrived from Colombia, her father a political refugee from Castro's Cuba-Hernández shows how the very idea of citizenship is a myth and part of the stories we tell ourselves about the American soul and psyche. Reframing our understanding of what it means to be an American, Citizenship is an urgent and necessary account of the laws, customs, and language we use to include and exclude, especially those who come from Latin America. With her scholar's mind and memoirist's gift for narrative, Hernández weaves a story both personal and national, while reckoning with our country's ongoing debate about who belongs and providing fresh ways of thinking about citizenship. At once bracing, fearless, and tender, Citizenship is a powerful portrait of one family's experiences in the borderlands of citizenship and an honest illumination of the country in which we live."-- Provided by publisher
Celebración! traditional Mexican recipes for festive feasts and family gatherings
In Cooking con Claudia: Celebración!, Claudia Regalado returns with deliciously tried and true Mexican recipes, each bearing the hallmark of tradition with a creative twist. Having immigrated from Mexico to the United States at the age of 5, Claudia intimately understands the challenges of retaining her cultural identity. During difficult times, one thing helped her stay connected to her roots: food. Through her culinary journey, she found solace and connection, anchoring her family's traditions in the flavors of home. Today, Claudia has a family of her own and has preserved these traditions to share with her husband and children, giving them the chance to cherish the authentic tastes of Mexico. And now she is sharing these family favorites with you! In her latest cookbook, Claudia presents diverse recipes that span all things Mexican celebration. You'll find dishes such as Chocolate Abuelita, Calabacitas a la Mexicana, Tacos de Papa, Ensalada de Elote, and Sopa de Lentijas, all intertwined with captivating stories and anecdotes from Claudia's life. Whether you share similar experiences or simply want to explore Mexican cuisine, Claudia welcomes you to her home and to her table. Bienvenido!
Vitamina T : your daily dose of tacos, tortas, tamales, and more Mexican street food classics
"Discover over 100 delicious takes on classic Mexican street foods. You're guaranteed to get your daily dose of vitamin T-the unofficial Mexican food group that celebrates tacos, tortas, tamales, and more. Celebrated chef Fermín Núñez and masa-purveyor-to-the-stars Jorge Gaviria take us on a journey through the sizzling streets of Mexico and Mexican communities in the U.S. to show us how we can capture some of the magic of this cuisine in our home kitchens. These street foods (tacos, tostadas, tamales, and other vitamin T favorites) represent the culinary experiences across Mexican foodways. Explore the beautiful sights and bold flavors of a late-night taqueria, a charcoal-burning clay comal teeming with hoja-santa-wrapped tetelas, and all of the tamales at all of the times. This book features mouthwatering Mexican staples as well as contemporary twists. These dishes are emblematic of what makes Mexico a culinary cornerstone, and Vitamina T translates them into approachable, easy to prepare recipes for home cooks. Through traditional techniques, practices developed by Fermín and Jorge, with dishes for any meal, drinks, salsas, and more, this book has everything you need to bring a late night Mexico City street food crawl into your own home"-- Provided by publisher
The violence : my family's Colombian War
When presumed president-elect Jorge Eliécer Gaitán, champion of the working class and harbinger of a new era of progressive social change, is assassinated on the eve of Colombia's 1948 presidential election, the capital is plunged into bloodshed. So begins a singularly brutal period of Colombia's history known simply as la violencia --a bloody civil war that spawned decades of turmoil and splintered the country into ever-shifting factions. The Violence is an intimate history of this conflict--told not from the political center of the war but from the mountainous finca that Adriana E. Ramírez's family tended to for generations, and through the eyes of her formidable grandmother, Esther. With startling lyricism, Ramírez illuminates the specter of violence--from guerilla warfare to the brutalities found so often in romantic relationships to the spontaneous and senseless violence steeped into everyday Colombian life during this period--and the threat that it poses to a country, and a family, that is trying to stay whole. Gracefully braiding together macrohistory, family history, and personal narrative, Adriana E. Ramírez traces these parallel stories of upheaval in a sweeping portrait of a country and family in flux
Keeper of my kin memoir of an immigrant daughter
"In 1963, four years after Fidel Castro came to power, Ada Ferrer's mother made the agonizing decision to flee Cuba with her infant daughter, Ada, and to leave behind her nine-year-old son, Poly. That moment was but a ripple in a much larger story of a world historical revolution. Yet, in Ferrer's intimate family history, that choice was a crossroads, ultimately inseparable from who and what they all became. In this beautiful memoir, Ferrer masterfully shifts between her roles as historian and family member, weaving a multigenerational tale that reaches into the past to understand the circumstances and choices that led to the present. We see key historical events through the eyes of the family: the grandmother who raised Poly after Ada's departure, a Black woman born a year after the end of slavery in Cuba; Ada's parents, forced to invent themselves anew in a foreign land; and two brothers left behind -- Poly and another, once-secret brother named Juan José, both of whose lives were marked irrevocably by revolution and family separation. From Cuba to the United States and then back again, the book unpacks the experience and emotion of migration, in the moment and over the long-term, for those who left and those who stayed. Using a treasure trove of letters found after the death of Ada's parents, as well as government documents acquired through Freedom of Information Act requests, Ferrer offers us a profound reflection on belonging, memory, and the lasting imprint of history."--
Migrant heart essays about things I can't forget
What is the true power of stories? Can they heal the jagged edges of a traumatic childhood? Is the cost of telling the story worth the price of the cure? Reyna Grande has spent her career capturing the raw reality of life across borders. In this intricate and deeply intimate memoir-in-essays, the author of the landmark memoirs The Distance Between Us and A Dream Called Home again turns her gaze inward to explore the scars left by migration and the ongoing work of stitching herself back together. With her signature blend of sophistication and raw honesty, Grande interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the woman, mother, and writer she has become. Moving from the legacy of violence in her hometown of Iguala, Mexico, to a bittersweet family vacation in Europe spent reconciling her own impoverished past with her children's world of abundance, she uncovers startling truths about the nature of survival. Whether being racially profiled in the Arizona borderlands or finding unexpected wisdom from the slugs in her garden, Grande unflinchingly asks: How do we bridge the gap between who we were and who we have become? How do we turn pain into power? When memory threatens to define us, how can we use story to heal while still honoring our boundaries? Migrant Heart is a powerful testament to Grande's role as a storyteller and cultural witness. It expands our understanding of life in the United States and the complex people who cross and live within its borders. It is an essential read for the seekers, the dreamers, and anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one's voice
El Paso five families and one hundred years of blood, migration, race, and memory
"From New York Times reporter Jazmine Ulloa, a sweeping human history of El Paso, revealing violence, power, and privilege at play in America's most famous border town. El Paso has been called the "Ellis Island" of America's southern border, a mountain pass cum border town cum bifurcated metropolis where past meets future, and disadvantage meets opportunity, or so the promise goes. El Paso is an extraordinary, can't-look-away reported history; it uses deep research and dozens of new interviews to blow away the myth of this place, where Mexico's Juarez and America's El Paso intertwine. It charts the history of El Paso through five families. From the Mexican Revolution and the Mexican Repatriation, to the shifting immigration laws under Reagan and Trump and the violence and bloodshed brought on by the drug war, El Paso captures a place often misunderstood or forgotten by the rest of the country, and the world. El Paso is a brave new work of narrative nonfiction that gives new voice and perspective to history that has long been checked at the border, or told through the lens of white men alone. Ulloa draws upon meticulous research and reporting and stunning historical detail to craft the intimate narratives of an unforgettable cast of characters"--
The eternal forest : a memoir of the Cuban diaspora
"In the tradition of The Yellow House and Half Broke Horses, a memoir of the Cuban diaspora that follows one family's exile from the island, through a lyrical exploration of memory, cultural mythology, and the history of Cuban-American relations. History is undeniably dominated by its men, but the stories Elena Sheppard was brought up on were almost always about Cuba's women--everyday women, whose names would be forgotten and buried along with their bones unless someone took the effort to remember them. Cifuentes, Cuba, in the 1950s was nearly idyllic-at least that's how Elena's grandparents, Rosita and Gustavo Delgado, remember the Eden they left. When Fidel Castro seized power in 1959, Gustavo was placed on a list of political undesirables, and by the end of 1960, the couple and their two daughters had fled to Florida, with nothing more than five dollars, and a suitcase each. The Delgados were certain they would return to Cifuentes within a few months, after Castro's reign had run its course. But they never went back, and a piece of each of their identities became frozen in that moment. In 1987, Elena was the first in Gustavo and Rosita's family to be born in the United States, but through the memories that lived on in her grandmother's mind, Cuba became the foundation of her childhood. Elena takes us inside these stories, and as we travel back and forth across the narrow Florida Straits that separate Miami and Havana, we also weave between past and present, to discover family secrets that are on the brink of being lost to time. In lyrical yet unflinching prose, The Eternal Forest follows one family's exile from their homeland and in so doing, it tells the larger political story of the Cuban Revolution and its diaspora. Through a spellbinding blend of cultural myth, historical texts, and personal narrative, The Eternal Forest seeks to understand the nature of inheritance, how trauma and memory are passed down through generations, and what it means to yearn for an island you can never fully know"-- Provided by publisher
Dreaming of home how we turn fear into pride power, and real change
"A MacArthur "Genius" shares her inspiring story, from undocumented newcomer to leader in a powerful immigrant youth movement. Dreaming of Home is a coming-of-age story both for a young woman finding her true self and for a social movement of immigrant youth trailblazers who inspired the world and changed the lives of millions. Cristina Jiménez's family fights to stay afloat as Ecuador falls into a political and economic crisis. When she is thirteen, her parents courageously decide to seek a better life in the U.S., landing in a one-bedroom apartment in Queens, New York. There are many challenges, but eventually, Cristina discovers she is not alone; she finds her calling within a community of social justice organizers. With deep candor and humor, Cristina opens the door to what it's like to grow up undocumented and the reality that being a "good" immigrant doesn't shield you from systematic racism, danger, or even the confusion of falling in love. Through personal stories and historical truth telling, Cristina invites us to acknowledge the America that never was and to imagine the America that could be when everyday people build power and fight for change. And she reminds us that home is more than a physical place on the map, offering each of us a roadmap for finding the home within even when the world around us seems to be crumbling"-- Provided by publisher
My (half) Latinx kitchen half recipes, half stories, all Latin American
"'What are you?' is a dreaded question that has followed Kiera Wright-Ruiz around her entire life. She is half Latinx and half Asian, and her journey to understand her identity has been far from linear. Though she is a first-generation American, she didn't grow up in a home where many traditions from her family's home countries were passed down by her parents. Kiera's childhood was complicated, and the role of caregiver was played by various people in her life: from her mom and dad to her grandparents and foster parents. Many of whom were from all different parts of Latin America, and each of them taught Kiera something about what it means to be Latinx through their food. This cookbook is the story of Kiera's journey to embrace her identity and all her cultures: Latinx, Asian, and American"--
Sunny days, taco nights
Enrique Olvera is known for the sophisticated Mexican cuisine he serves at his globally renowned restaurants, including the iconic Pujol, in Mexico City. However, his true passion is the everyday taco, which he regards as the most 'democratic' of foods. In Sunny Days, Taco Nights, Olvera presents an in-depth exploration of the taco's history and many different styles, ingredients, and accompaniments, and much more. Equal parts culinary history and cookbook, the book features 100 recipes designed for home cooks, arranged into two main chapters: Classics, which features street tacos; and Originals, which explores Olvera's contemporary reinventions of well-known originals. Classic recipes include Fish Tacos from northwest Mexico; Chicharron Tacos from Monterrey; Chorizo Tacos with spinach; and Steak Tacos common at street vendor tricycles in Mexico City. Contemporary reinventions include Brussels Sprouts Tacos with spicy peanut butter; Ceviche Tacos; Pork Belly Tacos with smoked beans; and Eggs & Green Bean Tacos inspired by Olvera's childhood breakfasts. --
Last stop on Market Street
A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things
Dear Primo a letter to my cousin
Green is a chile pepper a book of colors
A little girl discovers all the bright colors in her Hispanic American neighborhood
Just a minute a trickster tale and counting book
In this version of a traditional tale, Senor Calavera arrives at Grandma Beetle's door, ready to take her to the next life, but after helping her count, in English and Spanish, as she makes her birthday preparations, he changes his mind
Rudas Niño's horrendous hermanitas
"Niño's little sisters get in on the wrestling action"--
Niño wrestles the world
Lucha Libre champion Niño has no trouble fending off monstrous opponents, but when his little sisters awaken from their naps, he is in for a no-holds-barred wrestling match that will truly test his skills
Viva Frida
Mango, Abuela, and me
Drum dream girl how one girl's courage changed music
Follows a young Cuban girl in the 1930s as she strives to become a drummer, despite being continually reminded that only boys play the drums, and that there's never been a female drummer in Cuba. Includes note about Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, who inspired the story, and Anacaona, the all-girl dance band she formed with her sisters
Islandborn
"Lola was just a baby when her family left the Island, so when she has to draw it for a school assignment, she asks her family, friends, and neighbors about their memories of her homeland ... and in the process, comes up with a new way of understanding her own heritage"--
Marisol McDonald doesn't match = Marisol McDonald no combina
Marisol McDonald, a biracial, nonconformist, soccer-playing pirate-princess with brown skin and red hair, celebrates her uniqueness
Waiting for the BiblioBurro
When a man brings to a remote village two burros, Alfa and Beto, loaded with books the children can borrow, Ana's excitement leads her to write a book of her own as she waits for the BibliBurro to return. Includes glossary of Spanish terms and a note on the true story of Columbia's BiblioBurro and mobile libraries in other countries
The notebook keeper a story of kindness from the border
After traveling to Tijuana, Mexico, Noemi and her mother are denied entry at the border and must find the refugee in charge of the notebook, an unofficial ledger of those waiting to cross into the United States. Includes author's note
Martina has too many tías
To escape the noise of her boisterous tías, Martina imagines a peaceful island where she plays quietly with a little mouse, but when she wants to tell of her adventure, she realizes there is no one around--that is until she hears her tías in the next room
Marta! big & small
In this story that incorporates Spanish words, Marta explores the world of opposites and animals
La guitarrista
"When Canta finds a guitar in the trash, she is one step closer to becoming a rock star. Even though the guitar is broken and she doesn't know how to play, nothing can stop Canta from going after her dreams!"--Provided by publisher
Papá's magical water-jug clock
"Today, little Jesús has a big job to do. He's helping Papá at work, and he's in charge of the water jug -- which is also a magical clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday is done. But what about all these thirsty animals? Soon, the water is gone, but the day is not over yet. Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all." -- page [2] of cover
Churro stand
"On a hot summer's day, Lucía and her brother accompany their mother to sell delicious, sugary churros on the bustling streets of New York City. But when a thunderstorm rolls in and the customers are chased away, Lucía's mother must improvise with a little bit of magic and lots of amor. Inspired by the author's relationship with her own mother, this heartwarming picture book celebrates love, community, and the POP, SIZZLE, and CRUNCH of a perfect churro."--
Paletero man ¡Qué paletero tan cool!
"Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator's pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the community to get the tasty treat now"--Provided by publisher
May your life be deliciosa
Each year on Christmas Eve, Rosie's abuela teaches her not only how to make a delicious tamale, but how to make a delicious life--one filled with love, plenty of spice, and family
Isabel and her colores go to school
"English just feels wrong to Isabel. She prefers her native Spanish. As she prepares for a new school, she knows she's going to have to learn. Her first day is uncomfortable, until she employs her crayons and discovers there's more than one way to communicate with new friends"--
Colores de la vida Mexican folk art colors in English and Spanish
Learn the names of the colors with Mexican folk art
Count me in! a parade of Mexican folk art numbers in English and Spanish
Figurines representing participants in the parade at the Guelaguetza festival held in Oaxaca, Mexico, introduce the numbers from one to ten in English and Spanish
Mamá Goose
Presents lullabies, finger plays, nursery rhymes, games, riddles, proverbs, and more in Spanish and English
Pío peep! traditional Spanish nursery rhymes
A collection of more than two dozen nursery rhymes in Spanish, from Spain and Latin America, with English translations
Waiting for the BiblioBurro
When a man brings to a remote village two burros, Alfa and Beto, loaded with books the children can borrow, Ana's excitement leads her to write a book of her own as she waits for the BibliBurro to return. Includes glossary of Spanish terms and a note on the true story of Columbia's BiblioBurro and mobile libraries in other countries
Pilgrim codex
A picture book about one immigrant family's journey north through the eyes of a child, illustrated in the vein of an ancient codex and drawing upon Mesoamerican mythology
A crown for Corina
Corina's Abuela helps her select flowers that mean something to Corina from the garden for her Mexican flower crown that she will wear on her birthday, and explains the symbolic meaning of a birthday crown
The interpreter
"Some kids have one job: to be a kid! Cecilia has two. When she isn't on the soccer field scoring goals, she's accompanying her parents to all kinds of grown-up places, like the DMV, the accountant's office, and the auto shop. She helps them translate from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish. It's an important job, and it can even be fun. It's also hard work. Sometimes Cecilia's second job is so much responsibility, it feels like she'll split in two! Is it time for Cecilia to blow her whistle and call for a time-out?"--
The yellow handkerchief : el pañuelo amarillo
A young girl wishes her family could be more like her friends' families and subconsciously blames her abuela and her yellow handkerchief, but she slowly grows to appreciate and love the language and culture the handkerchief represents
Reina Ramos works it out
Reina Ramos is excited about dressing up as Frida Kahlo for the class wax museum. Frida was a strong person like her mami and abuela-plus Reina has the perfect headband for the costume! But when her best friend Nora picks Frida first, Reina doesn't know what to do. Who will she dress up as now?
Lola Levine, drama queen
"Lola Levine is given a non-speaking part after getting stage fright during her class play audition. She saves the play after a couple of obstacles with the help of her grandmother"--
Battle of the bad-breath bats
When Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their aunt Lucy for the summer, they get lost on 13th Street, but it is not a street at all, but a strange world filled with dangerous beasts
Knight of the cape
All Dominguita wants to do is read. Especially the books in Spanish that Abuela gave to her just before she moved away. They were classics that Abuela and Dominguita read together, classics her abuela brought with her all the way from Cuba when she was a young girl. It helps Dominguita feel like Abuela's still there with her. One of her favorites, Don Quixote, tells of a brave knight errant who tries to do good deeds. Dominguita decides that she, too, will become a knight and do good deeds around her community, creating a grand adventure for her to share with her abuela. And when the class bully tells Dominguita that girls can't be knights, Dom is determined to prove him wrong. With a team of new friends, can Dominguita learn how to be the hero of her own story? -- Provided by publisher
Catalina incognito
Eight-year-old Catalina Castañeda uses Tía Abuela's sewing kit to turn ordinary clothing into a magical disguise, enabling her to uncover a thief at the local library
Wrath of the rain god
Nine-year-old twins Emma and Martín travel into a book of legends and where they must try to stop the rain god's flood
Tíos and Primos
It's a little girl's first trip to her papa's homeland and she's wowed by the experience, including her enormous family, but she only knows a little Spanish and luckily relatives help her see there are other ways to connect
Pura's cuentos how Pura Belpré reshaped libraries with her stories
In this fictional biography, Pura Belpré breaks the rules of storytime by telling unpublished stories from her homeland of Puerto Rico. Includes author's note
Funny bones Posada and his Day of the Dead calaveras
Tito Puente, Mambo King = Tito Puente, Rey del Mambo
A vibrant bilingual picture-book biography that portrays the musical and cultural phenomenon of Tito Puente, Mambo King
A girl named Rosita the story of Rita Moreno: actor, singer, dancer, trailblazer!
"The life of Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer Rita Moreno, from her girlhood journey to the United States to her rise as a timeless superstar"--
Danza! Amalia Hernández and el Ballet Folklórico de Mexico
"Award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh tells the story of Amalia Hernandez, dancer and founder of El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico. Published in time for the 100th anniversary of Hernandez's birth, Danza! is the first picture book about the famous dancer and choreographer. Danza! is a celebration of Hernandez's life and of the rich history of dance in Mexico. As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher, until she saw a performance of dancers in her town square. She was fascinated by the way the dancers twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too. She began to study many different types of dance, including ballet and modern, under some of the best teachers in the world. Hernandez traveled throughout Mexico studying and learning regional dances. Soon she founded her own dance company, El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, where she integrated her knowledge of ballet and modern dance with folkloric dances. The group began to perform all over the country and soon all over the world, becoming an international sensation that still tours today. Duncan Tonatiuh's picture books have been honored with many awards and accolades, including the Pura Belpre Award, the Robert F. Sibert Award, and the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award. With Tonatiuh's distinctive Mixtec-inspired artwork and colorful drawings that seem to leap off the page, Danza! will enthrall and inspire young readers with the fascinating story of this important dancer and choreographer"--
Nuestra America 30 inspiring latinas/latinos who have shaped the United States
Published in association with the Smithsonian Institution and the Molina Family Latino Gallery, a celebration of 30 of history's most influential Latinas and Latinos shares the uplifting stories of subjects ranging from Pura Belpre and Cesar Chavez to Jennifer Lopez and Sonia Sotomayor
Lety out loud
When Lety jumps at the chance to write animal profiles for the Furry Friends Animal Shelter, she is forced to team up with a grumpy classmate named Hunter, who devises a contest to decide who gets to be the official shelter scribe
Lety out loud
When Lety jumps at the chance to write animal profiles for the Furry Friends Animal Shelter, she is forced to team up with a grumpy classmate named Hunter, who devises a contest to decide who gets to be the official shelter scribe
Lety out loud
When Lety jumps at the chance to write animal profiles for the Furry Friends Animal Shelter, she is forced to team up with a grumpy classmate named Hunter, who devises a contest to decide who gets to be the official shelter scribe
Falling short
Best friends Isaac and Marco face various challenges in sixth grade, such as Isaac getting better grades, Marco winning a spot on the basketball team, and both seeing their efforts make a change in their respective family lives. They hope their friendship and support for one another will be enough to help them from falling short
The total eclipse of Nestor Lopez
A Cuban-American boy must use his ability to communicate with animals to save the inhabitants of his town when they are threatened by a witch that transforms into animals
What if a fish
"Eleven-year-old Eddie Aguado is convinced that winning the 14th Annual Arne Hopkins Dock Fishing Tournament (once he actually learns how to fish) will bring him closer to his dad, who died when Eddie was only five"--
Sal & Gabi break the universe
In order to heal after his mother's death, thirteen-year-old Sal learns to reach into time and space to retrieve things--and people--from other universes
Lupe Wong won't dance
"Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues. She's also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy ... like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much...like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons. Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who's Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when the horror that is square dancing rears its head in gym? Obviously she's not gonna let that slide."--Provided by publisher
Merci Suárez changes gears
Merci Suárez begins the sixth grade and knows things will change, but she did not count on her grandfather acting strangely, not fitting in at her private school, and dealing with Edna Santos' jealousy
A dash of trouble
Wanting to be a part of her family's Dia de los Muertos preparations, Leonora sneaks out of school to discover her mother, aunt, and older sisters have been keeping a secret
Join the club, Maggie Diaz
Maggie Diaz of Miami is excited to start seventh-grade with her best friends, Zoey and Julian, and finally getting a cellphone of her own; but after school her friends are wrapped up in their various clubs, her mother is attending college, and her older sister Caro has her sports and tutoring, so Maggie decides that she will find a club to join as well--but trying out ALL the different clubs while still juggling school work is exhausting and confusing--and soon it seems like everybody is mad at her, and the cellphone of her dreams is getting further and further away
Witchlings
"Every year, in the magical town of Ravenskill, Witchlings who participate in the Black Moon Ceremony are placed into covens and come into their powers as full-fledged witches. And twelve-year-old Seven Salazar can't wait to be placed in the most powerful coven with her best friend! But on the night of the ceremony, in front of the entire town, Seven isn't placed in one of the five covens. She's a Spare! Spare covens have fewer witches, are less powerful, and are looked down on by everyone. Even worse, when Seven and the other two Spares perform the magic circle to seal their coven and cement themselves as sisters, it doesn't work! They're stuck as Witchlings and will lose their magic. Seven invokes her only option: the impossible task. The three Spares will be assigned an impossible task: If they work together and succeed at it, their coven will be sealed and they'll gain their full powers. If they fail, well, the last coven to make the attempt ended up being turned into toads. Forever. But maybe friendship can be the most powerful magic of all."--
Tumble
Before she decides whether to accept her stepfather's proposal of adoption, twelve-year-old Adela Ramírez reaches out to her estranged biological father--who is in the midst of a career comeback as a luchador--and the eccentric extended family of wrestlers she has never met, bringing Adela closer to understanding the expansive definition of family
The first rule of punk
Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos
Pilar Ramirez and the escape from Zafa
While doing research for her documentary about her cousin Natasha--who disappeared in the Dominican Republic fifty years ago during the Trujillato--twelve-year-old Pilar Violeta Ramirez is transported to Zafa, an island where Dominican myths and legends come to life and where her cousin is being held captive in a sinister magical prison, and Pilar must defeat the Dominican bogeyman if she hopes to free Natasha and return home to Chicago. Includes author's note
Cece Rios and the desert of souls
Privately questioning her remote community's superstitions about dangerous powerful spirits in their Devil's Alley home, Cecelia Rios experiments with the forbidden art of brujería to rescue her kidnapped sister
Esperanza rising
Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to go work in the labor camps of Southern California, where they must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing Mexican farm workers on the eve of the Great Depression
Mananaland
Twelve-year-old Max, who loves the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers on a journey into tomorrow, sets out on a dangerous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds, armed with a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo's legend as his only guides
Lowriders in space. Book 1
Lupe, Flapjack, Elirio customize their car into a low rider for the Universal Car Competition to win the cash prize that will enable them to buy their own garage
Chunky
"In this full-color middle grade graphic memoir, Yehudi Mercado draws inspiration from his childhood struggle with his weight while finding friendship with his imaginary mascot, Chunky, as he navigates growing up in a working class Mexican-Jewish family"--
Doodles from the Boogie Down
"A young Dominican girl navigates middle school, her strict mother, shifting friendships, and her dream of being an artist"--
Blancaflor, the hero with secret powers a folktale from Latin America
"In this updated adaptation of a classic Latin American folktale, Blancaflor, a young ogre with magical powers, decides to secretly help a charming prince who has made a foolish bet with her father. Through saving the prince and the kingdom, she learns to be honest with herself and others about the things that make her special"--
Dreams from many rivers a Hispanic history of the United States told in poems
"A middle grade verse history of Latinos in the United States, told through the voices of many and varied individuals ranging from Juan Ponce de León to modern-day sixth graders"--
Latinitas celebrating big dreamers in history!
"A celebration of Latinas and Latin American women who followed their dreams, with portraits and short bios"--
Join the club, Maggie Diaz
Maggie Diaz of Miami is excited to start seventh-grade with her best friends, Zoey and Julian, and finally getting a cellphone of her own; but after school her friends are wrapped up in their various clubs, her mother is attending college, and her older sister Caro has her sports and tutoring, so Maggie decides that she will find a club to join as well--but trying out ALL the different clubs while still juggling school work is exhausting and confusing--and soon it seems like everybody is mad at her, and the cellphone of her dreams is getting further and further away
A seed in the sun
Lula, a farm-working girl with big dreams, meets Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and other labor rights activists and joins the 1965 protest for workers' rights
A sea of lemon trees : the Corrido of Roberto Alvarez
Based on a true story, twelve-year-old Roberto Alvarez becomes the lead plaintiff in a 1931 lawsuit challenging school segregation in Lemon Grove, California, and stands up for justice with the support of his Mexican American community
The pecan sheller
In 1930s San Antonio, after her father's death, thirteen-year-old Petra must quit school to work at a pecan shelling factory where dangerous conditions and low wages push her to take a vital stand for change
Barrio rising the protest that built Chicano Park
Community members, primarily of Mexican-American descent, band together and protest the construction of a police station on designated parkland and transform it into a vibrant cultural hub adorned with colorful murals that celebrate their heritage. Includes backmatter on Chicano Park in San Diego California
Popo the xolo
Nana transitions from life to death through the nine levels of Mictlān, accompanied by her beloved xoloitzcuintle, Popo
Papá's magical water-jug clock
"Today, little Jesús has a big job to do. He's helping Papá at work, and he's in charge of the water jug -- which is also a magical clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday is done. But what about all these thirsty animals? Soon, the water is gone, but the day is not over yet. Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all." -- page [2] of cover
Dreamers
"An illustrated picture book autobiography in which award-winning author Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story"--
Paletero man
"Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator's pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now"--Provided by publisher
Menudo Sunday a Spanglish counting book
A family gathers for their Sunday menudo tradition, and through playful mishaps and counting in Spanish and English, they learn the value of teamwork and love
Areli is a dreamer
"In the first picture book written by a DACA dreamer Areli Morales tells her own powerful and vibrant immigration story of moving from a quiet town in Mexico to the bustling and noisy metropolis of New York City"--
Lola
Determined to save her brother from the Darkness that plagues their home, ten-year-old Lola follows mythical chaneques into a secret world where she seeks help from the queen
The dream catcher
"A Mexican child who works selling dream catchers alongside his abuelito learns that treasuring the present moment is as important as chasing one's hopes and dreams for the future"--
Mexikid a graphic memoir
"Pedro/Peter Martín is a Mexikid, or a kid born in the U.S. to parents from Mexico, a kid who doesn't quite belong to either place. So he's not sure what to expect when his dad announces that the whole family (all 11 of them!) will be piling into their Winnebago to drive 2,000 miles down to Mexico with a mission: bring their mysterious, Mexican-Revolution-era abuelito home to live with them. But their grandfather has a mission of his own, and he won't leave Mexico until it's complete. This deeply personal and hilarious graphic memoir captures an unforgettable journey filled with cousins, comics, heartbreak, and newly discovered family history. It's the story of one Mexikid in search of his grito...all on the road trip of a lifetime."-- ǂc Back cover
Frizzy
Marlene loves three things: books, Her cool Tía Ruby and hanging out with her best friend Camila. But according to her mother, Paola, the only thing she needs to focus on is school and "growing up." That means straightening her hair every weekend so she could have "presentable good hair." But Marlene hates being in the salon and doesn't understand why her curls are not considered pretty by those around her. With a few hiccups, a dash of embarrassment, and the much-needed help of Camila and Tía Ruby--she slowly starts a journey to learn to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair
Miss Quinces
"Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceąera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family?"--
The last cuentista
"A girl named Petra Pena, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra's world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children - among them Petra and her family - have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet - and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard - or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again? " -- Jacket flap
Efrén divided
While his father works two jobs, seventh-grader Efreń Nava must take care of his twin siblings, kindergartners Max and Mia, after their mother is deported to Mexico. Includes glossary of Spanish words
We set the dark on fire
"Dani must question everything she's worked for as she learns about the corruption of the Median government"--
Cemetery boys
Yadriel, a trans boy, summons the angry spirit of his high school's bad boy, and agrees to help him learn how he died, thereby proving himself a brujo, not a bruja, to his conservative family
The lesbiana's guide to Catholic school
Sixteen-year-old Mexican American Yami Flores starts Catholic school, determined to keep her brother out of trouble and keep herself closeted, but her priorities shift when Yami discovers that her openly gay classmate Bo is also annoyingly cute
Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe
Fifteen-year-old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before
The lost Dreamer
"Indir is a Dreamer, descended from a long line of seers; able to see beyond reality, she carries the rare gift of Dreaming truth. But when the beloved king dies, his son has no respect for this time-honored tradition. King Alcan wants an opportunity to bring the Dreamers to a permanent end--an opportunity Indir will give him if he discovers the two secrets she is struggling to keep. As violent change shakes Indir's world to its core, she is forced to make an impossible choice: fight for her home or fight to survive. Saya is a seer, but not a Dreamer--she has never been formally trained. Her mother exploits her daughter's gift, passing it off as her own as they travel from village to village, never staying in one place too long. Almost as if they're running from something. Almost as if they're being hunted. When Saya loses the necklace she's worn since birth, she discovers that seeing isn't her only gift--and begins to suspect that everything she knows about her life has been a carefully-constructed lie. As she comes to distrust the only family she's ever known, Saya will do what she's never done before, go where she's never been, and risk it all in the search of answers." --
With the fire on high
Teen mother Emoni Santiago struggles with the challenges of finishing high school and her dream of working as a chef
Gabi, a girl in pieces
Sixteen-year-old Gabi Hernandez chronicles her senior year in high school as she copes with her friend Cindy's pregnancy, friend Sebastian's coming out, her father's meth habit, her own cravings for food and cute boys, and especially, the poetry that helps forge her identity
More happy than not
After enduring his father's suicide, his own suicide attempt, broken friendships, and more in the Bronx projects, Aaron Soto, sixteen, is already considering the Leteo Institute's memory-alteration procedure when his new friendship with Thomas turns to unrequited love
Juliet takes a breath
"Juliet, a self-identified queer, Bronx-born Puerto Rican-American, comes out to her family to disastrous results the night before flying to Portland to intern with her feminist author icon--whom Juliet soon realizes has a problematic definition of feminism that excludes women of color"--
The Sunbearer Trials
Transgender demigod Teo is unexpectedly selected for the Sunbearer Trials, a fierce competition among demigod heroes where the winner sacrifices the loser to Sol, their blood fueling the Sun Stones that protect Reino del Sol
Reclaim the stars 17 tales across realms & space
In this collection of stories by acclaimed young adult authors the Latin American diaspora travels to places of fantasy and out into space
¡Ay, Mija! my bilingual summer in Mexico
"In this memoir, Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, as Christine embraces and rebels against their heritage and finds a sense of belonging"--
Furia
Seventeen-year-old Camila Hassan, a rising soccer star in Rosario, Argentina, dreams of playing professionally, in defiance of her fathers' wishes and at the risk of her budding romance with Diego
Abuela, don't forget me
"Rex Ogle's companion to Free Lunch and Punching Bag weaves humor, heartbreak, and hope into life-affirming poems that honor his grandmother's legacy. In his award-winning memoir Free Lunch, Rex Ogle's abuela features as a source of love and support. In this companion-in-verse, Rex captures and celebrates the powerful presence a woman he could always count on-to give him warm hugs and ear kisses, to teach him precious words in Spanish, to bring him to the library where he could take out as many books as he wanted, and to offer safety when darkness closed in. Throughout a coming of age marked by violence and dysfunction, Abuela's red-brick house in Abilene, Texas, offered Rex the possibility of home, and Abuela herself the possibility for a better life. Abuela, Don't Forget Me is a lyrical portrait of the transformative and towering woman who believed in Rex even when he didn't yet know how to believe in himself"--
Ophelia after all
Seventeen-year-old Ophelia Rojas, well known for her rose garden and her dramatic crushes on every boy in sight, begins to question her sexuality and sense of self when she starts to fall for cute, quiet Talia Sanchez in the weeks leading up to their high school prom and graduation
A cruel thirst
"A fledgling vampire and a headstrong vampire huntress must work together--against their better judgment--to rid the world of monsters in this irresistible romantic fantasy"--Provided by publisher
On the wings of la Noche
Seventeen-year-old Noche, who serves as an avian guide to the afterlife, suffers inner turmoil between falling for a new boy in town and letting go of her late girlfriend's soul
Rosa by any other name
"In this Romeo and Juliet-inspired retelling set during the civil rights era, a Mexican American girl is driven to join a movement for justice after her white classmate and best friend from the barrio are tragically murdered"-- Provided by publisher
Salvación
With rising tension in Alta California after the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, seventeen-year-old Lola de La Peña becomes the masked vigilante Salvación to protect her family and town from a man wielding deadly magic, but her mission is complicated when she begins falling for Alejandro, a member of his dangerous entourage
Shut up, this is serious
Belen Dolores Itzel del Toro wants the normal stuff: to experience love or maybe have a boyfriend or at least just lose her virginity. But nothing is normal in East Oakland. Her father left her family. She's at risk of not graduating. And Leti, her super-Catholic, nerdy-ass best friend, is pregnant--by the boyfriend she hasn't told her parents about because he's Black and her parents are racist
I am not your perfect Mexican daughter
Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents' house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga's role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed
Canto contigo
In a twenty-four-hour span, Rafael Alvarez led North Amistad High School's Mariachi Alma de la Frontera to their eleventh consecutive first-place win in the Mariachi Extravaganza de Nacional; and met, made out with, and almost hooked up with one of the cutest guys he's ever met. Now eight months later, Rafie's ready for one final win. What he didn't plan for is his family moving to San Antonio before his senior year, forcing him to leave behind his group while dealing with the loss of the most important person in his life--his beloved abuelo. Another hitch in his plan: The Selena Quintanilla-Perez Academy's Mariachi Todos Colores already has a lead vocalist, Rey Chavez--the boy Rafie made out with--who now stands between him winning and being the great Mariachi Rafie's abuelo always believed him to be. Despite their newfound rivalry for center stage, Rafie can't squash his feelings for Rey. Now he must decide between the people he's known his entire life or the one just starting to get to know the real him
This is the year
"In a near-future Florida ravaged by climate catastrophe, seventeen-year-old Julieta Villarreal is recruited by a space exploration program for immigrant teens after her twin sister is killed in a car crash"--
Fat chance, Charlie Vega
Overweight sixteen-year-old Charlie yearned for her first kiss while her perfect best friend, Amelia, fell in love, so when she finally starts dating and learns the boy asked Amelia out first, she is devastated
These vengeful wishes
"When her stepfather is arrested, aspiring artist Ceci moves back to her mother's hometown of Santa Aguas, an eccentric small town steeped in the legend of La Cegua, the specter of a wronged witch who appears on lonely roads at night, luring untrustworthy men to their deaths. Ceci and her mother take up residence in the abandoned manor of the Sevilla family, rumored to have been cursed by La Cegua, where she begins to uncover a past connected to her mother. The more she learns of the Sevillas, the more Ceci finds herself forming a strange affinity with the feared Cegua, who she suspects is the one inspiring her paintings of a mysterious door in the forest. When the very door Ceci has been painting appears in the woods, she ventures through it with her new friend, and maybe crush, Jamie. Together, they discover a well for granting wishes. The well of La Cegua. After learning others are also searching for the well, Ceci must confront the truth of her mother's past and prevent La Cegua's wishes from being used for the wrong reasons. Every wish has its price, and La Cegua never forgets the ones who have wronged her" --
On the wings of la Noche
Seventeen-year-old Noche, who serves as an avian guide to the afterlife, suffers inner turmoil between falling for a new boy in town and letting go of her late girlfriend's soul
Lucha of the night forest
"One girl caught between the freedom she always wanted and a sister she can't bear to leave behind. Under the cover of the Night Forest, will Lucha be able to step into her own power...or will she be consumed by it? This gorgeous and fast-paced fantasy novel from acclaimed author Tehlor Kay Mejia is brimming with adventure, peril, romance, and family bonds--and asks what it means for a teen girl to become fully herself"--
Anger Is Only a Shadow
From National Book Award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author and renowned poet Elizabeth Acevedo comes a white-knuckle journey to self-understanding and doing the right thing, no matter the cost.Lil is anything but small. She's rebellious, she's loyal; she's figuring out what kind of good person she wants to be, or if she wants to be a good person at all. But more than anything? Lil wants to be free.When her instinct for freedom leads to another stay in D.C. juvenile detention, Lil knows she's lucky to just be on probation. But judgment, guilt, and an ankle monitor weigh heavily on her, and she can't shake that pinned-down feeling.The only person who might understand is her big brother, Aldwin. Except he's more distant now than just the hundred miles where he's away at college. Something's been off with him for a couple of months, but only Lil seems to realize how important it is to get to him.As her court hearing ticks closer, a question looms over Lil as the missed phone calls and strange texts from her brother pile up: will she follow the rules until her sentencing, or put her future freedom on the line?
Self-made boys a Great Gatsby remix
"Three teens chase their own version of the American Dream during the Roaring 20s in this YA remix of The Great Gatsby"--
Living beyond borders growing up Mexican in America
"An anthology of short stories, essays, poetry, and comics about the Mexican American experience"--
Indivisible
New York City high school student Mateo dreams of becoming a Broadway star, but his life is transformed after his parents are deported to Mexico
Frontera
"As long as he remembers to stay smart and keep his eyes open, Mateo knows that he can survive the trek across the Sonoran Desert that will take him from Mexico to the United States. That is until he's caught by the Border Patrol only moments after sneaking across the fence in the dead of night. Escaping their clutches comes at a price and, lost in the desert without a guide or water, Mateo is ill-prepared for the unforgiving heat that is sure to arrive come sunrise. With the odds stacked against him, his one chance at survival may be putting his trust in something, or rather someone, that he isn't even sure exists. If you'd asked him if ghosts were real before he found himself face-to-face with one, Mateo wouldn't have even considered it. But now, confronted with the nearly undeniable presence of Guillermo, he's having second thoughts. Having spent his afterlife guiding migrants to safety, Guillermo knows things about the Sonoran Desert far beyond what could be explained by a mere hallucination. But even as Mateo forms an uneasy partnership with Guillermo, survival is still uncertain. The Sonoran Desert, with its hostile temperatures and inhabitants, is teeming with danger as the Border Patrol and rogue militias prowl its deadly terrain. As his journey stretches on, Mateo will have to decide exactly what and who he's willing to sacrifice to find home."--Amazon
The girl you know
When eighteen-year-old Luna's twin sister Solina dies mysteriously just before returning to Kingswood Academy, Luna infiltrates the boarding school by posing as her sister to uncover the truth behind her death, but dark secrets make the investigation far more challenging than she anticipated
They both die at the end
In a near-future New York City where a service alerts people on the day they will die, teenagers Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio meet using the Last Friend app and are faced with the challenge of living a lifetime on their End Day
Imposter syndrome and other confessions of Alejandra Kim
"Alejandra Kim doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere. At her wealthy Manhattan high school, her super Spanish name and super Korean face do not compute to her mostly white "woke" classmates and teachers. In her Jackson Heights neighborhood, she's not Latinx enough. Even at home, Ale feels unwelcome. And things at home have only gotten worse since Papi's body was discovered on the subway tracks. Ale wants nothing more than to escape the city for the wide-open spaces of the prestigious Wyder University. But when a microaggression at school thrusts Ale into the spotlight--and into a discussion she didn't ask for--Ale must discover what is means to carve out a space for yourself to belong."--
A Cuban girl's guide to tea and tomorrow
Seventeen-year-old Lila Reyes, furious when her parents send her to the English countryside to recover from grief and heartbreak, unexpectedly falls in love with a teashop clerk--and England, itself
Don't date Rosa Santos
Rosa Santos, a Cuban American, works to save her Florida town, seeks admittance to study abroad in her homeland, and wonders if love can break her family's curse
Saints of the household
When brothers Max and Jay help a classmate in trouble, they struggle with the consequences of their violent actions and worry they may be more like their abusive father than they thought, so the brothers turn to their Bribri roots to find their way forward
Brownstone
In the summer of 1995, almost-fifteen-year-old Almudena is sent to live with her estranged Spanish-speaking father, and together they renovate a brownstone and build a relationship while Almudena navigates the Latin American side of her heritage for the first time
¡Ay, Mija! my bilingual summer in Mexico
"In this memoir, Christine Suggs explores a trip they took to Mexico to visit family, as Christine embraces and rebels against their heritage and finds a sense of belonging"--
On the wings of la Noche
Seventeen-year-old Noche, who serves as an avian guide to the afterlife, suffers inner turmoil between falling for a new boy in town and letting go of her late girlfriend's soul
Sanctuary
In 2032, when sixteen-year-old Vali's mother is detained by the Deportation Forces, Vali must flee Vermont with her little brother, Ernie, hoping to reach their Tía Luna in the sanctuary state of California
The Luis Ortega Survival Club
"Ariana Ruiz wants to be noticed. But as an autistic girl who never talks, she goes largely ignored by her peers--despite her bold fashion choices. So when cute, popular Luis starts to pay attention to her, Ari finally feels seen. Luis's attention soon turns to something more, and they have sex at a party--while Ari didn't say no, she definitely didn't say yes. Before she has a chance to process what happened and decide if she even has the right to be mad at Luis, the rumor mill begins churning--thanks, she's sure, to Luis's ex-girlfriend, Shawni. Boys at school now see Ari as an easy target, someone who won't say no. Then Ari finds a mysterious note in her locker that eventually leads her to a group of students determined to expose Luis for the predator he is. To her surprise, she finds genuine friendship among the group, including her growing feelings for the very last girl she expected to fall for. But in order to take Luis down, she'll have to come to terms with the truth of what he did to her that night--and risk everything to see justice done."--Provided by publisher
Breathe and count back from ten
"Verónica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but not just to strengthen her body. Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks and Verónica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. And they definitely would never let her be with Alex, her cute new neighbor. She decides it’s time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns her parents have been hiding the truth from her—the truth about her own body."--Amazon
How Moon Fuentez fell in love with the universe
When seventeen-year-old Star Fuentez reaches social media stardom, her polar-opposite twin, Moon, becomes "merch girl" on a tour bus full of beautiful influencers and the grumpy but attractive Santiago Philips
Shut up, this is serious
Belen Dolores Itzel del Toro wants the normal stuff: to experience love or maybe have a boyfriend or at least just lose her virginity. But nothing is normal in East Oakland. Her father left her family. She's at risk of not graduating. And Leti, her super-Catholic, nerdy-ass best friend, is pregnant--by the boyfriend she hasn't told her parents about because he's Black and her parents are racist
Cemetery boys
Yadriel, a trans boy, summons the angry spirit of his high school's bad boy, and agrees to help him learn how he died, thereby proving himself a brujo, not a bruja, to his conservative family
The golden boy's guide to bipolar
Seventeen-year-old Cesar Flores is finally ready to win back his ex-boyfriend. Since breaking up with Jamal in a last-ditch effort to stay in the closet, he's come out to Mami, his sister, Yami, and their friends, taken his meds faithfully, and gotten his therapist's blessing to reunite with Jamal. Everything would be perfect if it weren't for The Thoughts--the ones that won't let all his Catholic guilt and internalizations stay buried where he wants them. The louder they become, the more Cesar is once again convinced that he doesn't deserve someone like Jamal--or anyone really. Cesar can hide a fair amount of shame behind jokes and his "gifted" reputation, but when a manic episode makes his inner turmoil impossible to hide, he's faced with a stark choice: burn every bridge he has left or, worse--ask for help. But is the mortifying vulnerability of being loved by the people he's hurt the most a risk he's willing to take?
Libertad
Set during the controversial 2017 Honduran presidential election, seventeen-year-old Libertad finds purpose writing political poetry as she navigates her sexuality and concerns for her activist brother's safety
The hills of Estrella Roja
"When college freshman Kat Fields receives a mysterious email urging her to visit a relatively unknown Texas town with a history of witchcraft, strange sightings, and "devil lights"--glowing red stars that appear above the town's hills every night--she ditches her plans for spring break and takes a solo road trip to Estrella Roja to investigate for her podcast, Paranormal Texas, catchphrase: "Y'all stay spooky!" Meanwhile, Marisol "Mari" Castillo, is also headed for Estrella Roja to attend the funeral for her abuela whom she hasn't seen since childhood, when her mom cut ties with the family and left town. Feeling lost and bored, she decides to help Kat after a chance meeting at the local diner--and, okay, it doesn't hurt that Kat is super cute. As the two girls grow closer not only to each other, but to uncovering the dark legacy that the town was built on, they discover that something hungry lurks beneath the strange stars and that in the hills of Estrella Roja, some secrets should stay buried"--
Frontera
"As long as he remembers to stay smart and keep his eyes open, Mateo knows that he can survive the trek across the Sonoran Desert that will take him from Mexico to the United States. That is until he's caught by the Border Patrol only moments after sneaking across the fence in the dead of night. Escaping their clutches comes at a price and, lost in the desert without a guide or water, Mateo is ill-prepared for the unforgiving heat that is sure to arrive come sunrise. With the odds stacked against him, his one chance at survival may be putting his trust in something, or rather someone, that he isn't even sure exists. If you'd asked him if ghosts were real before he found himself face-to-face with one, Mateo wouldn't have even considered it. But now, confronted with the nearly undeniable presence of Guillermo, he's having second thoughts. Having spent his afterlife guiding migrants to safety, Guillermo knows things about the Sonoran Desert far beyond what could be explained by a mere hallucination. But even as Mateo forms an uneasy partnership with Guillermo, survival is still uncertain. The Sonoran Desert, with its hostile temperatures and inhabitants, is teeming with danger as the Border Patrol and rogue militias prowl its deadly terrain. As his journey stretches on, Mateo will have to decide exactly what and who he's willing to sacrifice to find home."--Amazon
Furia
Seventeen-year-old Camila Hassan, a rising soccer star in Rosario, Argentina, dreams of playing professionally, in defiance of her fathers' wishes and at the risk of her budding romance with Diego