Below is a small sample of books from our WMS & EMS Learning Commons and Sora to read during Hispanic Heritage Month--and the rest of the year too!
Who Was Her Own Work of Art?: Frida Kahlo by
Provides a graphic novel that traces the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, from her humble beginnings at her family home in Coyoacán, to her polio diagnosis at a young age, to her car accident at the age of eighteen. Chronicles the ways her art became her medium for recovery, expression, and understanding of her chronic pain, how she met artist Diego Rivera, and how she began teaching and exhibiting her work.
Hispanic Star: Roberto Clemente by
A brief, illustrated biography of Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente. Tracks Clemente's life from being a kid in Carolina, Puerto Rico, to how he came to America and became the first Latin American player to be honored in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Sylvia Mendez by
Presents a biography of Sylvia Mendez, whose family fought against segregation in California schools, which led to the landmark court case known as Mendez v. Westminster in 1947. Discusses segregation in the United States, Mendez's life as an activist after the court case, and her legacy. Includes a timeline, a glossary, and resources for further information.
Finding Miracles by
Milly Kaufman is an ordinary American teenager living in Vermont—and then she meets Pablo, a new student at her high school. His exotic accent, strange fashion sense, and intense interest in Milly force her to confront her identity as an adopted child from Pablo’s native country. As their relationship grows, Milly decides to undertake a courageous journey to her homeland and, along the way, discovers the story of her birth is intertwined with the story of a country recovering from a brutal past.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by
In Silver Springs, Arizona, her mother's stories of the monstrous La Llorona are thrilling but unbelievable to science-loving Paola until she and her best friends Dante and Emma take a walk through a cactus field near the Gila River.
Mexikid by
Pedro Martin embarks on a trip to Mexico with eleven of his family members in their Winnebago to help move their abuelito to the United States to live with them. However, their grandfather won't move until he finishes a quest that becomes a part of Pedro's unforgettable journey.
The Distance Between Us by
Presents a middle-grade adaptation of the memoir of Reyna Grande about her childhood longing for her absent father, who left Mexico to find work in America to make a dream life for his family. She dreamed of his return, but things didn't work out like that--instead, Reyna found herself following him on her own dangerous journey from El Otro Lado to find him. Along the way, books and writing helped save her.
Dolores Huerta by
A biography of American labor leader Dolores Huerta, cofounder with Cesar Chavez of the organization that became the United Farm Workers of America (UFW). Describes Huerta's achievements in leading strikes, organizing demonstrations, and negotiating contracts that gave farmworkers higher wages, paid vacations, and health-care benefits.
Islands Apart by
In ten personal essays, the author explores her experiences growing up as a Dominican in the United States, where often those around her didn't understand that she could be Black and also Spanish-speaking. Her conservative parents frowned upon dating, heels, and shaving, which alienated her from her American peers.
Who Was Selena? by
As a young girl, Selena Quintanilla sang in a band called Selena y Los Dinos with her brother and sister. The family performed at fairs, weddings, quinceañeras, and on street corners in their native Texas. Selena learned how to sing in Spanish and soon became hugely popular within the Latino community--so much so that she became the best-selling Latin artist of the 1990s.
Leaving Glorytown by
Eduardo Calcines recounts his childhood growing up in Cuba, describing the horrid conditions he and his family had to endure while living under Fidel Castro. Calcines describes his family's efforts to gain a visa to America, detailing the fear he felt as he approached his fifteenth birthday, when he would be drafted into the army.
RETURN TO SENDER by
After his family hires migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure, eleven-year-old Tyler befriends the oldest daughter, but when he discovers they may not be in the country legally, he realizes that real friendship knows no borders.
Vision by
A first-person account from Puerto Rican American singer Precious Perez, who, as a child, was always seen for her blindness. But when a music teacher discovered her talent in singing, she began to pursue music and eventually realized there were so many things she could do and her disability would no longer hinder her success. Includes questions, tips for getting involved in disability rights causes, and a timeline.
My Family Divided by
Guerrero was the daughter of undocumented immigrants living in Boston. When she was fourteen, she came home to find that her parents had been arrested and would be deported. Alone (neither ICE nor Child Protective Services ever checked on her), she had to rely on friends to survive. Guerrero details the financial and emotional troubles that resulted from this childhood trauma, as well as how she ended up on the show "Orange Is the New Black."
Taking Hold by
The author describes his fictionalized experiences as a young migrant worker who escapes poverty and builds a better life for himself. Recounts the difficult decision he made to leave behind his family, girlfriend, and community in California to move to New York City to attend Columbia University, and the success that followed as a result.
Roberto Clemente, 2nd Edition by
Roberto Clemente grew up dreaming of playing professional baseball in the United States. By the time he was out of high school, it looked like his dream might just come true. Clemente was drafted by a major league team and headed north. He had to overcome a language barrier, racism, and segregation along the way. But he didn’t let these challenges affect his top-notch performance on the field. His career was cut short when he died in a tragic plane crash while bringing aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Follow this heavy hitter on his amazing journey to stardom and success.
Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx by
Actress Sonia Manzano, known as "Maria" on the television show "Sesame Street" since the early 1970s, writes about the realities of growing up in an inner-city barrio with a loving yet dysfunctional immigrant family, and pursuing her dream of acting.
Marcelo in the Real World by
Narrating Stork's stunning novel is Marcelo Sandoval, a bright, high-functioning autistic 17-year-old boy who has the uncanny ability to hear music internally. Marcelo's differences go unchallenged at the special school he attends, but this changes when Marcelo's lawyer father decides that Marcelo needs some real world experience. Becoming a mailroom worker at his father's law firm, Marcelo faces new obstacles and learns about life's dilemmas, from romance and desire to competition and injustice.
Hurricane by
Salvador Gómez-Colón looked out at the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in 2017 in his home country of Puerto Rico and decided he needed to find a way to help so many who were lacking basic necessities. He began a nonprofit organization called Light and Hope for Puerto Rico which raised over $100,000 that he used to buy and distribute solar-powered lamps and hand-crank washing machines to people without electricity.
Esperanza Rising (Scholastic Gold) by
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.
Unearthed: a Jessica Cruz Story by
Long before she becomes a Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz is a dedicated teenage student and part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program facing xenophobia in Coast City. The daily pressures from her undocumented parents and anti-immigration rhetoric from politicians increases her worries about her future in the United States. Adding to her confusion are two Aztec gods, one inciting hope and the other fear, who visit her in her dreams. When her father is detained by I.C.E., Jessica ultimately opts to take a stand and become a voice for her community.
