The books listed are a sampling of the titles available. Ask your Children's Librarian for further suggestions and tell us which are your favorites.
Picture Stories
- Chato goes' cruisin'
-
Chato, a very cool cat, wins a free sea cruise, but he and his pal Novio Boy are shocked to find only dogs on board!
jPS Soto - Estela's swap
-
Estela’s generosity earns her a great swap at the local flea market.
jPS Onei - F is for fiesta
-
A boy celebrates his fourth birthday is this lively alphabet book that incorporates Spanish words.
jPS Elya - Fernando's gift
-
A Costa Rican boy consoles a friend when they find her favorite rain forest tree cut down. Bilingual.
jPS Keis - Fiesta!
-
A simple counting story that follows three children as they buy items to put in their party piñata. Bilingual.
jPS Guy and jBOARD - A gift of gracias: the legend of Altagracia
-
An original story about the Virgin Mary’s magical appearance to a young Dominican girl.
jPS Alva - Jalapeño bagels
-
Pablo finds the perfect food to represent his Mexican and Jewish heritage for International Day at school.
jPS Wing - Julio's magic
-
As much as he wants to win the wood-carving contest himself, a Mexican village boy helps his elderly mentor garner the annual prize.
jPS Dorr - Mama & Papa have a store
-
Guatemalan, Mayan, and Chinese cultures blend as a preschooler describes a typical busy day in her parents’ general store.
jPS Carl - My little car
-
Teresa’s new pedal car is the hottest low-rider in town until she neglects it. With a little TLC, she and Abuelito (Grandpa) prove that an oldie can still be a goody.
jPS Soto - My very own room
-
An eight-year-old gets support from her loving Mexican-American family to leave the room she shares with five brothers. Bilingual.
jPS Pere - Xochitl and the flowers
-
A girl from El Salvador tells the inspiring story of her family’s backyard flower business in the Mission. Bilingual.
jPS Argu
Folktales
- Fiesta femenina: celebrating women in Mexican folktale
-
Eight tales of remarkable women that represent a variety of cultural traditions.
j398.2097 Gers - The golden flower: a Taino myth from Puerto Rico
-
Vibrant art brings to life the story of the origin of the sea and the island of Puerto Rico.
j398.2097 Jaff - Just a minute: a trickster tale and counting book
-
Not even Señor Calavera can rush Grandma Beetle when she is preparing for a big birthday fiesta!
j398.2097 Mora - The lizard and the sun
-
A Mexican tale in which Lizard perseveres to find the sun asleep in a rock, thus bringing light back to the earth. Bilingual.
j398.2 Ada - Momentos mágicos (Magic moments)
-
Fifteen scary stories, trickster tales, tales of strong women, and myths. Bilingual.
j398.2098 Loya - Señor Cat’s romance and other favorite stories from Latin America
-
Six of the most popular tales colorfully illustrated to reflect their Spanish origins and Latin flavor.
j398.2 Gonz
Fiction
- Abuela's weave
-
A young girl travels with her grandmother to sell their weavings at a Guatemalan market.
jF Cast - Becoming Naomi León
-
When her long-lost mother reappears, Naomi is glad Gram takes her and her younger brother back to Oaxaca to find their father and gain legal custody.
jF Ryan - Breaking through
-
Autobiographical story of the author’s difficult teen years, from his family’s deportation to when he begins college.
jF Jime - The color of my words
-
Set in the Dominican Republic, a girl who wants to be a writer tells the poignant story of her people’s deadly fight to save their village from developers.
jF Jose - The composition
-
Life under a dictatorship comes into focus for a nine-year-old boy when a soldier comes to school and instructs the children to write an essay about what their families do at night.
jF Skar - Doña Flor: a tall tale about a giant woman with a great big heart
-
The title says it all about this Pura Belpré Medal winning book.
jF Mora - First day in grapes
-
On his first day in third grade at a new school a migrant boy is confronted by two bullies.
jF Pere - Keeper
-
El Gato tells of his rise from poor village woodcutter to World Cup-winning goalie in this ghostly mystery.
jF Peet - La línea
-
A fifteen-year-old’s carefully-made plans to join his parents in California go awry when his younger sister secretly follows him.
jF Jara - My land sings: stories from the Rio Grande
-
Five folktales and five original stories set in the Río Grande area of New Mexico.
jF Anay - The streets are free
-
Residents of a poor, crowded neighborhood in Caracas, Venezuela organize to get a park built.
jF Kuru
Poetry and Songs
- Canto familiar
-
Poems of home and family, the block, and the neighborhood, served up with vivacious full-color prints.
j811.54 Soto - Fiestas: a year of Latin American songs of celebration
-
Colorful collage illustrations celebrate 21 holiday and seasonal songs. Bilingual.
j784.4961 Fies - Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems
-
First of four collections that celebrate Los Angeles, Mexico and the author’s Mexican-American heritage and childhood. Bilingual.
j811.54 Alar - Mamá Goose: a Latino nursery treasury
-
A joyful collection of lullabies, finger and lap games, nursery rhymes, songs (no music), and riddles from the rich diversity of Spanish-speaking peoples. In Spanish, with “creative” English versions.
j398.8094 Mama - Messengers of rain: and other poems from Latin America
-
Sixty-four poems from 19 countries have been translated into English from the original Spanish in this attractive compilation.
j861.008 Mess
Nonfiction
- Barrio: José’s neighborhood
-
A spirited photo-essay about a 9-year-old boy who lives in San Francisco’s Mission District.
j979.461 Anco - Celebrating a Quinceañera: a Latina’s 15th birthday celebration
-
A 10-year-old from Cloverdale, CA helps her older cousin prepare for the special, traditional day that will mark her becoming an adult.
j395.24 Hoyt - The festival of bones (El festival de las calaveras)
-
Poetic text and shivery art introduce the Day of the Dead. Bilingual.
j394.266 Sanv - An illustrated treasury of Latino read-aloud stories
-
A broad mix of Pre-Columbian myths and legends, fables and riddles, fairy tales and stories, history, and more recent Spanish-American literature are presented in English and Spanish.
j860.8 Illu - Machu Picchu
-
A description of the Inca civilization and the building of their sacred fortress city high in the Andes Mountains of Peru.
j985.34 Mann - Magic windows (Ventanas Mágicas)
-
Stories of her family and Mexican heritage are depicted in papel picado by the author/artist. Bilingual.
j306.8505 Loma - Secrets in stone: all about Maya hieroglyphs
-
The fascinating story of the Maya, their mysterious language and how it was deciphered. With craft and party game ideas.
j497.415 Coul
Biography
- 100 Hispanic Americans who changed American history
-
Short biographical sketches of men and women covering a broad spectrum from Ponce de León to Oscar de la Hoya.
j920.0092 Laez - Harvesting hope: the story of Cesar Chavez
-
A vivid picture biography of the renowned Mexican-American union leader and organizer.
jB Chav - My name is Celia (Me llamo Celia)
-
Colorful portrayal of the Cuban singer, Celia Cruz, who became known worldwide as the Queen of Salsa. Bilingual.
j780.2 Cruz - The pot that Juan built
-
The life and art of the renowned, self-taught Mexican potter, Juan Quezada, are revealed in cumulative rhyme and bold illustrations.
j738.092 Quez - Roberto Clemente: pride of the Pittsburg Pirates
-
Tribute to the Puerto Rican athlete and humanitarian, the first Latino inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
jB Clem - The upside down boy (El niño de cabeza)
-
Poetic memories of the author’s youth when his migrant parents settled down so he could attend school. Bilingual.
jB Herr
