Sports Stories for Teens: Hispanic Heritage

From the basketball court to the baseball diamond to the soccer net, these stories capture the highs of winning, the lows of losing, and the love of the game — especially when it's all you've got. Recommended for grades 7-12.

Furia

Furia
Age Level: Young adult (14-18)
Language: English, Spanish vocabulary featured

In Rosario, Argentina, Camila Hassan lives a double life. At home, she is a careful daughter, living within her mother’s narrow expectations, in her rising-soccer-star brother’s shadow, and under the abusive rule of her short-tempered father. On the field, she is La Furia, a powerhouse of skill and talent. When her team qualifies for the South American tournament, Camila gets the chance to see just how far those talents can take her. But parents don’t know about her passion. And the boy she once loved is back in town.

Haters

"'Until recently, my dad seemed to realize he was a hopeless geek,' says 16-year-old Pasquala 'Paski' Archuleta, who moves from Taos to Orange County, California, after her cartoonist dad sells the film option for one of his stories; Paski's drifter mom is long gone, and Paski feels like an outsider at her new school, where money seems to matter most. Her mountain bike grounds her, and her exceptional stunts attract gorgeous Chris, the boyfriend of a treacherous queen bee.

Heat

Product Description: Michael Arroyo has a pitching arm that throws serious heat. But his firepower is nothing compared to the heat Michael faces in his day-to-day life. Newly orphaned after his father led the family's escape from Cuba, Michael's only family is his seventeen-yearold brother Carlos. If Social Services hears of their situation, they will be separated in the foster-care system — or worse, sent back to Cuba. Together, the boys carry on alone, dodging bills and anyone who asks too many questions.

Keeper

By: Mal Peet
Age Level: Young adult (14-18)

Product Description: When journalist Paul Faustino flips on his tape recorder for an exclusive interview with El Gato — the phenomenal goalkeeper who single-handedly brought his team the World Cup — the seasoned reporter quickly learns that this will be no ordinary story. Instead, the legendary El Gato narrates a spellbinding tale that begins in the South American rainforest, where a ghostly but very real mentor, the Keeper, emerges to teach a poor, gawky boy the most thrilling secrets of the game.

Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask

Product Description: In Xavier Garza's bilingual kids' book, young Carlitos attends his first lucha libre match in Mexico City. At ringside, Carlitos sees the famous luchador — the Man in the Silver Mask, a man whose eyes look terribly familiar. The masked wrestler even smiles at Carlitos! He is mesmerized as the Man in the Silver Mask is pitted against the terrible forces of evil — los rudos, the bad guys of lucha libre. They make the audience boo and hiss!

Taking Sides

Product Description: Lincoln Mendoza is back and he is in a jam when his basketball team at his new school — where the students are rich and mostly white — faces his old team from the barrio on the boards. How can he play his best against his friends? No matter who wins, it looks like it will be lose-lose for Lincoln.

The Whole Sky Full of Stars

Product Description: Barry can punch anyone hard enough to make them see a whole sky full of stars, though that's not really his style. Barry and Alby have been friends since the first grade. They've always protected one another. When Barry's pop dies, times are tough and the only thing Barry has of value is his dad's 1964 Ford Galaxie. Meanwhile Alby's got himself into big trouble with a cardshark. So he hatches a plan to make money for himself and Barry. The problem is, Barry could get hurt, and it just might cost Alby their friendship. How much can you ask of a friend?

Tortilla Sun

Product Description: When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words "Becausemagic" while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell? Her mom certainly isn't sharing anyespecially when it comes to Izzy's father, who died before Izzy was born. But when she spends the summer in her Nana's remote New Mexico village, Izzy discovers long-buried secrets that come alive in an enchanted landscape of watermelon mountains, whispering winds, and tortilla suns.

When the Stars Go Blue: A Novel

"In a risky career move, ballerina Soledad refuses an offer to join a dance company in order to play the role of Carmen with a Miami-based competitive all-male drum and bugle corp. Although the role and its opportunities are seductive, spending the summer with her new boyfriend, bugle-playing Jonathan, and exploring their fresh, exciting love is equally compelling.