Hispanic Heritage Booklist

Celebrate the native foods of the Americas — peanuts, blueberries, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and more — through haiku poetry and stunning artwork. A perfect selection for April, celebrating El día de los niños/El día de los libros (a reading celebration created by Pat Mora) and National Poetry Month!

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Rosalba imagines flying over New York City with her much loved abeula who speaks mostly Spanish. The girl uses Spanish words to describe what they see. Brightly colored illustrations detail what Rosalba and her grandmother glimpse as they fly. (Available in both English and Spanish).

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These traditional rhymes and songs from Latin America are presented in both English and Spanish. Gentle illustrations accompany the short verses, and show both cities and the countryside. Children and adults from Spanish-speaking backgrounds will recognize many of these fun songs and rhymes.

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Bursting with color and spirit, this book is a bilingual collection of Latin-American folk songs. The songs were selected and translated by popular Mexican performer and songwriter Jose-Luis Orozco. The book includes traditional tunes, rhymes, and hand games. An accompanying music CD is also recommended.

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Using the alphabet as a pattern, paintings and brief poems explore rural life in Mexico presented first in Spanish and followed by English.

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Since he forgets to distribute the lists for the neighborhood picnic, Oscar must launch into action. He shops, sets the table and whips up the food – in a most unusual way – for the best picnic ever! Colorful illustrations add imaginative detail and visual interest as well as a subtle nudge for exercise.

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This picture book biography introduces an unusual girl who grew up to become a well-known and much loved scholar and poet. When Juana was only three years old, she followed her sister to school but continued her education beyond that of most 18th century Mexican women. She studied at the university, and ultimately joined a convent where she wrote and collected books. Handsome, detailed paintings illustrate the period in which Juana lived while evoking Mexican folk art.

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José lives in a diverse neighborhood where he's just as likely to hear Spanish, English, or Chinese. The appealing photographs in this book document José's life at home, at school, and on the streets of his barrio in San Francisco, a city that is a vibrant mosaic of different cultures. (Available in a Spanish edition and in an English edition with a Spanish glossary).

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Spanish words are incorporated naturally into this bright collection of poems that depict a day's activities in the Southwest. Vivid illustrations complement the verse to evoke the author's Mexican American background.

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In spite of the obstacles he confronted, Cesar Chavez worked tirelessly to better the lives of migrant workers. Here, the life of this controversial man is presented in an open, illustrated format that is intriguing for both new and experienced readers.

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A girl visits both sets of grandparents on weekends. On Saturdays, she speaks English with Grandpa and Grandma, while on Sundays, los domingos, she speaks Spanish with Abeulito and Abeulita. The format provides a glimpse at the subtle differences between cultures and highlights their similarities, one of which is each set of grandparents' love for their granddaughter. Spanish words are interspersed in the fluid text.

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Kingsville, on the border of Mexico and Texas, comes to life in words and pictures in this book. Readers will share the simple joys of eating, dancing, and celebrating as the artist remembers her own childhood. Her stories, presented in both English and Spanish, are accompanied by her bright paintings.

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Vivid images combine with lively language to present a sunny season with its foods, fun and family in short poems in both English and Spanish.

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This bilingual book will help children appreciate the life and music of the famous Hispanic singer, Celia Cruz. This engaging book introduces the reader to the a famous salsa singer who is world-renowned for her ecstatic energy and tropical sounds.

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Dreams are for the day and the night. Children dream for themselves as well as their community and their world. Short poems, richly imagined and vibrantly illustrated appear in English and Spanish and are firmly rooted in a child's experience.

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Snake terrifies children and their parents. He claims to be the "king of the road." But with gifts from the animals, Desert Woman fashions Roadrunner to defeat Snake. In the tradition of a folktale, this original story explains why rattlesnakes have their rattle and how cooperation can save the day.

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Naomi and her younger brother Owen have lived with their grandmother in a small trailer for many years, ever since they were abandoned by their mother. When Mom Terri Lynn suddenly returns, does she really have the kids’ best interests at heart? This is a wonderful, realistic portrayal of working-class families.

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Meet kids in Cuba as they work, play, and go to school. They live in cities and in the country, similar to other children around the world. A straightforward text is expanded by the crisp, varied photographs.

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Instead of celebrating her 13th birthday in her prosperous Mexican home as she expected, Esperanza must adjust to the murder of her father, the loss of her house and wealth, and her new life as a farm worker in California. This readable coming-of-age novel is based on the life of the author's grandmother.

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Ancona takes a look at Latino and Hispanic murals within the United States in this fascinating photo-essay. The photos vary between broad shots, close-ups that reveal details, and images of a variety of people either creating or viewing the paintings.

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Everyday activities, from sun-up to sun-down – sol a sol – are presented in a series of short poems presented in Spanish and English. Richly hued paintings sweep across the pages adding movement and verve to the simple fluid language.

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"Stories have delighted both children and adults for as long as there have been families and communities on Earth." So begins the informative introduction to the dozen takes which are presented here to charm another generation, ideal for reading independently or sharing aloud.

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In writing about her childhood growing up in Camaguey, Cuba, the author evokes all the senses. Readers will smell jasmine, coffee, and grandmother's perfume. They will see the bats flying overhead and hear adults talk. When parents and other adults read this memoir with children, they may start to share their own family stories.

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Familiar tales as well as less known legends and myths from Latin American countries including Chile, Uruguay, Brazil, Costa Rico and more are presented here in both Spanish and English, dotted with illustrations. Source notes are included, making this collection useful for storytellers and for reading aloud.

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Art combines with poetry and short prose pieces all by creators from Mexico for a culturally specific but emotionally universal literary experience. Stories are everywhere; you simply need to find them. Perhaps as one poet suggests in "The Lemon Tree": "the tree/is older than you are/and you might find stories/in its branches."

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Yolanda Garcia (from How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) also known as Yo, writes about what she knows, and what she knows is her family as they know about her. Yo's native Dominica, her life in New York and the people who live there are poignantly presented from multiple points of view, each with wit, imagination and candor.

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