I grew up loving comics (not superhero ones, other kinds). Reading Persepolis & Maus as a teen was transformative, I particularly love the way graphic novels convey memoirs. I wanted to share 4 YA graphic novels that help bring discussions about oppression and personal responsibility into the classroom or home learning space. Kisses for Jet…
Category: Latinx Culture & Identity
Buen Provecho & Jaguars and Butterflies
English (Spanish version of J&B also available, as well as Indigenous Mexican languages!) Any Mexican Culture Mexican American Cooking Latinx Families summary You folks may remember the event I did with Ericka Sanchez this past summer, (click here to watch the recording!) and she has another new cookbook out already! Buen Provecho is packed full…
The Last Cuentista
English & Spanish 10+ Science-Fiction Space Dystopia Folklore Storytelling Donna Barba Higuera Cover by Raxenne Maniquiz summary Latinx Heritage Month may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean that our reading lists should be any less packed with amazing Hispanic & Latinx creators. Today I have an awesome sci-fi read for ages 10…
Mi Casa is My Home
English & Spanish 4+ Latinx Family Bilingual Books Big Families Confidence Self-Esteem Laurenne Sala & Zara González Hoang summary Mi Casa is My Home is a beautiful celebration of family and spending time with them! Readers are treated to a house tour from Lucía, our narrator who lives with her big family in their casa….
The Insiders
English & Spanish MG LGBTQ Friendship Bullying Queer Friendships Latinx Family Moving New School Fantasy/Magic Mark Oshiro summary Ahh middle school. Hormones, moving to new schools, wanting to look cool…secret rooms that respond to your needs? Maybe not for all of us, but for Héctor and his new middle school this seems to be the…
Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez
English 5+ Historical Figures Legislation Racism Mexican American Community Social Change Larry Dane Brimner & Maya Gonzalez summary Roberto Alvarez liked growing up and attending school in Lemon Grove. That is until one day when he gets to school, and he’s turned away. Roberto and the other Mexican American students are being sent to another…
A Song of Frutas
English & Spanish 3+ Intergenerational Stories Visting Family Fruit Vendors Cuban-American Authors Mexican Illustrators Margarita Engle & Sara Palacios summary For the first day of Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, I wanted to share a book that’s fun. In A Song of Frutas, a young girl loves to visit her abuelo because it means she…
Paletas for All!
English & Spanish All Ages Paletas STEM Cooking Kindness LA Food Scene summary Popsicle season is year-round, and that’s something I’m prepared to fight about. Today I have two fantastic books that celebrate the paleta in all forms, a picture book and a cookbook! If you haven’t checked out Ericka Sanchez’s website Nibbles & Feasts…
Bella’s Recipe for Success
English & Spanish 4-8 years Latinx Families Perseverance Cooking Intergenerational Stories Hobbies Social-Emotional Learning Ana Siqueira & Geraldine Rodríguez summary Have I cried because a cake overflowed in my oven while baking? Sure have. And then I went to the grocery store at 11pm for more eggs so I could make it again. The point…
The Caiman
English 4-8 years Venezuela Friendship Uncommon Pets Kindness María Eugenia Manrique & Ramón París Translated by Amy Brill summary So you might have a friend with an iguana, or visited a shop with a dog or even a chicken (shoutout to the jewelry shop in Town with 2 shop chickens!) but have you ever visited…