Latine Read in Color Recommended Reads

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal (32 pp, Candlewick, 2018). If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of the family members that inspired her name.  As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all—and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. Ages 4 – 8.

Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson (40 pp, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2018). When Carmela wakes up on her birthday, her wish has already come true–she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. Together, they travel through their neighborhood until they reach the laundromat, where Carmela finds a dandelion. But before she can blow its white fluff away, her brother tells her she has to make a wish. If only she can think of just the right wish to make… Ages 4 – 8.

Child of the Flower-Song People: Luz Jiménez, Daughter of the Nahua by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson (48 pp, Harry N. Abrams, 2021). Award-winning illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh brings to life debut author Gloria Amescua’s lyrical biography of an indigenous Nahua woman from Mexico who taught and preserved her people’s culture through modeling for famous artists. Ages 6 – 10.

Coquí in the City by Nomar Perez (32 pp, Dial Books, 2021). Miguel’s pet frog, Coquí, is always with him: as he greets his neighbors in San Juan, buys quesitos from the panadería, and listens to his abuelo’s story about meeting baseball legend Roberto Clemente. Then Miguel learns that he and his parents are moving to the U.S. mainland, which means leaving his beloved grandparents, home in Puerto Rico, and even Coquí behind. Life in New York City is overwhelming, with unfamiliar buildings, foods, and people. But when he and Mamá go exploring, they find a few familiar sights that remind them of home, and Miguel realizes there might be a way to keep a little bit of Puerto Rico with him–including the love he has for Coquí–wherever he goes. Ages 3 – 7.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (40 pp, Neal Porter Books, 2018). Yuyi Morales brought her hopes, her passion, her strength, and her stories with her, when she came to the United States in 1994 with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn’t come empty-handed. Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. Ages 4 – 8. Spanish language edition available.

Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez (32 pp, Candlewick, 2020). Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela’s best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today—not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes…until it’s time to say goodbye. Ages 5 – 7. Spanish language edition available.

Hear My Voice/Escucha Mi Voz: The Testimonies of Children Detained at the Southern Border of the United States by Warren Binford (96 pp, Workman, 2021). Every day, children in migration are detained at the US-Mexico border. They are scared, alone, and their lives are in limbo. Hear My Voice/Escucha mi voz shares the stories of 61 these children, from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Mexico, ranging in age from five to seventeen—in their own words from actual sworn testimonies. Befitting the spirit of the project, the book is in English on one side; then flip it over, and there’s a complete Spanish version. Ages 8 and up.

Jovita Wore Pants by Aida Salazar, illustrated by Molly Mendoza (48 pp, Scholastic Press, 2023). Jovita dreamed of wearing pants! She hated the big skirts Abuela made her wear. She wanted to scale the tallest mesquite tree on her rancho, ride her horse, and feel the wind curl her face into a smile When her father and brothers joined the Cristero War to fight for religious freedom, Jovita wanted to go, too. Forbidden, she defied her father’s rules – and society’s – and found a clever way to become a trailblazing revolutionary, wearing pants! Ages 6-9. Spanish language edition available.

Me Gusta by Angela Dominguez (32 pp, Henry Holt & Company, 2022). A stunning bilingual picture book that celebrates Latinx families by highlighting moments of connection and delight and feelings of safety and home, even through challenges and difficult times. In the affirmative and encouraging Me Gusta, acclaimed author and illustrator Angela Dominguez combines Spanish and English in a poetic and touching story of family, reminding us that through the adventures and the heartbreak, love conquers all and transcends language. Ages 4 – 8.

Milo + Niko by D Guzman (32 pp, Lil’ Libros, 2022). Where does your imagination travel when you’re bored and stuck inside? Milo, an energetic girl confined to Abuelita’s plant shop, spends her time roaming the aisles and checking out knick-knacks. She finds that she isn’t alone – a Bengal tiger is loose in the shop! Together, after earning each other’s trust, they delve into the deep, dark rainforest of plants and head to their first of many adventures. Ages 4 – 8.

My Ciudad Sings by Cynthia Harmony, illustrated by Teresa Martinez (32 pp, Penguin Workshop, 2022). As a little girl and her dog embark on their daily walk through the city, they skip and spin to the familiar sounds of revving cars, clanking bikes, friendly barks, and whistling camote carts. But what they aren’t expecting to hear is the terrifying sound of a rumbling earthquake…and then…silence. With captivating text and lively, beautiful illustrations, this heartwarming story leaves readers with the message that they can choose to be strong and brave even when they are scared, and can still find joy and hope in the midst of sadness. Ages 3 – 7. Spanish language edition available.

My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña (40 pp, Kokila, 2019). When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she’s always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her. But as the sun sets purple-blue-gold behind Daisy Ramona and her papi, she knows that the love she feels will always be there. Ages 4 – 8.

My Two Border Towns by David Bowles, illustrated by Erika Meza (40 pp, Kokila, 2021). Early one Saturday morning, a boy prepares for a trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado. It’s close–just down the street from his school–and it’s a twin of where he lives. To get there, his father drives their truck along the Rio Grande and over a bridge, where they’re greeted by a giant statue of an eagle. Their outings always include a meal at their favorite restaurant, a visit with Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, a cold treat from the paletero, and a pharmacy pickup. On their final and most important stop, they check in with friends seeking asylum and drop off much-needed supplies. Ages 4 – 8.

Octopus Stew by Eric Velasquez (40 pp, Holiday House, 2019). The octopus Grandma is cooking has grown to titanic proportions. “¡Tenga cuidado!” Ramsey shouts. “Be careful!” But it’s too late. The octopus traps Grandma! Ramsey uses both art and intellect to free his beloved abuela. Then the story takes a surprising twist. And it can be read two ways. Open the fold-out pages to find Ramsey telling a story to his family. Keep the pages folded, and Ramsey’s octopus adventure is real. Ages 4 – 8.

Paletero Man by Lucky Diaz, illustrated by Micah Player (32 pp, HarperCollins, 2021). What’s the best way to cool off on a hot summer day? Run quick and find Paletero José! Follow along with our narrator as he passes through his busy neighborhood in search of the Paletero Man. But when he finally catches up with him, our narrator’s pockets are empty. Oh no! What happened to his dinero? It will take the help of the entire community to get the tasty treat now. Ages 4 – 8.

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar (40 pp, HarperCollins, 2019). When she came to America in 1921, Pura Belpré carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape as generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura’s legacy. Ages 4 – 8.

Plátanos Go with Everything by Lisette Norman, illustrated by Sara Palacios (32 pp, HarperCollins, 2023). Platanos are Yesenia’s favorite food. They can be sweet and sugary, or salty and savory. And they’re a part of almost every meal her Dominican family makes. Stop by her apartment and find out why platanos go with everything–especially love! Ages 4 – 8.

Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Paola Escobar (32 pp, Dial Books, 2021). From a very early age, young Selena knew how to connect with people and bring them together with music. Sing with Me follows Selena’s rise to stardom, from front-lining her family’s band at rodeos and quinceañeras to performing in front of tens of thousands at the Houston Astrodome. Young readers will be empowered by Selena’s dedication–learning Spanish as a teenager, designing her own clothes, and traveling around the country with her family–sharing her pride in her Mexican-American roots and her love of music and fashion with the world. Ages 4 – 8.

¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat by Raúl the Third (48 pp, Versify, 2020). Little Lobo is excited to take in a show with wrestling star El Toro in his bustling border town! After getting lunch orders from the luchador and his friends to help prepare for the event, Little Lobo takes readers on a tour of food trucks that sell his favorite foods, like quesadillas with red peppers and Mexican-Korean tacos. Ages 4 – 7.

What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Mendéz, illustrated by Kate Alizadeh (40 pp, HarperCollins, 2021). A young girl dreams about all the endless possibilities, sparking a sense of wonder, curiosity, and growth. With her abuela’s loving guidance, she learns her potential is limitless. Ages 4 – 8.

Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Mendéz, illustrated by Jaime Kim (40 pp, HarperCollins, 2019). This resonant and award-winning picture book tells the story of one girl who constantly gets asked a simple question that doesn’t have a simple answer. A great conversation starter in the home or classroom—a book to share, in the spirit of I Am Enough by Grace Byers. Ages 4 – 8.

Where Wonder Grows by Xelena González, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia (40 pp, Cinco Puntos Press, 2021). A children’s picture book about a grandmother bonding with her granddaughters as she teaches them how much they can learn from nature just by being curious. Grandma knows that there is wondrous knowledge to be found everywhere you can think to look. She takes her girls to their special garden, and asks them to look over their collection of rocks, crystals, seashells, and meteorites to see what marvels they have to show. Ages 3 – 7.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (432 pp, Quill Tree Books, 2020). Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people… In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered. And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other. Ages 14 – 17.

Cuba in My Pocket by Adrianna Cuevas (288 pp, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021). By the author of 2021 Pura Belpré Honor Book The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, a sweeping, emotional middle grade historical novel about a twelve-year-old boy who leaves his family in Cuba to immigrate to the U.S. by himself, based on the author’s family history. Ages 8 – 12.

Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From by Jennifer De Leon,  (336 pp, Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 2020). First-generation American LatinX Liliana Cruz does what it takes to fit in at her new nearly all-white school. But when family secrets spill out and racism at school ramps up, she must decide what she believes in and take a stand. Ages 14 and up.

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado (352 pp, Holiday House, 2021). Charlie Vega is a lot of things. Smart. Funny. Artistic. Ambitious. Fat. People sometimes have a problem with that last one. Especially her mom. Charlie wants a good relationship with her body, but it’s hard, and her mom leaving a billion weight loss shakes on her dresser doesn’t help. The world and everyone in it have ideas about what she should look like: thinner, lighter, slimmer-faced, straighter-haired. Be smaller. Be whiter. Be quieter. But there’s one person who’s always in Charlie’s corner: her best friend Amelia. Slim. Popular. Athletic. Totally dope. So when Charlie starts a tentative relationship with cute classmate Brian, the first worthwhile guy to notice her, everything is perfect until she learns one thing—he asked Amelia out first. Ages 14 – 17.

Forest World by Margarita Engle (224 pp, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018). Edver isn’t happy about being shipped off to Cuba to visit the father he barely knows. Why would he want to visit a place that no one in Miami ever mentions without a sigh? Yet now that travel laws have changed and it’s a lot easier for divided families to be reunited, his mom thinks it’s time for some father-son bonding. This lively middle grade novel tells the story of a Cuban-American boy who visits his family’s village in Cuba for the first time—and meets a sister he didn’t know he had. Ages 10 and up.

Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez (368 pp, Algonquin Young Readers, 2020). 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. In her wildest dreams, she’d get an athletic scholarship to a North American university. But the path ahead isn’t easy. Ages 14 – 18.

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (432 pp, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021). The Hating Game meets I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in this Pura Belpré Award-winning novel that’s an irresistible romance starring a Mexican American teen who discovers love and profound truths about the universe when she spends her summer on a road trip across the country. Ages 14 and up.

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez (368 pp, Ember, 2019). Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. This poignant and often laugh-out-loud funny contemporary YA novel is about losing a sister and finding yourself amid the pressures, expectations, and stereotypes of growing up in a Mexican American home. Ages 14 – 17.

Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, illustrated by Gabriela Epstein (208 pp, Graphix, 2022). Can five overlooked kids make one big difference?

There’s George: the brain

Sara: the loner

Dayara: the tough kid

Nico: the rich kid

And Miguel: the athlete

And they’re stuck together when they’re forced to complete their school’s community service hours. Although they’re sure they have nothing in common with one another, some people see them as all the same . . . just five Spanish-speaking kids. Then they meet someone who truly needs their help, and they must decide whether they are each willing to expose their own secrets to help . . . or if remaining invisible is the only way to survive middle school. Ages 9-12.

The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera (336 pp, Levine Querido, 2021). Había una vez . . .There lived a girl named Petra Peña, who wanted nothing more than to be a storyteller, like her abuelita. But Petra’s world is ending. Earth has been destroyed by a comet, and only a few hundred scientists and their children – among them Petra and her family – have been chosen to journey to a new planet. They are the ones who must carry on the human race. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to this new planet – and the discovery that she is the only person who remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity’s past. They have systematically purged the memories of all aboard – or purged them altogether. Petra alone now carries the stories of our past, and with them, any hope for our future. Can she make them live again?  Ages 10 and up. Spanish language edition available.

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (368 pp, Candlewick, 2020). Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, as strong and thoughtful as Merci is, she has never been completely like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren’t going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. And Merci is left to her own worries, because no one in her family will tell her what’s going on. Ages 10 – 12.

Mexikid by Pedro Martin (320 pp, Dial Books, 2023). Pedro Martín has grown up hearing stories about his abuelito–his legendary crime-fighting, grandfather who was once a part of the Mexican Revolution! But that doesn’t mean Pedro is excited at the news that Abuelito is coming to live with their family. After all, Pedro has 8 brothers and sisters and the house is crowded enough! Still, Pedro piles into the Winnebago with his family for a road trip to Mexico to bring Abuelito home, and what follows is the trip of a lifetime, one filled with laughs and heartache. Along the way, Pedro finally connects with his abuelito and learns what it means to grow up and find his grito. Ages 10 and up. Spanish language edition available.

The Mirror Season by Anna-Marie McLemore (320 pp, Feiwel & Friends, 2021). Graciela Cristales’ whole world changes after she and a boy she barely knows are assaulted at the same party. She loses her gift for making enchanted pan dulce. Neighborhood trees vanish overnight, while mirrored glass appears, bringing reckless magic with it. And Ciela is haunted by what happened to her, and what happened to the boy whose name she never learned. But when the boy, Lock, shows up at Ciela’s school, he has no memory of that night, and no clue that a single piece of mirrored glass is taking his life apart. Ciela decides to help him, which means hiding the truth about that night. Because Ciela knows who assaulted her, and him. And she knows that her survival, and his, depend on no one finding out what really happened. Ages 13 – 18.

Miss Quinces by Kat Fajardo (256 pp, Graphix, 2022). Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue’s mother announces that they’ll be having a surprise quinceañera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can’t imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this “quality” time with her rambunctious family? Ages 8 – 11.

No Filter and Other Lies by Crystal Maldonado (336 pp, Holiday House, 2022). Brilliantly plotted, deeply sensitive, and rich in voice, No Filter and Other Lies deftly addresses FOMO, first love, one-sided love, frayed family ties, raced exclusion on social media, queer awakenings, and learning to live with–and love–yourself.Because the most powerful lies are the lies we tell ourselves. Ages 14 – 17.

Ophelia After All by Racquel Marie (352 pp, Feiwel & Friends, 2022). A teen girl navigates friendship drama, the end of high school, and discovering her queerness in Ophelia After All, a hilarious and heartfelt contemporary YA debut by author Racquel Marie. Ages 14 and up.

A Seed in the Sun by Aida Salazar (272 pp, Dial Books, 2022). Lula Viramontes aches to one day become someone whom no one can ignore: a daring ringleader in a Mexican traveling circus. But between working the grape harvest in Delano, California, with her older siblings under dangerous conditions; taking care of her younger siblings and Mamá, who has mysteriously fallen ill; and doing everything she can to avoid Papá’s volatile temper, it’s hard to hold on to those dreams. Then she meets Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and other labor rights activists and realizes she may need to raise her voice sooner rather than later: Farmworkers are striking for better treatment and wages, and whether Lula’s family joins them or not will determine their future. Ages 8-12. Spanish language edition available.

Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez (416 pp, Rick Riordan Presents, 2020). What would you do if you had the power to reach through time and space and retrieve anything you want, including your mother, who is no longer living (in this universe, anyway)? When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn’t under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal’s office for the third time in three days, and it’s still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal. She is determined to prove that somehow, Sal planted a raw chicken in Yasmany’s locker, even though nobody saw him do it and the bloody poultry has since mysteriously disappeared. Ages 8 – 12.

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (432 pp, Simon Pulse, 2020). It’s been three years since Sia Martinez’s mom disappeared. Sia wants to move on, but it’s hard in her tiny Arizona town where people refer to her mom’s deportation as “an unfortunate incident.” Sia knows that her mom must be dead … but one fateful night in the desert, her world cracks wide open. This is an  astonishing, genre-bending novel about a Mexican American teen who discovers profound connections between immigration, folklore, and alien life. Ages 12 and up.

Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet by Laekan Zea Kemp (432 pp, Simon Pulse, 2020). I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter meets Emergency Contact in this stunning story of first love, familial expectations, the power of food, and finding where you belong. Ages 14 and up.

Stella Díaz Leaps to the Future by Angela Dominguez (192 pp, Roaring Brook Press, 2023). Stella is getting ready for her next big step. This year, she’s a fifth grader, which means she’s not only one of the big kids in her elementary school, but she’ll also have to start thinking about middle school. GULP! Luckily, Stella can count on her best friends Jenny and Stanley at her side. But when she has a chance to apply for an art and science program at a magnet school, Stella realizes that her future might hold a lot of big changes.
Thinking about going to a different school than her closest friends, seeing her big brother Nick receiving mail from colleges far away, and then being forced to work on a project with her former bully… Suddenly, growing up isn’t quite as fun as Stella first thought. Is Stella ready for what’s next? Ages 10 – 12.

The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya (272 pp, Puffin Books, 2018). For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees.  But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex. Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy’s quest to save both, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia. Ages 10 and up.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez (336 pp, Puffin Books, 2018). The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one’s watching. There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school–you can’t fix it with duct tape like you would your Chuck Taylors. On Day One, twelve-year-old Malú (María Luisa, if you want to annoy her) inadvertently upsets Posada Middle School’s queen bee, violates the school’s dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her college-professor mom in the process. Her dad, who now lives a thousand miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself. Ages 10 – 12. Spanish language edition available.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (384 pp, Quill Tree Books, 2020). Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. Ages 13 – 17.

They Call Me Güero by David Bowles (122 pp, Cinco Puntos Press, 2018). In Spanish, “Güero” is a nickname for guys with pale skin, Latino or Anglo. But make no mistake: our red-headed, freckled hero is puro mexicano, like Canelo Álvarez, the Mexican boxer. Güero is also a nerd–reader, gamer, musician–who runs with a squad of misfits like him, Los Bobbys. Sure, they get in trouble like anybody else, and like other middle-school boys, they discover girls. Watch out for Joanna! She’s tough as nails. But trusting in his family’s traditions, his accordion and his bookworm squad, he faces seventh grade with book smarts and a big heart. Ages 8 – 12.

Undercover Latina by Aya de León (320 pp, Candlewick Press, 2022). In her debut for younger readers, Aya de León pits a teen spy against the ominous workings of a white nationalist. Fourteen-year-old Andréa Hernández-Baldoquín hails from a family of spies working for the Factory, an international organization dedicated to protecting people of color. For her first solo mission, Andréa straightens her hair and goes undercover as Andrea Burke, a white girl, to befriend the estranged son of a dangerous white supremacist. In addition to her Factory training, the assignment calls for a deep dive into the son’s interests–comic books and gaming–all while taking care not to speak Spanish and blow her family’s cover. But it’s hard to hide who you really are, especially when you develop a crush on your target’s Latino best friend. Can Andréa keep her head, her geek cred, and her code-switching on track to trap a terrorist? Smart, entertaining, and politically astute, this is fast-paced upper-middle-grade fare from an established author of heist and espionage novels for adults. Ages 12 – 14.

Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos by LuLu Delacre (256 pp, HarperCollins, 2019). In this book, you will meet many young Latinos living in the United States, from a young girl whose day at her father’s burrito truck surprises her to two sisters working together to change the older sister’s immigration status, and more. Turn the pages to experience life through the eyes of these boys and girls whose families originally hail from many different countries; see their hardships and celebrate their victories. Ages 8 – 12.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (400 pp, Quill Tree Books, 2019). Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen. Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free. Ages 13 and up.

Afterlife by Julia Alvarez (272 pp, Algonquin Books, 2020). Afterlife is a compact, nimble, and sharply droll novel. Set in this political moment of tribalism and distrust, it asks: What do we owe those in crisis in our families, including—maybe especially—members of our human family? How do we live in a broken world without losing faith in one another or ourselves? And how do we stay true to those glorious souls we have lost?

Crying in the Bathroom by Erika L. Sánchez (256 pp, Viking, 2022). In these essays about everything from sex to white feminism to debilitating depression to the redemptive pursuits of spirituality, art, and travel, Sánchez reveals an interior life that is rich with ideas, self-awareness, and perception–that of a woman who charted a path entirely of her own making. Raunchy, insightful, unapologetic, and brutally honest, Crying in the Bathroom is Sánchez at her best: a book that will make you feel that post-confessional high that comes from talking for hours with your best friend. Spanish language edition available.

Dominicana by Angie Cruz (336 pp, Flatiron Books, 2020). Fifteen-year-old Ana Cancion never dreamed of moving to America. But when Juan Ruiz proposes and promises to take her to New York City, she has to say yes. It doesn’t matter that he is twice her age, that there is no love between them. Their marriage is an opportunity for her entire close-knit family to eventually immigrate. So on New Year’s Day, 1965, Ana leaves behind everything she knows and becomes Ana Ruiz, a wife confined to a cold six-floor walk-up in Washington Heights. Lonely and miserable, Ana hatches a reckless plan to escape.

Finding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latino Identity by Paola Ramos (336 pp, Vintage, 2020). Young Latinos across the United States are redefining their identities, pushing boundaries, and awakening politically in powerful and surprising ways. Many of them—Afrolatino, indigenous, Muslim, queer and undocumented, living in large cities and small towns—are voices who have been chronically overlooked in how the diverse population of almost sixty million Latinos in the U.S. has been represented. No longer. In this empowering cross-country travelogue, journalist and activist Paola Ramos embarks on a journey to find the communities of people defining the controversial term, “Latinx.”

Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras (320 pp, Anchor, 2019). Seven-year-old Chula lives a carefree life in her gated community in Bogotá, but the threat of kidnappings, car bombs, and assassinations hover just outside her walls. When her mother hires Petrona, a live-in-maid from the city’s guerrilla-occupied slum, Chula makes it her mission to understand Petrona’s mysterious ways. Petrona is a young woman crumbling under the burden of providing for her family as the rip tide of first love pulls her in the opposite direction. As both girls’ families scramble to maintain stability amidst the rapidly escalating conflict, Petrona and Chula find themselves entangled in a web of secrecy.

It Is Wood, It Is Stone by Gabriella Burnham (224 pp, One World, 2020). Linda, an anxious and restless American, has moved to São Paulo, with her husband, Dennis, who has accepted a yearlong professorship. As Dennis submerges himself in his work, Linda finds herself unmoored and adrift, feeling increasingly disassociated from her own body. Linda’s unwavering and skilled maid, Marta, has more claim to Linda’s home than Linda can fathom. Marta, who is struggling to make sense of complicated history and its racial tensions, is exasperated by Linda’s instability. One day, Linda leaves home with a charismatic and beguiling artist, whom she joins on a fervent adventure that causes reverberations felt by everyone, and ultimately binds Marta and Linda in a profoundly human, and tender, way.

Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli (401 pp, Vintage, 2019). A mother and father set out with their two children, a boy and a girl, driving from New York to Arizona in the heat of summer. Their destination: Apacheria, the place the Apaches once called home. Why Apaches? asks the ten-year-old son. Because they were the last of something, answers his father. A fiercely imaginative new novel about a family whose road trip across America collides with an immigration crisis at the southwestern border–an indelible journey told with breathtaking imagery, spare lyricism, and profound humanity.

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (320 pp, Del Rey, 2020). After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find and Noemí knows little about the region. An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets, set in a glamorous 1950s Mexico.

Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez (384 pp, Flatiron Books, 2022). 

It’s 2017, and Olga and her brother, Pedro “Prieto” Acevedo, are boldfaced names in their hometown of New York. Prieto is a popular congressman representing their gentrifying Latinx neighborhood in Brooklyn, while Olga is the tony wedding planner for Manhattan’s power brokers. Despite their alluring public lives, behind closed doors things are far less rosy. Sure, Olga can orchestrate the love stories of the 1 percent but she can’t seem to find her own. . . until she meets Matteo, who forces her to confront the effects of long-held family secrets. Olga and Prieto’s mother, Blanca, a Young Lord turned radical, abandoned her children to advance a militant political cause, leaving them to be raised by their grandmother. Now, with the winds of hurricane season, Blanca has come barreling back into their lives.

Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine (240 pp, One World, 2020). Kali Fajardo-Anstine’s magnetic story collection breathes life into her Latina characters of indigenous ancestry and the land they inhabit in the American West. Against the remarkable backdrop of Denver, Colorado—a place that is as fierce as it is exquisite—these women navigate the land the way they navigate their lives: with caution, grace, and quiet force.

The House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea (336 pp, Back Bay Books, 2019). In his final days, beloved and ailing patriarch Miguel Angel de La Cruz, affectionately called Big Angel, has summoned his entire clan for one last legendary birthday party. But as the party approaches, his mother, nearly one hundred, dies, transforming the weekend into a farewell doubleheader. Among the guests is Big Angel’s half brother, known as Little Angel, who must reckon with the truth that although he shares a father with his siblings, he has not, as a half gringo, shared a life.

Where We Come From by Oscar Cásares (272 pp, Knopf, 2019). From a distance, the towns along the U.S.-Mexican border have dangerous reputations, and Brownsville is no different. But to twelve-year-old Orly, it’s simply where his godmother Nina lives—and where he is being forced to stay the summer after his mother’s sudden death. Nina, however, has a secret: she’s providing refuge for a young immigrant boy named Daniel, for whom traveling to America has meant trading one set of dangers for another. Separated from the violent human traffickers who brought him across the border and pursued by the authorities, Daniel must stay completely hidden. And Orly’s arrival threatens to put them all at risk of exposure. Tackling the crisis of U.S. immigration policy from a deeply human angle, Where We Come From explores through an intimate lens the ways that family history shapes us, how secrets can burden us, and how finding compassion and understanding for others can ultimately set us free.

Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed by Saraciea J. Fennell (272 pp, Flatiron Books, 2021). Extracting hard-hitting themes of reality, these words echo with stories ranging from personal tales of love and grief, cultural memories forged in kitchens, serenades of ghost stories, tales of travels, intricate dialogues on identity, addiction, racism and anti-Blackness.