Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Springs Into Action

In this sequel, Freddie has shoes that give him super speed. It’s hard to be a superhero and a regular kid at the same time, especially when your shoes give you even more power! Freddie needs an on/off switch for his super speed, so Mr. Vaslov, who created the shoes, decides to invent a remote control, but he gets more than he planned. When his young neighbor’s ball goes missing, Freddie uses his new powers to find it… and save Mr. Vaslov!

Tortilla Sun

When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words ‘Because magic’ 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 any especially 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. Infused with the flavor of the southwest and sprinkled with just a pinch of magic, this heartfelt middle grade debut is as rich and satisfying as Nana’s homemade enchiladas.

Amigas #1: Fifteen Candles

amigasQuinceaeras are the fantastic parties thrown for Latina girls turning 15 years old and are a staple of the Miami social scene. But for Alicia Cruz and her three best friends, Carmen, Jamie, and Gaz, they were also just part of the background–until now.

Amigas #2: Lights, Camera, Quince!

quinceFour friends. One quince. Miami is heating up! Amigas Incorporated is officially open for business! Alicia, Jamie, Carmen and Gaz managed to throw an amazing quince for their new friend Sarita. But now that they are sophomores AND in the quince planning business, things are going to get more complicated. There is competition to deal with, not to mention pushy fifteen year olds and their overbearing mothers. Luckily, one of their own is having a quince. Carmen is turning fifteen and the rest of the friends are determined to throw her the best party ever. But in Miami, the heat is always on–and so is the drama. When the group agrees to be part of a reality show competition featuring young and upcoming party planners, Carmen begins to feel like her quinceanera is no longer in the spotlight. Will the friends find a way to balance everything? Or, will Amigas Inc go off the air?

Orson Blasts Off!

What’s a megabyte-loving kid to do when his computer breaks? BLAST OFF! Join Orson and his sidekick, Weasel, on a hair-raising adventure where they touch the North Pole…watch the eye of a storm wink…and fall through a black hole in outer space. Readers (but maybe not their parents!) will be amazed at what can happen when a creative kid is forced away from his computer screen. Raúl Colón’s picture book is filled with delicious word-play and all the fun of a comic book.

Grandpa’s Magic Tortilla

When Grandpa Luis’s grandchildren are visiting him in Chimayo, New Mexico, they see pictures of animals in one of the tortillas he has cooked for their breakfast.

A Picture Book of Cesar Chavez

cesarCesar Chavez dedicated his life to helping American farmworkers. This champion of social justice organized farmworkers into unions and argued for better pay and fwir working conditions.

500 Anos del Pueblo Chicano/500 Years of Chicano History: In Pictures

500 yearsThis bilingual pictorial history depicts the Mexican American/Chicano people from their origins 500 years ago with Columbus’ “discovery” and the invasions of the New World, to their struggles for social justice today. Over 800 photographs with brief explanatory texts tell the story of how Mexicans came to what is now the U.S. well before the Pilgrims and after the U.S. war of 1846-48, were made strangers in their own land. Elizabeth Martinez, author of books and articles on social movements, presents a vivid record of the life, culture, and collective struggles by farmworkers, miners, students, factory workers, women’s organizations, noted leaders, immigrants, and artists across the country. The faces of weathered workers, militant youth and beautiful children alternate with victims of lynchings and bloody repression to create a work of both pain and celebration. This updated edition should be of special interest, given today’s emphasis on multiculturalism, to teachers and students as well as the general public. The publisher, the SouthWest Organizing Project, is a community-based organization nationally known for its work on racial, social, and economic justice issues. Order from Southwest Community Resources, 211 10th St., SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102, 505-247-8832.