Teenagers from Guatemala describe why they left that country and how they have adjusted to life in their new homeland.
Young Adult (ages 14-18)
Material appropriate for young adults
She Thief
When Demi–a master pickpocket working for the gang leader Fay–steals a ring, his partner in crime, Baz, soon finds herself alone and betrayed as police and the Barrio’s crime boss close in on Fay and her den of child thieves.
Estrellas Peregrinas / Walking Stars: Cuentos De Magia Y Poder / Magic And Power Stories
First ever Spanish-language edition of the critically acclaimed collection of short stories for young adults by a master of Latino literature “We’re all walking stars,” the eighty-four year old guide tells Victor Villaseñor as he travels to his mother’s birthplace, La Lluvia de Oro. “Don’t you know what we all are? We are all stars that come from the heavens.” In Estrellas peregrinas, the Spanish-language edition of his critically acclaimed collection of short stories for young adults, Villaseñor shares that enchanted world with the reader. Magic rains down from the heavens like stars, coating each of the family stories in a sheen of la vida as it should be: filled with power and surprises that give each character the strength to endure. The stories brim with a cast of extraordinary characters in challenging situations: the young girl on her first day of school who shows bravery even in the face of school-yard taunts . . . a young man about to be hanged that can only be saved by the miracle of song . . . and the young boy who faces El Diablo in a dark peach orchard. Through it all, the characters truly show themselves to be walking stars, tiny luminous sparks of light, and they are able to affect change in their lives and the world around them by relying on their bravery, their strength, and their faith in themselves. These are the stories of ancestors long-past, stories that will scrape off the dust of modernity on the reader’s skin to show the glowing beings that Villaseñor and his family believe we once were and can still be.
Juventud En Extasis
La novela de noviazgo y sexo prematrimonial más importante de la última década.
Sisters / Hermanas
Compares the lives of two fourteen-year-olds–an illegal immigrant who sells herself on the streets and a suburban princess obsessed with becoming head cheerleader–both trapped in worlds where beauty and youth are pricey commodities.
The Mythology Of Mexico And Central America
Discusses the mythology from Indians of various regions of Mexico and Central America, describing origins, comparing the similar tales, and presenting some of the myths themselves.
It’s My State !: Puerto Rico (It’s My State!)
Surveys the history, geography, economy, and people of Puerto Rico.
The Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands are a natural wonder in every way. They are home to an array of flora and fauna found no other place on earth. Explore the beauty and mystery surronding these islands, as well as their geography, wildlife, history, people, and the importance of the preservation of these isles.
The Meaning Of Consuelo: A Novel
La nina seria, the serious child. That’s how Consuelo’s mother has cast her pensive, book-loving daughter, while Consuelo’s younger sister Mili, is seen as vivacious–a ray of tropical sunshine. Two daughters: one dark, one light; one to offer comfort and consolation, the other to charm and delight. But something is not right in this Puerto Rican family. Set in the 1950s, a time when American influence is diluting Puerto Rico’s rich island culture, Consuelo watches her own family’s downward spiral. It is Consuelo who notices as her beautiful sister Mili’s vivaciousness turns into mysterious bouts of hysteria and her playful invented language shift into an incomprehensible and chilling “language of birds.” Ultimately Consuelo must choose: Will she fulfill the expectations of her family–offering consolation as their tragedy unfolds? Or will she risk becoming la fulana, the outsider, like the harlequin figure of her neighbor, Mario/Maria Sereno, who flaunts his tight red pedal pushers and empty brassiere as he refuses the traditional macho role of his culture. This affecting novel is a lively celebration of Puerto Rico as well as an archetypal story of loss, the loss each of us experiences on our journey from the island of childhood to the uncharted territory of adulthood.
Americas Award For Children’s And Young Adult Literature. Winner
Cuando Era Puertorriqueña
Magia, tensión sexual, comedia e intenso drama se mueven dentro de ésta encantadora pero a la vez dura autobiografía; es la historia de una niña que deja a su pueblo en Puerto Rico por la atracción de Nueva York, y una oportunidad para el éxito. “Clara, calladamente poderosa y muy lírica: una historia de verdadera valentía.” – Kirkus Reviews