Juana Ines/Juana Ines (Cuando los Grandes Eran Pequenos/ When the Grown-Ups Were Children) (Spanish Edition)

Biographical poem about the childhood of poet and nun, Sister Juana Inés de la Cruz.

My Diary from Here to There/Mi Diario De Aqui Hasta Alla

A young girl describes her feelings when her father decides to leave their home in Mexico to look for work in the United States.

La Nochebuena South Of The Border

In this bilingual version of “The Night before Christmas,” Santa has become Papa Noel and his reindeer have been replaced with eight burros pulling a cart.

Madalynn The Monarch Butterfly And Her Quest To Michoacan

Come and journey with Madalynn, a magnificent monarch butterfly, as she migrates to Mexico. Madalynn has a bright, energetic, liberating spirit that keeps her focused on her quest to reach her parents and the rest of the butterfly community in Michoacn. She encounters native species in her travels that entertain and educate

La Capa Del Morrocoy

Many years ago, when animals had the shape of men, the Caracara and the Hawk celebrated the coming of age of their daughters. They invited the most famous drummer of all, who came with his beautiful yellow and black sequin cape. On the third night of the celebration, the guest enchanted the three loveliest girls… This Guajiro legend explains the origin of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, and tells why the tortoise carries a shell on its back.

La Procesón De Naty (Libros Juveniles) (Spanish Edition)

A colorful, surreal trip to a Mexican fiesta Naty is so excited – this is the first year she gets to be one of the puppet people in the parade celebrating Guelaguetza, a July festival of folk dances in southern Mexico. At first the sights are overwhelming – the feather dancers, the pi-a (pineapple) girls, the fish-men who perform El Pescado, the dance of the fish. Then her father helps her into her mouse costume and sees her off to a safe start in the parade, but in the excitement of the hustle-bustle, Naty drops her clay whistle and becomes lost. Mustering all her courage, she finds her way back to the parade just before nightfall and is soon reunited with her father. This simple story, told in a distinctly childlike voice, is brought to life in Freschet’s exuberantly colorful oil paintings, which feature sights strange and magical and which capture the essence of Mexico.

The Sad Night: The Story Of An Aztec Victory And A Spanish Loss

An account of the establishment of the Aztec empire in Mexico and of the terrible battle between the Aztecs and the Spaniards known as the Sad Night, of La Noche Triste.

“This sensitive treatment of La Noche Triste, or The Sad Night, the last battle the Aztecs won against the Spaniards, is a highly effective melding of graceful, lucid text and stylized art. Designed to resemble Aztec codices, the illustrations appear in double-page strips above the bordered text. Beginning with the Aztec migration to Tenochtitlán (now Mexico City), the history of this people is traced through their final conquest by Cortés’s forces…. This title has the distinction of combining myth with historical fact in a particularly successful manner. An engaging introduction to Mexican history.” —School Library Journal

Selavi: A Haitian Story of Hope

The story of Selavi celebrates the triumphs of children who face some of life’s most difficult challenges. In these pages, you’ll meet Selavi, a homeless child who is befriended by other children living on the streets in Haiti. They look out for one another, sharing food and companionship. Together they find the voice to express the needs of Timoun Lari, the children who live in the streets. With a caring community they are able to build a shelter, and from there to create Radyo Timoun, Children’s Radio, a station run by and for children, which is still in operation today. At Radyo Timoun, the questions and suggestions of children are broadcast for all to hear. The story takes place in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, a country which has a long history of resistance and struggle. Haiti is the birthplace of Toussaint L’ouverture and many others whose dedication to justice led to Haitian independence from slaveowners. Haiti is perhaps best known as the island which orchestrated the first successful revolt by enslaved peoples in the western hemisphere in 1804. Haitian author Edwidge Danticat adds an essay at the end of the story of Selavi.

This book has been included in WOW’s Kids Taking Action Booklist. For our current list, visit our Boolist page under Resources in the green navigation bar.

Featured in Volume I, Issue 2 of WOW Review.