Fourteen-year-old Mateo and other Caribbean islanders face discrimination, segregation, and harsh working conditions when American recruiters lure them to the Panamanian rain forest in 1906 to build the great canal.
Mickey’s birthday is coming and his parents cannot figure out what to do when he tells them that he wants something big, strong, smooth, sweet, warm, funny, and long-lasting.
Jacques’ curiosity, which seems to bring only trouble, ultimately results in a better life for each member of his family.
Francisco is finally old enough to journey to the mango grove all by himself to gather the mangoes for a special dinner. But bees swarm the fruit, and Francisco has trouble picking them from the tree. He returns to his father several times, and each time his father shares a different proverb to inspire Francisco to continue trying. “Querer es poder. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!” Finally, Francisco is able to gather some mangoes, and on his way home he stops to visit his uncle, grandmother, and aunt. Francisco shares his mangoes with them, and by the time he gets home he no longer has any! “Es mejor dar que recibir. Sometimes it’s better to give than to receive.” Luckily for Francisco, his generosity does not go unnoticed. “Amor con amor se paga. Love is repaid with love.” Readers are sure to be charmed by this humorous story about problem solving and sharing. The book includes a glossary of Spanish words.
The collected stories in this beautifully illustrated volume bring Latin American and Spanish folklore to children all over the world. With stories that come from cultures as vast as the Guarani and the Quechua, the Highlands of Peru, the tip of South America, and Spain, this resource will captivate readers as it familiarizes them with these moving traditions. Text copyright 2004 Lectorum Publications, Inc.
Although the other animals also feel threatened by the encroachment of humans, only Rundi and Coati journey north in search of a safer place to live.
With her signature narrative grace, Edwidge Danticat brings Haiti’s beautiful queen Anacaona to life. Queen Anacaona was the wife of one of her island’s rulers, and a composer of songs and poems, making her popular among her people. Haiti was relatively quiet until the Spanish conquistadors discovered the island and began to settle there in 1492. The Spaniards treated the natives very cruelly, and when the natives revolted, the Spanish governor of Haiti ordered the arrests of several native nobles, including Anacaona, who was eventually captured and executed, to the horror of her people.
Jeanine Agnant shares her memories about Haiti, the land, and the culture with her granddaughter, Josephine, to connect the generations.
Mommy, Tell Me About Haiti is endorsed by the Haitian American Historical Society.
In free verse, evokes the voice of Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, a book-loving writer, feminist, and abolitionist who courageously fought injustice in nineteenth-century Cuba. Includes historical notes, excerpts from her writings, biographical information, and source notes.
Join the discussion of The Lightning Dreamer as well as other books set in Cuba on our My Take/Your Take page.
The Aztecs built an advanced and dazzling empire that stretched across a large part of Mesoamerica. The Chuampa “floating gardens” system of farming is perhaps their most remarkable accomplishment. Other discoveries and inventions related to transportation, agriculture, architecture, science, and technology, enriched their culture and provide a way for us to experience parallels between ancient times and the world we know today.