Latinx in US

Call Me Henri

Enrique, a young boy in Peralta Middle School, faces abuse at home and danger on the barrio streets. Yet he is driven to succeed by the desire to join that “other America” he sees on TV and in the movies, and is aided in his quest by compassionate teachers. His ambition finds expression in his determination to drop his ESL class in favor of taking French, and his story begins, “Call me Henr.”

Lorraine Lpez (author of Soy la Avon Lady and Other Stories) has created a vivid picture of barrio life, filled with honesty, insight, and humor for young adults. She paints a balanced and detailed landscape of Enrique’s world. Although Enrique is confused and angered by his mother’s refusal to stand up for him against the abuse of his stepfather, he also draws strength from the supportive and loving family of his friend Francisco. While some of his teachers are uncaring or inept, others provide help and encouragement at critical moments in his life.

When Enrique witnesses his friend Horacio gunned down in a drive-by shooting and is seen by the assailants, gang members set out to kill him. As the novel reaches its climax, Enrique must make some agonizing decisions.

Although specifically about barrio life, this novel is universal in its themes-the drive for success, the desire for love and family support, and the need for true friendship. Lpez’s fully delineated characters provide a rich and credible mural of our human comedy.

Lorraine Lpez‘s Soy la Avon Lady and Other Stories was selected for the Marmal Prize, and also won the IPPY Award for Multicultural Fiction.

Cheech The School Bus Driver

cheechWhy can’t all bus drivers be as cool as Cheech? When the kids on the school bus decide to enter the Battle of the Bands, no one is more excited than Cheech. On the big day, they all pile into the bus and get ready to groove! But when they arrive, they find they’re the only mariachi band in the whole contest—and the rock and roll bands look awesome! In this zany story by beloved performer Cheech Marin, the band tries every trick in the book to make their act mea-sure up—with hilarious results! How will mariachi ever compete against rock and roll?

Do You Know The Cucuy? / ¿cocones Al Cucuy?

“The Cucuy is a tall, furry, three-eyed, four-armed monster with a mouth full of huge teeth,” Papo tells his granddaughter. And, he warns, if she doesn’t behave, the Cucuy will take her away! She used to be afraid of the Cucuy, until one day she meets him and learns that he is not the frightful beast her grandfather described. Instead, he’s cute and likes to play. His fur is blue, and his teeth are small. He may not be just like her, but he does have two arms and two eyes. And the Cucuy also likes to play catch, blow bubbles, and eat candy. Best of all, though, the young girl learns that he doesn’t kidnap naughty children! First-time children’s book author Claudia Galindo and illustrator Jonathan Coombs vividly bring to life a character known to generations of Latino children. Although this time, the Cucuy isn’t a scary monster but instead is a fun playmate.

Felita

A vivid portrayal of a close-knit Hispanic community Felita’s parents promise she will love their new neighborhood. Only Abuelita, her grandmother, understands how much Felita will miss her old block, and her best friend Gigi. But her new neighbors taunt and tease Felita and her family because they are from Puerto Rico. First published twenty years ago, Felita’s compelling story has resonance for kids today.”An honest, realistic view of an important aspect of contemporary American life.” –The Horn Book* An NCSS-CBC Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies* A Child Study Children’s Book Committee Children’s Book of the Year* A Puffin Novel * 112 pages * Ages 8-12

Henry Cisneros: A Man Of The People (Romero, Maritza. Great Hispanics Of Our Time.)

Focuses on the political life of a Mexican American who realized the importance of good leadership and served as a mayor and cabinet secretary.

Nana’s Big Surprise / Nana, Que Sorpresa! (Spanish Edition)

Amada and her family build a chicken coop, hoping that her grandmother, visiting from Mexico, will enjoy raising the chickens and be distracted from her grief at Grandfather’s death.

 

Roberto Clemente: Baseball Legend

Introduces the life of Pittsburgh Pirates rightfielder Roberto Clemente, the first Latino baseball player to gain wide recognition for his contributions on and off the playing field.

The Eggbees

The EGGerson family lives on a planet called NEGGarus in a galaxy far, far away. On NEGGarus, everything is either round or oval shaped. The people who live there Supersapien EGGbeings, or EGGbees come in different sizes and colors, but they re all shaped like, well, EGGs. The EGGerson family, like all EGGbee familes, has twelve members because they’re better by the dozen. In addition to Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa, and Grandma, there are GrEGG, JEGGsica, EGGward, EGGelbert, MEGGie, PEGGie, EGGmond, and EGGbeth. One day, Mommy EGGerson tells her children that their cousins from MEGGxico are coming for a visit. The kids are thrilled to meet the MEGGanas: LEGGticia, EGGuardo, PEGGlicia, DiEGGo, EGGnacio, MEGGuelito, MEGGarita, and EGGlida. But the EGGerson kids are surprised and confused by the MEGGanas’ appearance: their shells are a beautiful brown color, not white like the EGGersons’. As the cousins spend the next few days together, they come to realize that in spite of the difference in their shell color they have lots of things in common. Sure to generate giggles in children ages 4-8, this bilingual picture book focuses on family and daily activities to share an important concept with children about acceptance.

The Storyteller’s Candle/La Velita De Los Cuentos

It is the winter of 1929, and cousins Hildamar and Santiago have just moved to enormous, chilly New York from their native Puerto Rico. As Three Kings’ Day approaches, Hildamar and Santiago mourn the loss of their sunny home and wonder about their future in their adopted city. But when a storyteller and librarian named Pura Belpré arrives in their classroom, the children begin to understand just what a library can mean to a community. In this fitting tribute to a remarkable woman, Lucía González and Lulu Delacre have captured the truly astounding effect that Belpré had on the city of New York.