Describes Hispanic American participation in the United States Civil War and how Hispanics in New Mexico and other acquired territories transitioned to becoming a part of the nation.
Latinx in US
The Birthday Swap
With her teenage sister’s birthday rapidly approaching, five-year-old Lori, a young Mexican-American girl, sets out to find the perfect gift for Cookie, only to end up with special surprise of her very own.
Downtown Boy (Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children’s Book Award (Awards))
Juanito Paloma, his mother Lucha, and his elderly father Felipe, are a tiny family who, after years of working in the fields of California’s Central Valley, move to San Francisco’s Latin Mission District to live with relatives. Juanito longs to be in one place, rather than “going, going, going,” and pines for the love of his often-absent father. This family story of growing up Latino will resonate with readers of all backgrounds.
Fiesta U.S.A./Spanish (Spanish Edition)
In a tribute to the customs and traditions of Latinos in the United States, engaging photographs capture four fiestas: the Day of the Dead, las Posadas, the dance of the Matachines, and Three Kings’ Day.
Isabel’s Texas Two-Step (Beacon Street Girls)
Isabel’s sister Elena Maria is turning fifteen, and the Martinez family is planning her quinceañera — at Uncle Hector’s ranch in San Antonio!
Petty Crimes
Meet Manuel, a young man who wears hand-me-downs from his older brothers until he finally gets a brand-new pair of shoes. And Jose Luis, who watches the vet bills rise after he buys a sick rooster to save it from becoming someone’s dinner. And Alma, a young woman who runs to every shop and flea market in town buying back the clothes of her dead mother that her father has given away. These Mexican American youths meet life’s challenges head-on in this hard-hitting collection of short stories.Nepantla: Essays from the Land in the Middle
As a Latina educator, poet, mother, lecturer and native of El Paso, Texas, Pat Mora is a denizen of nepantla—a Nahuatl word meaning “the land in the middle.” In her first collection of essays, Mora negotiates the middle land’s many terrains exploring the personal issues and political responsibilities she faces as a woman of color in the United States. She explores both the preservation of her own Mexican American culture and her encounters with other cultures.
Lolo and Red-Legs
When eleven-year-old Lolo captures a tarantula, it turns an ordinary summer into a series of adventures that take him and his friends beyond their Mexican-American neighborhood in East Los Angeles.
Who’s Buried In The Garden?
Seventh-grader Joshua knows his best friend Artie Mendoza is a liar. They have been friends since kindergarten, and Artie has told far-fetched stories for years. So when Artie tells Josh that there’s a body buried in Mrs. Foley’s garden, Josh doesn’t believe him at first. But when Josh walks by the Foleys’ house, he sees the mound of earth, about seven feet long and covered with flowers, and has to admit it does look like a grave. Artie insists that Mrs. Foley killed her husband and buried him in the back yard. The Foleys used to fight so loudly that kids walking in the alley behind their house could hear the arguments. Lately, there hasn’t been any sign of Mr. Foley. Still, Josh has his doubts. But Wolf Man, Artie’s other best friend, naively believes everything his friend tells him and encourages Artie’s plan to dig up the body. Josh doesn’t care much for Wolf Man, and if he’s honest with himself, he knows he’s jealous of the friendship between Wolf Man and Artie. Unlike Josh, they watch wrestling on TV, don’t care much about school, and on top of that, speak Spanish fluently, which makes Josh feel left out. While Josh struggles to avoid getting caught up in Artie’s scheme to get famous by digging up the supposed body in Mrs. Foley’s backyard he also tries to cultivate his budding friendship with Lorena, the prettiest girl in the seventh grade, who challenges Josh to see both Artie and Wolf Man in a different light. With other problems sprouting up all around him, Josh can’t help but wonder if there’s really a shovel-wielding criminal living in the neighborhood. Instead of digging up the garden, or grave, shouldn’t they call the police? Young adult author and educator Ray Villareal has written another fast-paced, exciting novel for middle-school students that explores the impact of making poor decisions and the importance of choosing the right friends.
The Other Side: How Kids Live In A California Latino Neighborhood (World Of My Own)
Provides a brief look at three Latino children who live in the border town of Chula Vista. The book covers the lives of three Latino children who have successfully adapted to a new culture and language while still maintaining close ties to family members in Mexico.