Yesterday marked the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15). During this month, we recognize and celebrate the heritage, culture, and contributions that Hispanic and Latino Americans have made for our country. Scholastic is the proud publisher of many diverse books that celebrate Hispanic culture. Below are some of our favorites that we will be reading during this special month and all year round.
El Chavo: El partido de futbol/The Soccer Match
By Maria Dominguez, Juan Pablo Lombana (Ages 4-8)
Come meet El Chavo and his quirky neighborhood friends who have been invited to play in a soccer tournament. Follow El Chavo as hunts down a coach and then learns the tricks of the trade in the game of soccer. This bilingual picture book is filled with animated art from the iconic television show, El Chavo, which is one of the most successful series in Mexico and Latin America. El Chavo is full of imagination, adventure, and fun for readers of all ages.
Esperanza Rising
By Pam Muñoz Ryan (Ages 8-12)
Esperanza Ortega possesses all the treasures a young girl could want: fancy dresses; a beautiful home filled with servants in Aguascalientes, Mexico; and the promise of one day rising to Mama's position and presiding over all of Rancho de las Rosas. But a sudden tragedy shatters that dream, forcing Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. There, Esperanza must relinquish her hold on the past as she confronts the challenges of hard labor, acceptance by her own people, and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression. She ultimately discovers the riches of family and community.
Gaby, Lost and Found
By Angela Cervantes (Ages 8-12)
Gaby Ramirez Howard loves volunteering at the local animal shelter. She plays with the kittens, helps to obedience train the dogs, and writes adoption advertisements so that the strays who live there can find their forever homes: places where they’ll be loved and cared for, no matter what. Gaby has been feeling like a bit of a stray herself, lately. Her mother has recently been deported to Honduras and Gaby is stuck living with her inattentive dad. She’s confident that her mom will come home soon so that they can adopt Gaby’s favorite shelter cat together. When the cat’s original owners turn up at the shelter, however, Gaby worries that her plans for the perfect family are about to fall apart.
Can’t Look Away
By Donna Cooner (Ages 12 and up)
Torrey Grey is famous. At least, on the Internet. Thousands of people watch her popular videos on fashion and beauty. When Torrey’s sister is killed in a tragic accident, Torrey feels guilty that it’s because of her and her videos. Now, strangers online are bashing Torrey, and at her new school she doesn’t know who to trust. The school queen bee, Blair, may only be talking to Torrey because of her Internet infamy. And it’s clear that Blair doesn’t want Torrey speaking to Luis, a kind and very cute guy at school whose family runs the local funeral home. Torrey finds herself drawn to Luis, but she just can’t seem to let go of her former popularity and stop caring what everyone thinks of her, especially Blair and her friends. And she can’t find a way to reconnect with her parents and mourn the loss of her little sister. Torrey feels lost without her sister, and without her former online popularity to anchor her.
Choke
By Diana Lopez (Ages 12 and up)
If she could—if her parents would let her—eighth-grader Windy would change everything about herself. She'd get highlights in her hair, a new wardrobe; she’d wear makeup. But nothing ever changes. The mean girls at school are still mean, and Windy’s best friend Elena is still more interested in making up words than talking about boys. And then one day, Windy gets the change she's been looking for. New girl Nina—impossibly cool, confident, and not afraid of anyone—starts hanging out with Windy. Nina even wants to be “breath sisters.” Windy isn't sure what that means, exactly, but she knows she wants to find out. It sounds even better than a BFF.Windy is right, at first. Being a breath sister gains her a whole new set of friends, girls she feels closer to and cooler with than anyone else. But her inclusion in the new crowd comes at a dangerous price. Windy wants to change everything about her life ... but is she really willing to give up everything in the process?
The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano
By Sonia Manzano (Ages 14 and up)
There are two secrets Evelyn Serrano is keeping from her Mami and Papo—her true feelings about growing up in her Spanish Harlem neighborhood, and her attitude about Abuela, her sassy grandmother who’s come from Puerto Rico to live with them. Then, like an urgent ticking clock, events erupt that change everything. The Young Lords, a group of Puerto Rican activists, dump garbage in the street and set it on fire, igniting a powerful protest. When Abuela steps in to take charge, Evelyn is thrust into the action. Tempers flare, loyalties are tested. Through it all, Evelyn learns important truths about her Latino heritage and the history makers who shaped a nation.
