Latino Literature

A Compilation of Lists by ALSC, Healdsburg High School and YALSA-BK

Nava, Julian. Julian Nava : My Mexican-American Journey . Arte Publico Press, 2002. (Gr. 7-12)

Julian Nava recounts his rise from a childhood in the barrio to become the first Mexican American to serve as United States Ambassador to Mexico .

Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15 . Delacorte, 2003. (Gr. 6-9)

When Violet turns 15, her Cuban grandmother's hope that she will have a traditional coming-of-age celebration challenges her to learn about her family, her heritage, and herself.

Ortiz Cofer, Judith. An Island Like You : Stories of the Barrio . Orchard Books, 1995. (Gr. 7-12)

Twelve stories about young people caught between their Puerto Rican heritage and their American surroundings.

Ortiz Cofer, Judith. The Meaning of Consuelo . Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003. (Adult)

When Consuelo--the pensive, book-loving daughter--notices a disturbing change in her little sister Mili--the beautiful ray of tropical sunshine--Consuelo must decide if she will rise to the occasion and fulfill the expectations of her family and culture or risk becoming an outsider, in a funny and startling novel with a strong Latina spirit.

Pérez, Amada Irma. My Very Own Room/Mi propio cuartito . Illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez. Children's Book Press, 2000. (K-Gr. 3)

A Mexican American girl tells of living with a large family in a small house and longing for a little space to call her own.

Pérez, L. King. First Day in Grapes . Illus. by Robert Casilla. Lee & Low, 2002. (Gr. 1-3)

When his family moves to a migrant camp to pick grapes, Chico finds the courage to stand up to bullies at his new school.

Quiñonez, Ernesto. Bodega Dreams . Vintage, 2000. (Adult)
The word is out in Spanish Harlem: Willie Bodega is king. Bodega can help. He gives everyone a leg up, in exchange for loyalty -- and a steady income from the drugs he pushes. Lyric, inspired, and darkly funny, this powerful debut novel brilliantly evokes the trials of Chino, a smart, promising young man to whom Bodega turns for a favor. Chino is drawn to Bodega's street-smart idealism, but soon finds himself in over his head, navigating an underworld of switchblade tempers, turncoat morality, and murder

Reveles, Daniel . Enchiladas, Rice, and Beans . Ballantine Books, 1994. (Adult)

A collection of eleven short stories set in the Baja California town of Tecate, Mexico .

Rice, David. Crazy Loco : Stories . Dial Books, 2001. (Gr. 7-12)

A collection of nine stories about Mexican-American kids growing up in the Rio Grande Valley of southern Texas .

Rodríguez, Luis J. Always Running: La Vida Loca, gang days in L.A. Simon & Schuster, 1994. (Gr. 9+)

A former L.A. gang member describes his experiences in that world, recounting the sense of security and power found in a gang and the grim reality of violence and poverty.

Rodríguez, Luis J. América Is Her Name . Illus. by Carlos Vazquez. Curbstone Press, 1998. (Gr. 3-6)

This picture book for older readers tells of a Mixteca Indian girl who feels alienated from her new community in Chicago , but finds her way through writing stories and poems.

Ryan, Pam Munoz. Becoming Naomi León . Scholastic, 2004. (Gr. 5-8)
When Naomi's absent mother resurfaces to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico with her great-grandmother and younger brother in search of her father.

Ryan, Pam Muñoz. Esperanza Rising . Scholastic, 2000. (Gr. 5-9)

Coping with her father's death, the loss of her family's Mexican estate, and her mother's illness, Esperanza finds the strength to endure the hard life of a California farm worker.

Saenz, Benjamin Alire . Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood . Cinco Puntos Press, 2004. (Gr. 11+)
As a Chicano boy living in the unglamorous town of Hollywood , New Mexico , and a member of the graduating class of 1969, Sammy Santos faces the challenges of "gringo" racism, unpopular dress codes, the Vietnam War, barrio violence, and poverty.

Saldaña, René . Finding our Way . Wendy Lamb Books, 2003. (Gr. 8-12)
This powerful collection of stories focus on young adults living on the border of Texas and Mexico, with touching moments of family closeness, lighthearted stories where boys love feisty girls; poignant ones that provide snapshots of kids finding their way out of trouble and into the world.

Saldaña, René. The jumping tree : a novel . New York : Delacorte Press, 2001. (Gr. 5-9)

Rey, a Mexican American living with his close-knit family in a Texas town near the Mexican border, describes his transition from boy to young man.

Santiago, Danny. Famous all over town . New American Library, 1983. (Gr. 9+)

A teenager, Chato Medina, is out to beat the odds in the Los Angeles Chicano barrio where he lives.

Sol a Sol: Bilingual Poems . Written and Selected by Lori Marie Carlson. Illus. by Emily Lisker. H. Holt and Company, 1998. (Gr. 1-4)

Fourteen bilingual poems follow a Latino child and her family through a single day.

Soto, Gary . The Afterlife . Harcourt Children's Books, 2003. (Gr. 6-9)
A senior at East Fresno High School lives on as a ghost after his brutal murder in the restroom of a club where he had gone to dance.

Soto, Gary . Baseball in April and other stories. Harcourt Brace, 1990. (Gr. 5-8)

A collection of eleven short stories focusing on the everyday adventures of Hispanic young people growing up in Fresno , California .

Soto, Gary . Buried onions . HarperCollins, 1997. (Gr. 9-12)

When nineteen-year-old Eddie drops out of college, he struggles to find a place for himself as a Mexican American living in a violence-infested neighborhood of Fresno, California .

Soto, Gary . If the Shoe Fits . Illus. by Terry Widener. Putnam's, 2002. (Gr. 1-3)

Rigo's new penny loafers are a welcome change from his usual hand-me-down clothes, but they provoke some unwanted attention.

Soto, Gary . Pacific Crossing. Harcourt Children's Books, 1992. (Gr. 6-9)

Having come from Mexico to California ten years ago, fourteen-year-old Francisco is still working in the fields but fighting to improve his life and complete his education.

Soto, Gary . Petty Crimes . Harcourt Brace, 1998. (Gr. 6-8)

Ten short stories vividly portray the lives of young Mexican American teens growing up in California.

Stanek, Muriel. I Speak English for My Mom . Illus. by Judith Friedman. Albert Whitman, 1989. (Gr. 2-4)

Pencil drawings illustrate the story of a young Mexican American girl who acts as a translator for her mother and at times dislikes the situation.

Thomas, Piri. Down These Mean Streets . Vintage Books, 1991. (Adult)

In this classic memoir of the "barrio" of Spanish Harlem Thomas recounts his transformation from gang member, junkie, and stick-up man to poet of the streets. His memoir breathes new meaning into our notions of manhood, survival, and redemption.

Stavens, Ilan. Latino USA : A Cartoon History. Basic Books, 2000. (Adult)

What does it mean to be Latino? This cartoon history of the Latino experience in America tries to answer that question through irreverent, hard-hitting, humorous commentary on everything from Manifest Destiny to Selena.

Torres, Leyla. Liliana's Grandmothers . Illus. Farrar Straus Giroux, 1998. (PreS-Gr. 2)

This picture book compares life on two continents by looking at Liliana's two grandmothers, one down the street and one in Latin America .

Urrea, Luis Alberto. The Devil's Highway . Little Brown, 2004. (Adult)

Describes the attempt of twenty-six men to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona , a region known as the Devil's Highway, detailing their harrowing ordeal and battle for survival against impossible odds.

Veciana-Suarez, Ana. The Flight to Freedom . Scholastic, 2002. (Gr. 6-9)

In a fictional diary, 13-year-old Yara tells how her family fled Cuba for political reasons and struggled to understand their new lives in Miami .

Velásquez, Gloria. Roosevelt High School (series). Piñata Press. (Gr. 6-9)

The students of Roosevelt High tackle tough issues, including divorce, racism, gay and lesbian issues, and alcoholism in this acclaimed series.

Villarreal, José Antonio. Pocho . Anchor Books, 1959. (Adult)

During the Depression-era in California , Richard, a young Mexican American, experiences a conflict between loyalty to the traditions of his family's past and attraction to new ideas.

Wáchale! Poetry and Prose on Growing Up Latino in America . Edited by Ilan Stavans. Cricket Books, 2001. (Gr. 6-10)

Along with biographical accounts of the writers, this anthology provides stories, poems, and memoirs reflecting the experiences of young Latinos in the United States .

Wing, Natasha. Jalapeño Bagels . Illus. by Robert Casilla. Atheneum Books, 1996. (K-Gr. 3)

With a Mexican mother and Jewish father, Pablo chooses a food with elements of both cultures to take to his school's International Day.