LATINO LITERATURE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS Updated: by Bob Nelson This is a list of fictional books for children and teens. The books
each have as a hero someone of Hispanic background. The main
characters each overcome trials and tribulations having to do with
their background. Loves Me, Loves Me Not By , Anilu Bernardo, 1998, 169 p. Grs 9­12 Place hold Call #: YF BER While trying to win the attention of a basketball star, Maggie, a Cuban American learns painful lessons about romantic young love Colibri By Ann Cameron, 2003, 227 p. Grs 5­7 Place hold Call #: JF Cam Kidnapped as a child and forced to lie and beg for money, a twelve­year­old Mayan girl wishes she could return to the parents she can hardly remember All the way to Mexico By Norma M. Charles, 2003, 158 p. Grs 5­7r Place hold Call #: JF CHA 12­year­old Jacob and his sister are going on their mother's honeymoon with the groom, & two sons, all crammed into a car, heading for Mexico Centerfield ballhawk By Matt Christopher, 1992, 59 p. Grs 3­6 Place hold Call #: JF Chrr Jose Mendez worries about his poor batting performance and fears disappointing his father, who had an outstanding batting average.
Salt Lake County Library Services 2197 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Phone: 801­943­4636 Secret of the Andes By Ann Nolan Clark 1952, 120 pgs. Gr. 5­8 Place hold Call #: JF Cla Adventures of eight­year­old Cusi who takes care of the llamas in the remote Andes of Inca culture Romiette & Julio By Sharon M Draper, 1999, 236 p. Grs 6­9 Place hold Call # YF DRA Romiette, an Black girl, and Julio, a Hispanic boy, fall in love on the Internet, but are harrassed by a school gang who object to their dating Party Girl By Lynne Ewing, 1998, 110 p. Grs.7­8 Place hold Call #: YF EWI The death of her best friend in a drive­by shooting causes15­yr­old Kata to question her life in the Los Angeles gang life. Shark beneath the reef By Jean Craighead George, 1991, 182 p. 5­7 Place hold Call #: JF GEO A young Mexican fisherman comes of age as he becomes aware of the politics, corruption, and changes around him The music thief By Peni R Griffin, 2002, 154 p. Grs 5­8 Place hold Call #: JF GRI 11­yr­old Alma coping with the shooting death of her favorite singer and family problems, finds herself doing something she knows is wrong. Kokopelli's Flute By Will Hobbs, Will, 1995, 165 p. Grs 2­4 Place hold Call #: JF Hob 13­yr­old Tepary discovers an old flute in a cliff dwelling in New Mexico, and through its power he learns about ancient Native American magic Class President By Johanna Hurwitz 1990, 85 pgs. Gr. 4­7r Place hold Call #: JF Hur Julio hides his leadership qualities by helping a friend in his candidacy for class president while he learns to take pride in his own Puerto Rican heritage
Salt Lake County Library Services 2197 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Phone: 801­943­4636 Fourth Grade Fuss By Johanna Hurwitz, 2004, 132 p. Grs 2­4r Place hold Call #: JF Hur Julio and his friends have a lot of fun in fourth grade, but they must get serious about studying as the statewide end­of­year test approaches And Now Miguel By Joseph Krumgold 1953, 245 pgs. Gr. 3­5 Place hold Call #: JF Kru Miguel Chavez, twelve­years­old, wants desperately to show he's ready to tend the sheep at the family's ranch in Taos, New Mexico Enchanted runner By Kimberley Griffiths Little1999, 149 p. Grs 5­7. Place hold Call #: JF LIT 12yr­old Kendall, half Anglo and half Acoma, discovers0 his heritage and his destiny as a runner when he visits his great­grandfather's pueblo The last Snake Runner By Kimberly Griffiths Little, 2002, 201 p. Grs 7­9r Place hold Call #: JF Lit 14­yr­old Kendall, half Anglo and half Acoma, Time travels to 16th­century, New Mexico, to play his destined role as the last member of the Snake Clan Mick By Chris Lynch, 1996, 146 p. Grs.7­9 Place hold Call #: YF LYN Friendship with Hispanic students offers 15­yr­old Mick an alternative to the drunken savagery of his brother and the prejudice of Irish­American Boston Red Midnight By Ben Mikaelsen, 2002, 212 p. Grs 5 & up Place hold Call #: YF Mik After soldiers kill his family, 12­yr­old Santiago and his 4­yr­old sister flee Guatemala in a kayak and try to reach the United States Tree Girl By Ben Mikaelsen 2004, 225 p Place hold Call #: YF MIK Gabriela sees the destruction of her Mayan village and the murder of its inhabitants. Only from a Mexican refugee camp can she face her fears
Salt Lake County Library Services 2197 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Phone: 801­943­4636 A Crazy Mixed­up Spanglish Day By Maria Montes, 2003, 120 p. Grs. 2­4 Place hold Call #: JF Mon Maritza Gabriela Morales Mercado struggles with the third grade bully, to control her temper, and to r to speak Spanish at home and English at school. Carlota By Scott O'Dell 1977, 141 pgs. Gr. 5­8 Place hold Call #: YF Ode California in the 1840's is the setting for this novel about a 16 year­old girl's life against the background of the Mexican­American war. Cuba 15 : a novel By Nancy Osa, 2003, 277 p Place hold Call #: YF Osa Violet Paz, a Chicago student, reluctantly prepares for her upcoming quince," the celebration of an Hispanic girl's fifteenth birthday. The Crossing By Gary Paulsen 1987, 114 pgs. Gr. 5­8 Place hold Call #: YF Pau A 13­year­old orphan gets help from an emotionally disturbed soldier as he seeks a way to cross the border Why Does the Coqui Sing? By Barbara Garland Polikoff, 2004, 213 p. Grs 4­8 Place hold Call #: JF POL When 13­yr­old Luz and her family move back to Puerto Rico, she and her brother struggle to adjust and to decide where it is they really belong. Rio Grande Stories By Carolyn Meyer 1994, 257 pgs Place hold Call #: YSC Rio Anthology of stories that relate to Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, African Americans and Anglos in New Mexico Becoming Naomi Leon By Mu­noz Ryan 2004, 246 p. Grs 5­8 Place hold Call #: JF RYA When Naomi's mother resurfaces to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico with her great­grandmother and younger brother insearch of her father.
Salt Lake County Library Services 2197 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Phone: 801­943­4636 Esperanza Rising By Pam Mu Ryan, 2000, 262 p. Grs. 5­7 Place hold Call #: JF RYA Esperanza and her mother leave a life of wealth and privilege in Mexico to work in the labor camps of Southern California Baseball in April and Other Stories By Gary Soto 1990, 111 pgs. Gr. 4­6r Place hold Call #: JF Sot Fresno, California is the setting for these eleven stories about everyday life in a Mexican­American community Boys at Work By Gary Soto, 1995, 134 p. Grs 4­6 Place hold Call #: JF Sot When 10 yr old Rudy a Mexican­ American breaks a Discman at a baseball game, he comes up with ways to make money to pay for a new one. I, Juan de Pareja By Elizabeth Barton de Treviño 1965, 180 pgs. Gr. 5­9 Call #: JF Tre This novel relates the 16th century life of the son of an African woman and a Place hold Spaniard who is raised by Spanish painter Diego Velasquez Petty crimes By Gary Soto, 1995, 157 pgs. Grs. 4­6 Place hold Call #: JF Sot A collection of short stories about Mexican American youth growing up in California's Central Valley The Skirt By Gary Soto 1992, 74 pgs. Gr. 3 & up Place hold Call #: JF Sot Warm family life in small town California serves as the background for Miata's clever scheme to recover the treasured folk shirt she has lost. Taking Sides By Gary Soto 1991, 138 pgs. Gr. 6­9 Place hold Call #: YF Sot 14­year­old Lincoln Mendoza wants to make the basketball team but a coach who doesn't like Mexicans may be more of an obstacle.
Salt Lake County Library Services 2197 Fort Union Blvd, Salt Lake City, Utah 84121 Phone: 801­943­4636