We are a little late on the post, as I’m working to get my routine for posting set. Over the last month we have recognized and honored Latino/a/x History Month by reading these favorite books from some talented Latino/a/x authors. We hope you enjoy them as well!
Rebecca J. Gomez and Elisa Chavarri bring a modern spin to Little Red Riding Hood with Federico and the Wolf. In it, Federico heads off to the store to pick up ingredients to make salsa picante with his Abuelo. He encounters a wolf along the way, defeats him with a spicy pepper, and makes delicious salsa with his Abuelo after all. We love the mix of Spanish and English words, and the illustrations help modernize this classic tale.
We are peaking early, but this is my favorite book of the stack. Dreamers by Yuyi Morales is stunning. It tells the story of a mother and child who immigrate to America, finding a strange and intimidating land where they afraid. One day they find a library and start to find ways to communicate, learning English together, while continuing to celebrate their Spanish language and culture. The images in this book are stunning, combining various styles to show the ways that the two lands shape the mother and child.
Margarita Engle and Rafael López’s Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln tells the story of how Teresa Carreño learned to play the piano, performing for audiences in Venezuela. When war forces her family to come to America, Teresa is unsure of whether she will play again. Her family builds a community, and Teresa continues to develop as a pianist, eventually receiving an invitation to play for President Lincoln at the White House. It’s a beautiful story of persistence, inspiration, and self confidence. My kids love hearing about how someone so young could work hard to develop skills so advanced and to persevere through so many obstacles.
Juana Martinez-Neal’s How Alma Got Her Name tells the tale of Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela and all the family members she is named for. Her father helps her to see that she shares wonderful qualities with them as well as their names. He also tells her that she is the first Alma and will have her own identity as well. My kids love hearing where their own names come from, so this story resonated sweetly with them.