My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/la vida de Celia Cruz

by Monica Brown (Author), Rafael López (Illustrator)

This bilingual book allows young readers to enter Celia Cruz's life as she becomes a well-known singer in her homeland of Cuba, then moves to New York City and Miami where she and others create a new type of music called salsa. School Library Journal has named My Name is Celia “[a]n exuberant picture-book biography . . . a brilliant introduction to a significant woman and her music.”

Dream Carver

by Diana Cohn (Author), Amy Cordova (Illustrator)

Mateo and his father carve juguetes, small wooden animals his family sells at the fiestas in Oaxaca. But Mateo wants to carve much larger animals-goats as pink as bougainvillea with cactus-green speckles, and purple cats with corn-yellow spots. When he tells his father how he longs to bring these large animals to life, his father only scowls, but Mateo perseveres. Including an informative afterword on this vibrant Mexican art form, this colorful tale inspires readers of all ages to follow their passion.

Gracias / Thanks

by Pat Mora (Author), John Parra (Illustrator)

In a series of poetic sentences, a young boy (biracial Mexican/Caucasian) tells about some of the everyday things for which he is thankful. Come share the joy, and think about all the things for which you can say, ¡Gracias! Thanks!

Growing Up With Tamales / Los tamales de Ana

by Gwendolyn Zepeda (Author), April Ward (Illustrator), Gabriela Baeza Ventura (Translator)

"My name is Ana. Every year, my family makes tamales for Christmas. This year, I am six, so I get to mix the dough, which is made of cornmeal. My sister Lidia is eight, so she gets to spread the dough on the corn husk leaves. I wish I was eight, so that my hands would be big enough to spread the dough just right--not too thick and not too thin."

The Empanadas That Abuela Made/Las Empanadas Que Hacia LA Abuela

by Diane Gonzales Bertrand (Author), Alex Pardo Delange (Illustrator), Gabriela Baeza Ventura (Translator)

A whimsical look at the making of empanadas serves up the festive fun of a family’s effort to concoct the delicious pastries, with an easy empanada recipe included.

Just a Minute!: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book

by Yuyi Morales (Author)

In this original trickster tale, Senor Calavera arrives unexpectedly at Grandma Beetle's door. He requests that she leave with him right away. "Just a minute," Grandma Beetle tells him. She still has one house to sweep, two pots of tea to boil, three pounds of corn to make into tortillas -- and that's just the start! Using both Spanish and English words to tally the party preparations, Grandma Beetle cleverly delays her trip and spends her birthday with a table full of grandchildren and her surprise guest. This spirited tribute to the rich traditions of Mexican culture is the perfect introduction to counting in both English and Spanish. The vivacious illustrations and universal depiction of a family celebration are sure to be adored by young readers everywhere.

Dreamers

by Yuyi Morales (Author)

We are resilience. We are hope. We are dreamers.

Yuyi Morales brought her hopes, her passion, her strength, and her stories with her, when she came to the United States in 1994 with her infant son. She left behind nearly everything she owned, but she didn't come empty-handed.

Dreamers is a celebration of making your home with the things you always carry: your resilience, your dreams, your hopes and history. It's the story of finding your way in a new place, of navigating an unfamiliar world and finding the best parts of it. In dark times, it's a promise that you can make better tomorrows.

Esperanza Rising

by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Author)

Esperanza Rising joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Esperanza thought she'd always live a privileged life on her family's ranch in Mexico. She'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances-because Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.