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Book Lists

Book Lists

Latin American Heritage Month Biographies

Latinx Biographies

Rodríguez, Patty, author.
JEASY SP ROD
Born on April 16, 1971 in Lake Jackson, Texas, Selena Quintanilla was destined to be a star. Her career started at a young age when she became the lead singer in her family's band, Selena y Los Dinos.

Engle, Margarita, author.
J 920.0092 ENG
"Bold, graphic portraits and beautiful poems present famous and lesser-known Latinos from varied backgrounds who have faced life's challenges in creative ways"--Provided by publisher.

Engle, Margarita, author.
J SP 920.0092 ENG
"Bold, graphic portraits and beautiful poems present famous and lesser-known Latinos from varied backgrounds who have faced life's challenges in creative ways."--Provided by publisher.

Herrera, Juan Felipe.
J 920.0092 HER
"An inspiring tribute to Hispanic Americans who have made a positive impact on the world. This visually stunning book showcases twenty Hispanic and Latino American men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the arts, politics, science, humanitarianism, and athletics. Gorgeous portraits complement sparkling biographies of Cesar Chavez, Sonia Sotomayor, Ellen Ochoa, Roberto Clemente, and many more. Complete with timelines and famous quotes, this tome is a magnificent homage to those who have shaped our nation. In this volume: Adelina Otero-Warren, Bernardo de Galvez, Cesar Chavez, David Farragut, Dennis Chavez, Desi Arnaz, Dolores Huerta, Ellen Ochoa, Helen Rodriguez Trias, Hero Street USA, Ignacio Lozano, Jaime Escalante, Joan Baez, Judy Baca, Julia de Burgos, Luis Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Roberte Clemente, Sonia Sotomayor, and Tomas Rivera"-- Provided by publisher.

Herrera, Juan Felipe.
JAUDIO DISC 920.0092 HER
Twenty Hispanic American artists, scientists, athletes, activists and political leaders are profiled in this stunning book, complete with inspirational quotes.

Tonatiuh, Duncan, author.
J 769.92 TON
Funny Bones tells the story of how the amusing calaveras--skeletons performing various everyday or festive activities--came to be. They are the creation of Mexican artist José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada (1852-1913). In a country that was not known for freedom of speech, he first drew political cartoons, much to the amusement of the local population but not the politicians. He continued to draw cartoons throughout much of his life, but he is best known today for his calavera drawings. They have become synonymous with Mexico's Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) festival. Juxtaposing his own art with that of Lupe's, author Duncan Tonatiuh brings to light the remarkable life and work of a man whose art is beloved by many but whose name has remained in obscurity. The book includes an author's note, bibliography, glossary, and index.

Tonatiuh, Duncan.
J 759.972 TON
An introduction to the life, career, and influence of the Mexican painter Diego Rivera.

Tonatiuh, Duncan.
J 379.263 TON
"Years before the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling Brown v. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez, an eight-year-old girl of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, played an instrumental role in Mendez v. Westminster, the landmark desegregation case of 1946 in California"-- Provided by publisher.

Sotomayor, Sonia, 1954- author.
J BIO SOTOMAYOR
"Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor tells her own story for young readers for the very first time! As the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor has inspired young people around the world to reach for their dreams. But what inspired her? For young Sonia, the answer was books! They were her mirrors, her maps, her friends, and her teachers. They helped her to connect with her family in New York and in Puerto Rico, to deal with her diabetes diagnosis, to cope with her father's death, to uncover the secrets of the world, and to dream of a future for herself in which anything was possible. In Turning Pages, Justice Sotomayor shares that love of books with a new generation of readers, and inspires them to read and puzzle and dream for themselves. Accompanied by Lulu Delacre's vibrant art, this story of the Justice's life shows readers that the world is full of promise and possibility--all they need to do is turn the page"-- Provided by publisher.

Sotomayor, Sonia, 1954- author.
J SP BIO SOTOMAYOR
"A Spanish translation of the picture book autobiography of Sonia Sotomayor, Turning Pages"-- Provided by publisher.

Arce, Julissa, author.
J 305.4886 ARC
"Julissa Arce explores her days in Mexico separated from her parents and her daily fears while growing up undocumented in Texas"-- Provided by publisher.

Acevedo, Sylvia, author.
J BIO ACEVEDO
"The inspiring memoir for young readers about a Latina rocket scientist whose early life was transformed by joining the Girl Scouts and who currently serves as CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA."-- Provided by publisher.

Herrera, Juan Felipe, author.
J VOX 811.54 HER
"When Juan Felipe Herrera was very young, he picked flowers, helped his mama feed the chickens, slept under the starry sky, and learned to say goodbye to his amiguitos each time his migrant family moved on. When he grew up, Juan Felipe Herrera became a poet. His breathtaking poem "Imagine" and Lauren Castillo's evocative illustrations will speak to every reader and dreamer searching for this place in life."--Jacket.

Herrera, Juan Felipe, author.
J 811.54 HER
"When Juan Felipe Herrera was very young, he picked flowers, helped his mama feed the chickens, slept under the starry sky, and learned to say goodbye to his amiguitos each time his migrant family moved on. When he grew up, Juan Felipe Herrera became a poet. His breathtaking poem "Imagine" and Lauren Castillo's evocative illustrations will speak to every reader and dreamer searching for this place in life."--Jacket.

Menéndez, Juliet, author, illustrator.
J 920.72 MEN
"A celebration of Latinas and Latin American women who followed their dreams, with portraits and short bios"-- Provided by publisher.

Guerrero, Diane, 1986- author.
J BIO GUERRERO
"The star of Orange Is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, Diane Guerrero presents her personal story in this middle grade memoir about her parents' deportation and the nightmarish struggles of undocumented immigrants and their American children"-- Provided by publisher.

Arce, Julissa, author.
SP BIO ARCE
La impresionante historia de la activista social y autora de éxito nacional Julissa Arce sobre su niñez en Texas y su lucha por alcanzar su Sueño Americano, aun siendo indocumentada. Nacida en Taxco, México, Julissa Arce se quedaba en su pintoresco pueblo durante meses con sus dos hermanas, una niñera y su abuela, mientras que sus padres viajaban incansablemente a Estados Unidos con la esperanza de construir una casa y buscar mejores oportunidades para sus niños. Un día, sus padres deciden traer a Julissa a Texas a vivir con ellos. A partir de ese entonces, Julissa vivió en secreto como una inmigrante indocumentada. Sin embargo, según con el pasar de los años, Julissa ganó una prestigiosa beca y obtuvo su grado universitario con honores, consiguiendo varios éxitos en su camino hasta convertirse en vicepresidenta del banco norteamericano Goldman Sachs. En esta adaptación para jóvenes lectores, la historia de Julissa es prueba de que todo es posible. Su inspiradora trayectoria ofrece una mirada profunda al mundo poco comprendido de una nueva generación de inmigrantes indocumentados en los Estados Unidos: niños que son tus vecinos, que se sientan a tu lado en clase o que incluso pueden ser uno de tus mejores amigos.

Acevedo, Sylvia, author.
J SP BIO ACEVEDO
"La historia de Sylvia Acevedo es un recordatorio deslumbrante de la necesidad de soñar a lo grande, uno que inspirará a lectores de todas las deades. Su trayecto de Girl Scouts y Hed Start a trabajar en el Laboratorío de Propulsión a Chorro de la NASA y más ayudará a forjar un camino para los jóvenes que se sienten atraídos a sueños aparentemente imposibles."--Back cover.

Hernández, José M., 1962- author.
J SP BIO HERNANDEZ
"Ten-year-old José M. Hernández watched the Apollo 17 moonwalks on his family's black and white television in 1972 and knew what he wanted to be when he grew up: an astronaut. Later that night he told his father and was surprised when his dad said, "You can do this, m'ijo!" Mr. Hernández told his son that if he really wanted to become an astronaut, he would need to follow a simple, five-ingredient recipe to succeed: 1) decide what you want, 2) recognize how far you are from your goal, 3) draw a road map to get there, 4) prepare yourself with a good education and 5) develop a good work ethic, always giving more than required. In the years to come, José would follow this recipe as he obtained undergraduate and master's degrees in electrical engineering. Adding his own ingredient, perseverance, he applied to NASA's astronaut program eleven times-and was rejected each time! Finally, in 2004, he was selected to be part of the 19th class of US Astronauts. He achieved his dream in 2009 when he served as the flight engineer on the Space Shuttle Discovery on the STS-128 fourteen-day mission to the International Space Station. In From Farmworker to Astronaut, José M. Hernández recollects his parallel journeys, juxtaposing memories of his mission to the space station and childhood aspirations to reach the stars. His story is sure to motivate kids to set goals and reach for their own dreams"-- Provided by publisher.

Denise, Anika, author.
J BIO BELPRE
"From the author of MONSTER TRUCK and STARRING CARMEN comes a gorgeous and lyrical story about Pura Belpré, a Puerto Rican librarian who changed the world"-- Provided by publisher.

Denise, Anika, author.
J SP BIO BELPRE
Sigue la vida y el legado de Pura Belpré, la primera bibliotecaria puertorriqueña del ciudad de Nueva York.

Engle, Margarita, author.
J BIO CARRENO
Looks at the life and accomplishments of Teresa Carreño, one of the world's most famous pianists who, by age nine, performed for President Abraham Lincoln at the White House.

Denise, Anika, author.
J SP 791.4302 DEN
"The life of Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer Rita Moreno, from her girlhood journey to the United States to her rise as a timeless superstar."-- Provided by publisher.

Denise, Anika, author.
J BIO MORENO
"The life of Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer Rita Moreno, from her girlhood journey to the United States to her rise as a timeless superstar"-- Provided by publisher.

Anderson, Kirsten (Kirsten Stephanie), author.
J SP BIO OCASIO CORTEZ
"On June 26, 2018, twenty-eight-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a bartender from New York City, became the youngest woman ever elected to serve on Congress. Her win shocked the political world and she became a celebrity overnight. Soon, everyone knew her by her initials: AOC. As soon as she was sworn into office, AOC became a vocal champion for healthcare for all and the fight against climate change. This exciting story details the defining moments of what led to her victory and all the monumental ones since that have shaped her into a smart politician willing to fight for others, the environment, and the future of America"-- Provided by publisher

Anderson, Kirsten (Kirsten Stephanie), author.
J BIO OCASIO CORTEZ
"On June 26, 2018, twenty-eight-year-old Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a bartender from New York City, became the youngest woman ever elected to serve on Congress. Her win shocked the political world and she became a celebrity overnight. Soon, everyone knew her by her initials: AOC. As soon as she was sworn into office, AOC became a vocal champion for healthcare for all and the fight against climate change. This exciting story details the defining moments of what led to her victory and all the monumental ones since that have shaped her into a smart politician willing to fight for others, the environment, and the future of America."-- Amazon.

Romo Edelman, Claudia, author.
J BIO CLEMENTE
"Meet Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente-once just a kid from Carolina, Puerto Rico, who loved to play baseball on the streets of his hometown with friends and family. As a right fielder, Roberto played eighteen seasons with Major LeagueBaseball, but his life was tragically cut short when a plane he chartered to bring earthquake relief supplies to Nicaragua crashed. The first Latin American player to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Clemente paved the way for generations of Latinx athletes"-- Provided by publisher.