I Love Saturdays y Domingos


Alma Flor Ada - 1999
    On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come from a European-American background, and on Sundays -- los domingos -- she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. While the two sets of grandparents are different in many ways, they also have a great deal in common -- in particular, their love for their granddaughter. While we follow our narrator to the circus and the pier, share stories from her grandparents' pasts, and celebrate her birthday, the depth and joy of both cultures are conveyed in Spanish and English. This affirmation of both heritages will speak to all children who want to know more about their own families and ethnic backgrounds.

Abuela


Arthur Dorros - 1991
    While riding on a bus with her grandmother, a little girl imagines that they are carried up into the sky and fly over the sights of New York City.

My Name Is Yoon


Helen Recorvits - 2003
    But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English, all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn't sure that she wants to be YOON. At her new school, she tries out different names – maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE!Helen Recorvits's spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country is given luminous pictures filled with surprising vistas and dreamscapes by Gabi Swiatkowska.My Name Is Yoon is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina


Monica Brown - 2011
    At least, that's what everyone tells me." Marisol McDonald has flaming red hair and nut-brown skin. Polka dots and stripes are her favorite combination. She prefers peanut butter and jelly burritos in her lunch box. And don't even think of asking her to choose one or the other activity at recess--she'll just be a soccer playing pirate princess, thank you very much. To Marisol McDonald, these seemingly mismatched things make perfect sense together. Unfortunately, they don't always make sense to everyone else. Other people wrinkle their nose in confusion at Marisol--can't she just be one or the other? Try as she might, in a world where everyone tries to put this biracial, Peruvian-Scottish-American girl into a box, Marisol McDonald doesn't match. And that's just fine with her. A mestiza Peruvian American of European, Jewish, and Amerindian heritage, renowned author Monica Brown wrote this lively story to bring her own experience of being mismatched to life. Her buoyant prose is perfectly matched by Sara Palacios' engaging acrylic illustrations.

My Diary from Here to There/Mi diario de aquí hasta allá


Amada Irma Pérez - 2000
    Told in English and Spanish.

What Can You Do with a Paleta?


Carmen Tafolla - 2009
    . .As she strolls through her barrio, a young girl introduces readers to the frozen, fruit-flavored treat that thrills Mexican and Mexican-American children. Create a masterpiece, make tough choices (strawberry or coconut?), or cool off on a warm summer's day--there's so much to do with a paleta.

Going Home


Eve Bunting - 1996
    But Mexico doesn't seem like home to Carlos, even though he and his sisters were born there. Can home be a place you don't really remember?This dazzling picture book was written and illustrated by Eve Bunting and David Diaz, the Caldecott Medal-winning team behind Smoky Night.At first, La Perla doesn't seem very different from the other villages they pass through. But then Carlos is swept into the festivities by Grandfather, Aunt Ana, and the whole village. Finally, Carlos begins to understand Mama and Papa's love for the place they left behind and realizes that home can be anywhere, because it stays in the hearts of the people who love you.Glowing with holiday joy and the spirit of Mexico, this is a must-have for any home or library collection.

Apple Pie 4th of July


Janet S. Wong - 2002
    But as the parade passes by and fireworks light the sky, she learns a surprising lesson.

Dear Juno


Soyung Pak - 1999
    From the photo his grandmother sends him, Juno can tell that she has a new cat. From the picture he makes for her, Juno's grandmother can tell that he wants her to come for a visit. So she sends Juno a miniature plane, to let him know she's on the way. This tender tale won the author an Ezra Jack Keats award, and is a perfect introduction to the concept of foreign cultures and far-off lands.

Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors


Roseanne Thong - 2014
    Children discover all the bright colors in their Hispanic American neighborhood.

Niño Wrestles the World


Yuyi Morales - 2013
    . . Niño!Fwap! Slish! Bloop! Krunch! He takes down his competition in a single move!No opponent is too big a challenge for the cunning skills of Niño—popsicle eater, toy lover, somersault expert, and world champion lucha libre competitor!A Neal Porter Book

On Mother's Lap


Ann Herbert Scott - 1972
    A little Inuit boy discovers there's room for himself and his baby sister on their mother's lap.

Bee-bim Bop!


Linda Sue Park - 2005
    In bouncy rhyming text, a hungry child tells about helping her mother make bee-bim bop: shopping, preparing ingredients, setting the table, and finally sitting down with her family to enjoy a favorite meal. The energy and enthusiasm of the young narrator are conveyed in the whimsical illustrations, which bring details from the artist’s childhood in Korea to his depiction of a modern Korean American family. Even young readers who aren’t familiar with the dish will recognize the pride that comes from helping Mama, the fun of mixing ingredients together in a bowl, and the pleasure of sharing delicious food. Includes author’s own recipe.

From North to South/Del Norte al Sur


Rene Colato Lainez - 2010
    But when Mama is sent back to Mexico for not having citizenship papers, Jose and his Papa face an uncertain future. What will it be like to visit Mama in Tijuana? When will she be able to come home? Award-winning children's book author Rene Colato Lainez tackles the difficult and timely subject of family separation with exquisite tenderness. He is donating a portion of his royalties to the Centro Madre Assunta, a refuge for women and children who are waiting to be reunited with their families in the United States. Joe Cepeda's bright and engaging illustrations bring this story of hope to vivid life."

Too Many Tamales


Gary Soto - 1993
    Snow had fallen and the streets glittered. Maria's favorite cousins were coming over and she got to help make the tamales for Christmas dinner. It was almost too good to be true when her mother left the kitchen for a moment and Maria got to try on her beautiful diamond ring . . .This is the story of a treasure thought to be lost in a batch of tamales; of a desperate and funny attempt by Maria and her cousins to eat their way out of trouble; and the warm way a family pulls together to make it a perfect Christmas after all.