DEAR PRIMO: A LETTER TO MY COUSIN

Two young cousins correspond comparing

and contrasting their lives in rural Mexico and the urban United States.

Written and Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

WHO WILL I BE, LORD?

Thinking about what adults she knows do for a living, a young African American girl ponders her own future with the repeated refrain, “What will I

be, Lord? What will I be?” Many types of work and many kinds of

choices are treated with respect and dignity in this lively narrative

Written by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Illustrated by Sean Qualls

FLABBERSMASHED ABOUT YOU

An inter-racial friendship is threatened by a “betrayal” and a

rollercoaster of emotions plays out.

Written by Rachel Vail and illustrated by Yumi Heo

H. O. R. S. E

The amazingly talented son of Walter Dean Myers is both author and illustrator in this

imaginative exploration of the traditional hoops challenge

between two African-American boys.

Written and illustrated by Christopher Myers

BACK TO FRONT AND UPSIDE DOWN

Stan is excited about making a birthday card for his principal, Mr. Slippers, until he discovers that he has to write a message. For him, letters come out back to front and

upside down. Stan learns that asking for help, a little coaching, and a lot of practice make for success.

Written and illustrated by Claire Alexander

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN

A silverback gorilla changes the way we think of animals and ourselves as he serves as our unusual narrator for this story of his evolution.

2013 Winner of the Newberry Award.

Written by Catherine Applegate

BAIT

After Diego lands himself on probation for fighting, he doesn’t trust his

probation officer, Mr. Vidas. But as he begins to open up, Diego realizes that he needs Mr. Vidas’s help to get his

anger under control. To do that, Diego will need to face the nightmares from

his past head-on and confront the memories he’s been avoiding.

Written by Alex Sanchez

CHAVELA AND THE MAGIC BUBBLE

A young Mexican-American girl, loves chewing chicle (gum), and is exceptionally

good at blowing bubbles with it. She discovers a new kind of gum that once it is chewed, allows her to float. The gum glides her all the way to Mexico where she meets

chicleros (gum collectors), who are extracting chicle from sapodilla trees, and a

girl, who mysteriously reminds her of her grandmother.

Written by Monica Brown andIllustrated by Magaly Morales

CORA COOKS PANCIT

Cora loves being in the kitchen, but she always gets stuck doing

the kid jobs like licking the spoon. One day, however, when her older sisters and brother head out, Cora

finally gets the chance to be Mama's assistant chef in

celebrating their Filipino heritage.

Written by Dorina K. Lazlo Gilmore and Illustrated by Kristi Valiant

ONE CRAZY SUMMER

Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this

vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements

affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn,

universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love.

By Rita Williams-Garcia

HE FORGOT TO SAY GOODBYE

Two unlikely protagonists, one Anglo and one Mexican-American, one rich and one poor, share a similarity that

binds them together: fathers who walked out on them.

Written by Benjamin Alire Saenz

EACH KINDNESS

A young African-American girl is left

feeling regret for kindnesses undone, but her life is surely change.

Written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E. B. Lewis

WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON

On a cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson

crosses paths with. . .Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two

different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and

unexpected directions.

Written by John Green and David Levithan

SALTYPIE: A CHOCTAW JOURNEY FROM DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

The old and contemporary are explored through

generations of a Choctaw family who moves from the

Choctaw reservation in Oklahoma to Pasadena, TX.

Written by Tim Tingle and Illustrated by Karen Clarkson

LOCKDOWN

Myers takes readers inside of a juvenile

detention center in this gritty novel about a 14 year old attempting to turn his life around.

By Walter Dean Myers

RENE HAS TWO LAST NAMES/RENE TIENE DOS APELLIDOS

Rene sets out to teach his classmates about the Latino

cultural tradition of using both parents’ names rather than just one, in response to his

teacher shortening his name to label his desk.

Written by Rene Colato Lainez and Illustrated by Fabiola Graullera Ramirez

ME AND MOMMA AND BIG JOHN

A young African-American boy learns to see the “artistry” in his

mother’s job as a stonecutter.

Written by Mara Rockliff and Illustrated by William Low

DANTE AND ARISTOTLE DISCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE

A universal story told from an incredibly specific cultural viewpoint, this tale of two

Mexican-American boys on the threshold of manhood is

exhilarating as it embraces geography, cultural identity and

sexuality.

Written by Benjamin Alire Sae’nz

MY ABUELITA

The strong and loving bond between this flamboyant and robust grandmother

and her grandchild is lovingly explored through

their daily routines.

Written by Tony Johnston and Illustrated by Yuyi Morales

TEACAKES FOR TOSH

The loving relationship between African-American Tosh and his aging grandma provides both a reassuring snapshot of a family

dealing with a common concern of aging, as well an enduring family

history traveling through the generations.

Written by Kelly Starling Lyons and Illustrated by E. B. Lewis

MUCHACHO

Eddie Corazon, a New Mexico teen, is labeled a

delinquent but shows incredible insight into his life

and surroundings in this story of a teen’s struggles at home,

in school and with friends.

Written by Louanne Johnson

MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD

17 year old, Marcelo’s (on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum) summer takes a drastic shift away from his original plans caring for the ponies at his private school for students with disabilities, when his father forces him to take a job in the mailroom of his law

office. His father wants him to be prepared for “the real world.”

Written by Francisco X Stork

CONFETTI GIRL

Sixth grader, Lina Flores, deals with a host of

problems and challenges in this light-hearted gem grounded in traditional

Mexican-American culture.

Written by Diana Lopez

BRAIDS/TRENCITAS

Isabela’s abuelita weaves colorful stories as she weaves

her hair, encouraging her to write stories of her own. Using the

traditional Mexican bingo game la loteria, she teachs her beloved

illiterate grandmother to read.

Written by Kathleen Contreras and Illustrated by Margaret Lindmark

RETURN TO SENDER

The relationship between two friends: one, a VT farm kid and another, a

young Mexican girl, transforms both of their

lives.

Written by Julia Alvarez

AUNTIE YANG’S SOYBEAN PICNIC

A young Chinese American girl remembers the

discovery of soybeans by her Auntie Yang’s home in Northern Illinois and the

family tradition that resulted.

Written by Ginnie Lo and illustrated by Beth Lo

GRINGOLANDIA

The young protagonist’s family flees Chile for

Wisconsin in 1980, leaving their father behind. Through a girlfriend, Daniel begins to

learn about Chile and his father’s past

Written by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

STARS IN THE FOREST

Zitally, meaning star in the Nahuatl language,

deals with the deportation of her father back to

Mexico by nursing a dog back to health.

Written by Laura Resau

HOW TIA LOLA LEARNED TO TEACH

The second in a wonderful series, Dominican Tia Lola becomes an integral part of a school’s community as a temporary Spanish

teacher

Written by Julia Alvarez

GRANDMA’S GIFT

Based on the artist/author’s life, a young boy and his grandmother share the

paintings of Juan de Pareja in the Metropolitan Museum

of Art.

Written and Illustrated by Eric Velasquez

FROM NORTH TO SOUTH/DEL NORTE AL SUR

A young boy travels with his father from San Diego

to Tijuana to visit his mother, recently deported

to Mexico.

Written by Rene Colato Lainez and Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

BIG RED LOLLIPOP

An immigrant Muslim family that doesn’t celebrate

birthdays confronts a cultural practice of including younger

siblings in invitations to birthday parties to one

daughter’s embarrassment.

Written by Ruckshana Khan and Illustrated by Sophie Blackall

UNDER THE MESQUITE

Growing up in a bicultural community in Texas, 14-year old Lupita deals with her mother’s terminal illness surrounded by her seven siblings embracing and discarding their Mexican

roots in varying degrees.

Written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

MAXIMILIAN AND THE MYSTERY OF THE GUARDIAN ANGEL: A BILINGUAL LUCA LIBRE THRILLER

An 11 year old Mexican American boy discovers that

his favorite Luca Libre wrestler is coming to town and might have a strange

connection to his own family.

Written by Xavier Garza

THESE HANDS

An African American grandfather tells his grandson about his own accomplishments and struggles

while teaching the boy new things in an engaging picture book that gracefully traverses

personal and social history

Written by Margaret H. Mason andIllustrated by Floyd Cooper

MARISOL MCDONALD DOESN’T MATCH/MARISOL MCDONALD NO COMBINA

Bright and vivacious Marisol, a Peruvian-Scottish-American girl

loves peanut butter and jelly burritos and speaks both English and Spanish. Unfortunately her teacher and classmates don’t

especially appreciate her mashing of cultures

Written by Monica and illustrated by Sara Palacios