Recommended Reads from the Children's Collection @ the Education Library
Booklists of children's literature in support of IUB School of Education coursework
Titles
Across the Bay by ISBN: 9781524786625Publication Date: 2019-09-17Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and Coco the cat. Life in his hometown is cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father. Jolly piragüeros, mischievous cats, and costumed musicians color this tale of love, family, and the true meaning of home.
Alejandria Fights Back! / ¡la Lucha de Alejandria! by ISBN: 9781558617049Publication Date: 2021-08-10Nine-year-old Alejandria, home isn't just the apartment she shares with Mami and her abuela, Tita, but rather the whole neighbourhood. But lately the city has been changing, and rent prices are going up. Many people in el barrio are leaving because they can no longer afford their homes, and 'For Sale' signs are popping up everywhere. Then the worst thing happens: Mami receives a letter saying they'll have to move out too. Alejandria knows it isn't fair, but she's not about to give up and leave. Join Alejandria as she brings her community together to fight and save their neighbourhood!
Bisa's Carnaval by ISBN: 9781338617627Publication Date: 2021-12-07Discover the sights and sounds of Brazil through the eyes of a young girl and her great-grandmother as they share in the excitement of Carnaval!
Boogie Boogie, Y'all by ISBN: 9780062976222Publication Date: 2021-08-10The city is alive with vibrant art in every corner of the parks, the shops, the trains. But most people are too busy to see it--or worse, choose to ignore it! When three children stop to marvel at the art around their community, they realize it's up to them to show everyone else how truly special it is when art and reality dance together so seamlessly.
Creativity by ISBN: 9780618316779Publication Date: 2003-02-10Charles, an African American student, learns to appreciate his similarities to and differences from his new friend Hector, who is from Puerto Rico.
Drum Dream Girl by ISBN: 9780544102293Publication Date: 2015-03-31Follows a girl in the 1920s as she strives to become a drummer, despite being continually reminded that only boys play the drums, and that there has never been a female drummer in Cuba.
Drummer Boy of John John by ISBN: 9781600606526Publication Date: 2006-10-01A story inspired by events in the boyhood of Winston "Spree" Simon, a pioneer in the development of the steel drum, in which he discovers he can create tunes by banging on discarded cans.
Eight Days by ISBN: 9780545278492Publication Date: 2010-09-01Junior tells of the games he played in his mind during the eight days he was trapped in his house after the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Includes author's note about Haitian children before the earthquake and her own children's reactions to the disaster.
From My Window by ISBN: 9781782859772Publication Date: 2020-03-01A boy describes the building, people, weather, games, and activities he can observe from his window in a favela, a neighborhood in Rio de Janiero. Includes notes about favelas and the author's experiences growing up in one.
Grandma's Gift by ISBN: 9780802720825Publication Date: 2010-10-12This prequel to Eric Velasquez's biographical picture bookGrandma's Records is the story of a Christmas holiday that young Eric spends with his grandmother. After they prepare their traditional Puerto Rican celebration, Eric and Grandma visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a school project, where he sees a painting by Diego Velasquez and realizes for the first time that he could be an artist when he grows up.
Islandborn by ISBN: 9780735229860Publication Date: 2018-03-13With the help of her family and friends, and their memories--joyous, fantastical, heartbreaking, and frightening--Lola's imagination takes her on an extraordinary journey back to The Island.
Julián Is a Mermaid by ISBN: 9780763690458Publication Date: 2018-04-23All Julián can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?
Just a Minute! by ISBN: 0811837580Publication Date: 2003-09-01In this version of a traditional tale, Señor Calavera arrives at Grandma Beetle's door, ready to take her to the next life, but after helping her count, in English and Spanish, as she makes her birthday preparations, he changes his mind.
Just in Case by ISBN: 9781596433298Publication Date: 2008-10-14As Señor Calavera prepares for Grandma Beetle's birthday he finds an alphabetical assortment of unusual presents, but with the help of Zelmiro the Ghost, he finds the best gift of all.
Little Night/Nochecita by ISBN: 9781250073242Publication Date: 2016-06-28As the long day comes to an end, Mother Sky fills a tub with falling stars and calls, "Bath time for Little Night!" In English and Spanish.
Maybe Something Beautiful by ISBN: 9780544357693Publication Date: 2016-04-12Mira lives in a gray and hopeless urban community until a muralist arrives and, along with his paints and brushes, brings color, joy, and togetherness to Mira and her neighbors.
My Name Is Celia by ISBN: 9780873588720Publication Date: 2004-10-30This 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.
Octopus Stew by ISBN: 9780823437542Publication Date: 2019-09-17What do you do when an octopus captures Grandma? Put on your superhero cape and rescue her!
Pele, King of Soccer/Pele, el Rey Del Futbol by ISBN: 9780061227790Publication Date: 2008-12-23Do you know how a poor boy from Brazil who loved futbol more than anything else became the biggest soccer star the world has ever known? Turn the pages of this book to read the true life story of Pele, King of Soccer, the first man in the history of the sport to score a thousand goals and become a living legend.
Pelo Bueno by ISBN: 9781942352914Publication Date: 2018-10-15La abuela Petronila demuestra todo el amor que siente por su nieta, al contarle historias familiares. También brinda lecciones sobre la defensa del cabello natural.
Soccer Star by ISBN: 9780763660567Publication Date: 2014-04-08Just in time for the World Cup, an inspiring story of a Brazilian boy who dreams of being a soccer star and the sister who steps in to help his team win a game.
The Storyteller's Candle by ISBN: 9780892392377Publication Date: 2013-04-01Bilingual English/Spanish. A bilingual biography of Pura Belpré, New York City's first Latina librarian.
The Streets Are Free by ISBN: 1550373706Publication Date: 1995-02-01This inspiring book is based on the true story of the children of the barrio of San Jose de la Urbina in Caracas, Venezuela. There are no parks where they live, and the children must play in the streets. They ask the mayor for an empty lot to build a playground, but all they get are campaign promises. They know that they are the only ones who will make something happen, so they get their friends and family involved until the whole barrio unites to create a space of their own.
Tan to Tamarind by ISBN: 9780892392278Publication Date: 2013-04-01When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Tan, sienna, topaz, or tamarind? Poems in celebration of brown skin color.
Téo's Tutu by ISBN: 9781984815521Publication Date: 2021-11-02Téo loves to dance, whether it's the cumbia with Papí, the bhangra with Amma, or ballet class with Miss Lila. He also loves the way his tutu makes him feel, inside and out. But when it comes time to decide which outfit to wear in the big dance recital--a sparkly tutu or shimmering silver pants--Téo wonders if being his most authentic self on stage will put him too much in the spotlight.
Vicki and a Summer of Change! ¡Vicki y un Verano de Cambio! by ISBN: 9781734027143Publication Date: 2020-11-26Inspired by actual events, Vicki and A Summer of Change Vicki y un verano de cambio recounts what happened in East Harlem, New York in 1969 when Puerto Rican activists joined by Latinx and African Americans formed the Young Lords Organization.
Alicia and the Hurricane / Alicia y el Huracán by ISBN: 9780892394555Publication Date: 2022-03-01After snuggling into bed each night, Alicia listens for the big voices of the tiny coquíes that live all around Puerto Rico and sing her to sleep. Ko-kee, ko-kee, the little frogs call. Ko-kee, ko-kee. One day a terrible hurricane comes to Puerto Rico, and Alicia and her family take refuge in a shelter. At bedtime Alicia hears grown-ups snoring and babies crying, wind howling and rain pounding. But even though she listens hard, she cannot hear the song of the coquíes. Are the little tree frogs safe? And what will Alicia and her family find at home when the storm is over?
Your Mama by ISBN: 9781328631886Publication Date: 2021-04-06A sweet twist on the age-old "yo mama" joke, celebrating fierce moms everywhere with playful lyricism and gorgeous illustrations.
Plátanos Are Love by ISBN: 9781665902731Publication Date: 2023-04-11A delicious picture book about the ways plantains shape Latinx culture, community, and family, told through a young girl's experiences in the kitchen with her abuela.
I Am Alfonso Jones by ISBN: 9781620142639Publication Date: 2017-10-10The ghost of fifteen-year-old Alfonso Jones travels in a New York subway car full of the living and the dead, watching his family and friends fight for justice after he is killed by an off-duty police officer while buying a suit in a Midtown department store.
Manu: a Graphic Novel by ISBN: 9781338264197Publication Date: 2021-11-02Manu and her best friend, Josefina, live at a magical school for girls, and Manu is always getting into trouble. One day, a prank goes seriously wrong, and Josefina gets angry and wishes for Manu's magic to disappear... and it does. Manu uses a dangerous spell to restore it, but it makes her magic too powerful and nearly impossible to control. Great power comes at a cost, and it may be a price that Manu isn't able to pay!
Inheritance by ISBN: 9780062931948Publication Date: 2022-05-03They tell me to "fix" my hair. And by fix, they mean straighten, they mean whiten; but how do you fix this shipwrecked history of hair?
The Poet X by ISBN: 9780062662804Publication Date: 2018-03-06Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking. But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers--especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.
Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed by ISBN: 9781250763426Publication Date: 2021-11-02These fifteen original pieces delve into everything from ghost stories and superheroes, to memories in the kitchen and travels around the world, to addiction and grief, to identity and anti-Blackness, to finding love and speaking your truth. Full of both sorrow and joy, Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed is an essential celebration of this rich and diverse community.
With the Fire on High by ISBN: 9780062662835Publication Date: 2019-05-07Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago's life has been about making the tough decisions--doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness. Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it's not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.
The Year I Flew Away by ISBN: 9780358272755Publication Date: 2021-02-02In this magical middle grade novel, ten-year-old Gabrielle finds out that America isn't the perfect place she imagined when she moves from Haiti to Brooklyn. With the help of a clever witch, Gabrielle becomes the perfect American--but will she lose herself in the process?
Capoeira by ISBN: 9781584302681Publication Date: 2007-05-01A photo-essay about the history and practice of Capoeira, a centuries-old Brazilian martial art which incorporates traditional movements and rhythmic music.
Clemente! by ISBN: 9780805082241Publication Date: 2010-05-11Known not only for his exceptional baseball skills but also for his extensive charity work in Latin America, Clemente was well-loved during his eighteen years playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Schomburg: the Man Who Built a Library by ISBN: 9780763680466Publication Date: 2017-09-12In luminous paintings and arresting poems, two of children's literature's top African-American scholars track Arturo Schomburg's quest to correct history. A century later, his groundbreaking collection, known as the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, has become a beacon to scholars all over the world.
