Children's Book Suggestions | Hispanic Heritage Month 2023

A few recent favorites (and a couple of under-the-radar gems) for readers age 0-14. Bilingual books are noted in the recommendation and links to Spanish editions have been included whenever available.

Updated August 22, 2023
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County) Oregon City Public Library
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The last Cuentista
Higuera, Donna Barba
Stand-alone player
The last Cuentista
Higuera, Donna Barba
Stand-alone player
And now for some award-winning science fiction about the power of storytelling! (Young Teen Fiction Age 10-14)
Papá's magical water-jug clock
Trejo, Jesús
Paper Book
★Kirkus Reviews★Publishers Weekly★School Library Journal A 2024Pura Belpre Honor Award, American Library Association International Latino Book Award HonorableMention In Mexican American comedian Jesos Trejo's debut picture book, a...

A stand-up comedian tells a true story from his childhood about a time when he took something his dad said a little too literally. (Picture Book Age 4-8)

Twin cities
Pimienta, Jose
Paper Book
FOUR STARRED REVIEWS . A critically acclaimed graphic novel with rave reviews about this timely story featuring middle school twins living on the Mexico-US border and trying to discover exactly who they are - together or apart. "Transcendentally good."-Kirkus Reviews, starred...
Finding your place in middle school is hard. Doing it when your twin is attending school in another country is harder. (Young Teen Graphic Novel Age 10-14)
La guitarrista
Diaz, Lucky
Paper Book
From the creators of Paletero Man--Latin Grammy-winning musician Lucky Diaz and celebrated artist Micah Player--comes a story about a tenacious girl who achieves her wildest dreams with a little help from her community and a broken guitar....

For aspiring rock stars and fans of Paletero Man, one of our Summer Reading 2023 prize books. (Picture Book Age 4-8)

El barrilito mágico de Papá
Trejo, Jesús
Paper Book
★Kirkus Reviews★Publishers Weekly★School Library Journal A 2024Pura Belpre Honor Award, American Library Association International Latino Book Award HonorableMention In this Spanish-language edition of Mexican American comedianJesos Trejo's debut picture...
Gato guapo
Denise, Anika
Paper Book
Laugh and count along with this lively cumulative romp told in a lyrical blend of Spanish and English by Pura Belpré Honor-winning author Anika Aldamuy Denise and illustrator Zara Gonzalez Hoang! Nine kittens follow Gato Guapo around, but when it's time to count them, one by one, they...

A delightful bilingual book about a handsome cat and his gatitos that seamlessly switches between Spanish and English. (Picture Book Age 3-7)

Reina Ramos works it out
Otheguy, Emma
Paper Book
"A sparkling tale starring a resilient young protagonist" --Kirkus (starred review) Reina Ramos Works It Out is a Level Two I Can Read story about Reina Ramos, a loyal friend whose high-spirited antics sometimes cause chaos, but who always finds a way to make things right....

A fun series for beginning readers (Easy Reader Level 3, Age 5-8)

Reina Ramos works it out
Otheguy, Emma
Paper Book
"A sparkling tale starring a resilient young protagonist" --Kirkus (starred review) Reina Ramos Works It Out is a Level Two I Can Read story about Reina Ramos, a loyal friend whose high-spirited antics sometimes cause chaos, but who always finds a way to make things right....
Team up
Raúl the Third
Paper Book
An ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Selection "Fantastically fun! Kids will drink in every imaginative detail in El Toro's wild world!" --Jeff Kinney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series From New York Times bestselling,...

Great for fans of Elephant & Piggie and luchadores by the inimitable Raúl the Third! His Little Lobo series of picture books are also worth checking out. (Easy Reader Level 2 Age 5-8)

Dia de Muertos: Numeros : A Day of the Dead Counting Book
Tonatiuh, Duncan.
Paper Book
From award-winning and beloved author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes this celebratory bilingual picture book centering on a Día de Muertos ofrenda (Day of the Dead altar), constructed annually to honor the memory and welcome the spirit of a loved one. The book uses a counting structure, from one...

Duncan Tonatiuh's illustrations inspired by pre-Columbian Mixtec art are one-of-a-kind! He has so many good books that it was hard to choose just one for this list. (Picture Book Age 3-7)

Back-to-school blitz
Torres, Jennifer
Paper Book
2024 Beverly Cleary Children's Choice Award David Suárez gets stuck in the middle of a prank war when the neighborhood twins and triplets compete to rule the school. This is the first book of this hilarious, highly illustrated early chapter book series. David...

While Oregonians are more familiar with her books for older readers, like this year's OBOB pick Flor and Miranda Steal the Show, this early chapter book series is great for kids just moving into longer stories. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

Ugly Cat & Pablo
Quintero, Isabel
Paper Book
From the 2015 winner of the ALA William C. Morris Award comes a humorous chapter book series about a not-so-attractive cat and his well-dressed mouse friend.Ugly Cat is dying for a paleta, or ice pop, and his friend Pablo is determined to help him get one by scaring a little girl who is enjoying a...

A charming early chapter book (and sequel!) from the author of the amazing My Papi Has a Motorcycle. (Bridging Fiction Grades 2-4)

Ugly Cat & Pablo
Quintero, Isabel
Paper Book
From the 2015 winner of the ALA William C. Morris Award comes a humorous chapter book series about a not-so-attractive cat and his well-dressed mouse friend.Ugly Cat is dying for a paleta, or ice pop, and his friend Pablo is determined to help him get one by scaring a little girl who is enjoying a...

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