Books for Kids: Caribbean-American Heritage Month

Celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month! Check out this books honoring Caribbean-American Heritage Month available at your local library!

Updated June 15, 2023
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Plt̀anos are love
Reynoso-Morris, Alyssa
Paper Book
A 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. Abuela says, "plátanos are love." I thought they were food. But Abuela says they feed us in more...
Plt̀anos go with everything
Norman, Lissette
Paper Book
Paletero Man meets Fry Bread in this vibrant and cheerful ode to plátanos, the star of Dominican cuisine, written by award-winning poet Lissette Norman, illustrated by Sara Palacios, and translated by Kianny N. Antigua. Plátanos are Yesenia's favorite food....
Our roof is blue
Echenique, Sara E.
Paper Book
This heartfelt story of resilience follows two siblings as they work to recover and rebuild after Hurricane Irma destroys their home in Puerto Rico. Before an intense hurricane hits their home in Puerto Rico, Antonio told his sister vibrant stories each night. During the storm,...
Mother of sharks
Mr̀quez, Melissa Cristina
Paper Book
Forbes 30 Under 30 Honoree and globally renowned shark scientist Melissa Cristina Marquez teams up with award-winning illustrator Devin Elle Kurtz to create an informative, powerful picture book. With lyrical writing and gorgeous art, this moving story explores Melissa's personal journey...
Drum dream girl : how one girl's courage changed music
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule--until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at...
La casita de Esperanza
Jennings, Terry Catass︢
Paper Book
When Esperanza and her family arrive in the United States from Cuba, they buy a little house, una casita. It may be small, but they soon prove that there's room enough to share with a whole community. "It was a little house. Una casita . . . It was small.
Big tune
Agostini, Alliah L.
Paper Book
An exuberant picture book written by Alliah L. Agostini and illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice is about a Black boy with big dancing dreams who learns the meaning of courage and community. It's the weekend, first in June; speaker's blasting out big tune!
Aniana del Mar jumps in
Méndez, Jasminne
Paper Book
Pura Belpre Author Honor Award ** Four starred reviews!** A powerful and expertly told novel in verse about a twelve-year-old Dominican American swimmer who is diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis by an award-winning poet. Aniana del Mar belongs in the water like...
A song of frutas
Engle, Margarita
Paper Book
From Pura Belpré Award-winning author Margarita Engle comes a lively, rhythmic picture book about a little girl visiting her grandfather who is a pregonero--a singing street vendor in Cuba--and helping him sell his frutas. When we visit mi abuelo, I help...
Looking for a jumbie
Baptiste, Tracey
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Tracey Baptiste and acclaimed illustrator Amber Ren take readers on a fun, creepy, storytime-ready romp through a forest filled with creatures from Caribbean folklore. I'm looking for a jumbie, I'm going to find a scary one. But Mama...
Anita and the dragons
Dias, Hannah Carmona
Paper Book
A beautifully tender story touching on the range of emotions immigrants may feel when leaving their home countries - excitement and sorrow, fear and courage. Anita watches the dragons high above her as she hops from one cement roof to another in her village in the Dominican Republic. But...
My day with the panye
Charles, Tami
Paper Book
A young girl in Haiti is eager to learn how to carry a basket to market in an exuberant picture book with universal appeal. "To carry the panye, we move gracefully, even under the weight of the sun and the moon." In the hills above Port-au-Prince, a young girl...
Freedom soup
Charles, Tami
Paper Book
Join the celebration in the kitchen as a family makes their traditional New Year's soup -- and shares the story of how Haitian independence came to be. The shake-shake of maracas vibrates down to my toes. Ti Gran's feet tap-tap to the rhythm. ...
Across the bay
Aponte, Carlos (Graphic artist)
Paper Book
RECIPIENT OF THE PURA BELPRÉ ILLUSTRATOR HONOR Author-illustrator Carlos Aponte takes readers on a journey to the heart of Puerto Rico in this enchanting picture book set in Old San Juan. "A lively and honest story about filling voids and exploring what defines a...
When life gives you mangos
Getten, Kereen
Paper Book
Named to Oprah Magazine's Best Caribbean Books for Your 2021 reading list, imagination and adventure run wild in the most talked about middle grade debut of the year!     A small village on a Jamaican island.  A girl who doesn't remember the...
The year I flew away
Arnold, Marie
Paper Book
In 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? Perfect for fans of...

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