26 Best Books for Latino Kids
Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music
Written by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael López
Raising a feminist? Boys and girls will love this true story about a young musician who wants to play the drums but isn’t allowed because of the taboo against female drummers prevalent in 1930s Cuba. Not one to be deterred, she must convince her father to let her play if she’s going to follow her heart. Ages 3 to 8
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Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games
Selected and illustrated by Lulu Delacre
Perfect for bedtime snuggles, these bilingual lullabies are from different Latin-American countries. Ages birth to 3
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Quinito’s Neighborhood / El Vecindario de Quinito
Written by Ina Cumpiano, illustrated by José Ramírez
All of Quinito’s relatives have interesting jobs, many defying gender roles (Mom is a carpenter, and Dad is a nurse), and we get to learn all about them on this bilingual tour of his colorful neighborhood. Ages 4 to 8
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Call Me Tree / Llámame árbol
Written by Maya Christina Gonzalez
As you read, encourage your little one to use the drawings to act out the plot: A child imagines growing from a seed into a tree, blooming in a forest of diverse children, all free to express their true selves. Ages 4 to 8
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All the Way to Havana
Written by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Mike Curato
This tale of a family’s road trip to Cuba’s capital captures the magic of the island as they drive past farms, forests, and beaches. The text (like “and we glide taka taka and we zoom zoom”) is especially fun to read aloud. Ages 4 to 8
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Sing, Don’t Cry
Written by Angela Dominguez
Inspired by a popular Mexican song, this picture book helps kids see that pain and loss are universal life experiences. As a grandfather shares his voice and guitar, recalling memories and imparting wisdom, he encourages his grandkids to always rise above adversity. Ages 4 to 8
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Alma and How She Got Her Name
Written by Juana Martinez-Neal
Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela thinks her name is too long until her father tells her the story of each Peruvian ancestor who inspired it, helping her feel closely connected to her family. She comes to appreciate the traits she shares with them. Expect your child to ask you about the origin of her name. Ages 4 to 8 (Also available in Spanish)
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Tía Isa Wants a Car
Written by Meg Medina, illustrated by Claudio Muñoz
If your little one has ever saved up to buy something important to her, she will relate to the main character, whose persistence and hard work pay off in the end. Ages 3 to 7 (Also available in Spanish)
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The Secret Footprints
Written by Julia Alvarez, illustrated by Fabian Negrin
The Dominican folktale of the ciguapa, an underwater creature with backward feet who ventures on land only at night, gets a different twist in this story about a fearless ciguapa girl who befriends a human boy. Ages 4 to 7 (Also available in Spanish)
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Carmela Full of Wishes
Written by Matt de la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson
When Carmela’s brother explains the magic of blowing on a dandelion, she imagines all the different wishes she could make—a candy machine, a bed for her mom, a reunion with her father — each creatively depicted as a papel picado illustration in this story about siblings. Ages 4 to 8 (Also available in Spanish)
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Dreamers
Written by Yuyi Morales
Artist Yuyi Morales shares her poetic autobiography of immigrating to the United States with her son. When they discover the local public library and all the imaginary worlds they’re able to access through the books there, they find a welcoming place in their new home. Ages 4 to 8 (Also available in Spanish)
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From North to South / Del Norte al Sur
Written by René Colato Laínez, illustrated by Joe Cepeda
This bilingual story shows the enduring love that bonds a family separated by deportation. When José and his papá travel south to visit his mother in Mexico, they make the most of their brief time together and find ways to remain close despite the distance. Ages 6+
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Grandma’s Gift
Written by Eric Velasquez
Young art aficionados will love this autobiographical tale in which a boy and his Puerto Rican grandmother living in New York’s El Barrio neighborhood visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The paintings they see enrich both their lives and inspire the author to become an artist. Ages 4 to 8 (Also available in Spanish)
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Juana & Lucas
Written by Juana Medina
This illustrated chapter book stars Juana, a lover of comic books who lives in Bogotá, Colombia, and who is not excited to learn “the English.” But when her abuelos promise to take her to visit Spaceland Park in Orlando, Florida, to meet her favorite hero, Astroman, she finds new motivation. Ages 5 to 8
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Abuela’s Weave
Written by Omar S. Castañeda, illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez
Beating with cultural pride, this story focuses on Esperanza and her grandmother as they travel from the Guatemalan countryside to the city to sell their colorful handwoven tapestries. Readers will admire the young girl’s confidence and entrepreneurship as she sells every last piece. Ages 4 to 8 (Also available in Spanish)
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Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation
Written by Duncan Tonatiuh
Based on true events, this compelling story details how Sylvia Mendez and her family helped end school segregation in California after she was turned away from her neighborhood school because of her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. Ages 6 to 9
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Lucky Broken Girl
Written by Ruth Behar
After surviving a terrible car accident others did not, Cuban immigrant Ruthie has to spend nearly a year in a body cast while adjusting to life in a new country. Luckily, her family and neighbors sit with the fifth-grader day in and day out, sharing stories and art, as she begins to heal. Ages 10+
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Flor and Miranda Steal the Show
Written by Jennifer Torres
Eleven-year-olds Flor and Miranda have never met, but each helps support her family’s traveling-carnival business. When Flor learns that the carnival can afford to keep only one of their acts, she fears for her family’s petting zoo and tries to prevent the success of Miranda’s family ranchera band. Ages 8 to 12
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Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes
Written by Juan Felipe Herrera, illustrated by Raúl Colón
This collection of mini biographies introduces kids to 20 exceptional Latinos, such as civil-rights activist César Estrada Chávez, astronaut Dr. Ellen Ochoa, and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Ages 8 to 12
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Maximilian & the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller
Written by Xavier Garza
Lucha libre fan Max worships wrestler Guardian Angel, but when the boy tumbles into the ring during a match, he senses that he and the masked superstar.
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Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight
Written by Duncan Tonatiuh
This accordion-style picture book shares the compelling story of an undocumented busboy who risks deportation when he confronts his scheming boss. Illustrated in the art of the ancient Mixtec population, it’s a bold tale about standing up for what’s right no matter what it takes. Ages 8+
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What Can a Citizen Do?
Written by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris
Full of diverse characters, this rhyming picture book reminds kids that even the youngest citizens can contribute to a better society by helping neighbors, writing letters, and accepting others for who they are. Ages 4 to 8
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Never Too Young! 50 Unstoppable Kids Who Made a Difference
Written by Aileen Weintraub and illustrated by Laura Horton
This collection of mini biographies celebrates the lives of children who made an impact on the world before they were even adults. Artist Pablo Picasso, soccer legend Pelé, and Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai are just some of the names that will encourage kids to dream big. Ages 8 to 12
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Books For Tweens: Immigrant Stories
Reading books about different immigrant experiences can help kids build empathy and understanding for the sacrifices some families make. Try these picks.
They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems
By David Bowles
Twelve-year-old Güero may have red hair and freckles, but he is as Mexican as they come. In fact, living on the Texas-Mexico border means he is constantly straddling two cultures. When his seventh-grade English teacher introduces him to poetry, Güero finds new appreciation for life on la frontera, despite its many border fences and prejudices.
My Family Divided
By Diane Guerrero and Erica Moroz
Actress Diane Guerrero (of Jane the Virgin and Orange Is the New Black) tells her story of growing up in Boston with undocumented parents who were deported to Colombia when she was just 14 years old.
The Crossroads
By Alexandra Diaz
After fleeing gang violence in Guatemala, 12-year-old Jaime Rivera struggles to find his place as an undocumented immigrant in his new home of New Mexico. When reports arrive that his abuela’s life is threatened, Jaime wonders if he’s truly where he’s meant to be.
This article originally appeared in Parents Latina Magazine as 'Build a Little Latino Library' and 'Immigrant Stories.'