Illustrated by John Picacio 4 stars While her family prepares for Dia de Muertos, Cala does not feel like celebrating. She misses her grandfather and can’t stop thinking of him. At the cemetery, Cala is separated from her family and encounters some mysterious horsemen that give her some valuable insight. A fascinating representation of the…
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Illustrated by Abraham Matias 4 stars A stunning story of a woman’s journey through the nine levels of Mictlān with the guidance of her Xoloitzcuintle, Popo. Wonderfully written. Nana’s journey includes her own version of the nine levels of Mictlān, including a river, a path of obsidian, snow, and strong winds. Her trials are gentler…
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by Estela Juarez with Lissette Norman Illustrated by Teresa Martínez 5 stars A heartfelt story with a powerful message of hope, resilience, and using your voice to demand change. Estela lives happily with her family… until the government tells her mother she must return to the country she was born in. As part of coping…
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Illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda 3 stars A cute story. Beto wants to have a tea party, but his sister Cora longs for a pirate adventure. To get her to attend his party, Beto makes Cora a treasure map. But he soon learns there is more to a map than a start and a finish…
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by Cynthia Levinson Illustrated by Mirelle Ortega 4 stars A powerful fictionalized account that tells the story of Plyler v. Doe, which mandated free public school education for all US residents regardless of immigration status. This nonfiction picture book follows Alfredo Lopez who loves school where he can learn and see his friends. But one…
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Illustrated by Omar Lozano 2 stars In this follow-up to the original Chicken Little story, Chicken Little has become a serious scientist helping to establish a colony on the moon. But when her calculations show the oxygen levels are decreasing, she must prove to her shipmates that she isn’t mistaken this time. An odd little…
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Illustrated by Jimena S. Sarquiz 4 stars The merpeople of Ocea are going about their days when a strange pink object lands on their planet. The object turns out to be an alien spacecraft carrying… unicorns. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. A fun adventure with plenty of humor and action. Great brightly-colored artwork…
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Illustrated by Yehudi Mercado 2 stars This series is popular at my library so I figured I’d give it a try. I really thought I’d like this one. Cats, humor, and graphic novels are kind of my go-tos. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I just could not get in to this…
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by Chris Singleton and Ryan G. Van Cleave Illustrated by Adriana Pérez Perales 4 stars Such a cool series! Explore the life of Mae Jemison from childhood through years of education, research, and humanitarian efforts to her career as an astronaut and her work after space. Well-written and filled with interesting facts. Wonderful black-and-white illustrations…
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Illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza 3 stars A The Rainbow Fish-style adventure with stronger themes and a most satisfying ending, in my opinion. When the ocean goes dark one day, Maren and Remy seek the guidance of Huixtocihuatl, the Aztec goddess of salt and salt water. Along the way, they meet various creatures that are troubled…
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