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EDUCATION RESOURCES: Literature for Children and Young Adults


graphic of poster, Hispanic Americans: Strength in Unity, Faith and Diversity Education Featured Topic

Diversity Series:

Celebrating
Hispanic Americans!

Spring/Summer 2005

Resource Guide & Bibliography of Selected Materials from Western Libraries Collections


CONTENTS
DISPLAY - Education Featured Topic Display
RESOURCES - Background Information & Multicultural Literature & Curriculum Materials
BIBLIOGRAPHY - Selected materials from the Western Libraries Children's Collection

 

Education Featured Topic Display

Diversity Series: Celebrating Hispanic Americans!
Wilson 4 East Education Display

The display includes books from Western Libraries Children's Collection. It highlights books on Hispanic American cultures and history. It showcases books on Hispanic Americans' search for an American identity. It also features books written and illustrated by famous Hispanic American writers and illustrators, including Rudolfo Anaya, George Ancona, Pura Belpré, Juan Felipe Herrera, Nicholasa Mohr, Pat Mora, Leo Politi and Gary Soto.

For a list of materials on display, go to BIBLIOGRAPHY below. Books on display may be checked out. A handout on "Making Pinatas" can also be found at the display area.

The display was created by Cecilia Poon, Education Librarian, and Martha Mautino, Reference Specialist.


RESOURCES

Background Information | Multicultural Literature & Curriculum Materials

Background Information

The Latino encyclopedia. Eds. Richard Chabrán and Rafael Chabrán. New York : Marshall Cavendish, 1996.
Reference E184.S75 L357 1996 v.1-6

Notable Latino Americans : a biographical dictionary. Matt S. Meier. Westport, CT : Greenwood, 1997.
Reference E184.S75 M435 1997

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Multicultural Literature & Curriculum Materials

Reference sources, web sites and curriculum resources. Some of the materials cover multicultural education and literature in general with sections on Hispanic Americans; other works focus specifically on Hispanic Americans.

12 multicultural novels : reading and teaching strategies. Monica Wood. Portland, ME : J. Weston Walch, 1997.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC S PL JWEW 1997

Against Borders: Promoting Books for a Multicultural World. Hazel Rochman. Chicago: American Library Association, 1993.
Reference PN1009.A1 R63 1993
Includes annotated bibliographies on various children's literature topics, including on Hispanic Americans.

Children's Literature Comprehensive Database
Western Libraries subscription database. More than 60,000 reviews of children's books - all full text searchable.

A chorus of cultures : developing literacy through multicultural poetry. Alma Flor Ada, Violet J. Harris and Lee Bennett Hopkins. Carmel, CA : Hampton-Brown, 1993.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC E PLP Hamp 1993

Curriculum Guides and Materials in Western Libraries
http://www.library.wwu.edu/ref/subjguides/ed/curric.html
This Western Libraries research guide details how to find curriculum materials in the library, using reference sources, the curriculum collections and the online catalog. It also provides links to online resources such as the Washington State Curricular Resources.

Hearing all the voices : multicultural books for adolescents. Mary Ann Darby and Miki Pryne. Lanham, MD : Scarecrow, 2002.
Reference Z1037.A1 D18 2002
Resource guide offering an annotated bibliography of multicultural books for grades six through nine, and information about using multicultural literature in the classroom. Includes appendixes covering "Sample Literary Circles", "Books to Use Across the Curriculum and in Other Reading Groups", "Story Collections", "Good Read-Aloud Books", and "Science Fiction and Fantasy", and author and cultural indexes. Includes an annotated bibliography by title, with assigned subject areas, reading levels and interest levels noted. The term Hispanic American in the culture index offers a selection of relevant titles.

Hispano American contributors to American life. John M. Franco. Westchester, IL : Benefic, 1973.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC E E BENE amcohi
Brief sketches, each on three different reading levels, of twenty-one Latin Americans who have made contributions to their field of endeavor.

Kaleidoscope : a multicultural booklist for grades K-8. Urbana, IL : The National Council of Teachers of English, 2003.
Reference Z1361.E4 K34 2003
Bibliographic sections on Bilingual and multilingual literature, War and resilience, Social responsibility, Families, friends, and community, Informative and educational books, and Visibility.

Many peoples, one land : a guide to new multicultural literature for children and young adults. Alethea K. Helbig and Agnes Regan Perkins. Westport, CT : Greenwood, 2001.
Reference PS173 .E8 H45 2001
"Successor to 'This Land is Our Land' (1994)", by the same author. Includes annotated bibliographical entries for books of fiction, oral tradition and poetry covering the four major American ethnic groups - African, Hispanic, Hispanic and Native-American. Offers title, writer, illustrator, title by grade level, and subject indexes.

Making Multicultural Connections Through Trade Books.
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/socialstd/MBD/Books_Begin.html
The Program of Assessment, Diagnosis and Instruction (PADI) developed Making Multicultural Connections Through Trade Books, a database featuring multicultural trade books for elementary students. The database information can be accessed by title, author, illustrator, cultural group, and grade level/subject. Under "Cultural Group - Hispanic" many of the titles contain lesson plans.  Further subdivisions present titles by specific group origin. The lesson plans present aspects of the Hispanic culture. PADI is a program of the Department of Academic Programs, Division of Enriched and Innovative Instruction within the Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland.

Multicultural America : a resource book for teachers of humanities and American studies : syllabi, essays, projects, bibliography. Ed. Betty E.M. Ch'maj. Lanham : U P of America, 1993.
Reference LC1099.3 .M8 1993
Includes bibliographies and checklists on Multicultural American Arts, Fictional Favorites, Musicography, and Videography, with a section on Hispanic Americans.

Multicultural explorations : joyous journeys with books. Mary Ann Heltshe and Audrey Burie Kirchner. Englewood, CO : Teacher Ideas, 1991.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC E H TEAC 1991

Multicultural information quests : instant research lessons, grades 5-8. Marie E. Rodgers. Englewood, CO : Libraries Unlimited, 2000.
Wilson 4E - Curriculum CURRIC E LB LIBU 2000

Multicultural Reading
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/summerreading.htm
From Cynthia Leitich Smith Children's Literature Resources site.

Multicultural literature, multicultural teaching : units for the elementary grades. James Zarrillo. Fort Worth : Harcourt Brace College, 1994.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC E PL HARC 1994
Wilson 4E -Books LB1575 .Z37 1994

Multicultural Pavilion
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/
Provides "resources for educators to explore and discuss multicultural education."

Our Family, Our Friends, Our World: An Annotated Guide to Significant Multicultural Books for Children and Teenagers. Lyn Miller-Lachmann. New Providence, NJ : R. R. Bowker, 1992.
Reference PN1009 .A1. M55 1992
International and multicultural focus, but also highlights the four primary minority groups in the United States, including Hispanic Americans.

Pura Belpré Award
http://www.ala.org/alsc/belpre.html
Named after the first Latina Librarian from the New York Public Library, Pura Belpré, this award honors Latino writers and illustrators of children's books. Yearly medal and honor books for narrative and illustrators. (American Library Association award).

REFORMA: National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking
http://www.reforma.org/
"Established in 1971 as an affiliate of the American Library Association (ALA), ...REFORMA is committed to the improvement of the full spectrum of library and information services for the approximately 56.2* million Spanish-speaking and Latino people in the United States." Web site offers award booklists and library resources, including those for children and young adults, and A Select Bibliography on Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Selected Resources for Multicultural Education
http://www.library.wwu.edu/ref/subjguides/ed/multicullit.htm
Western Libraries research guide. A bibliography of multicultural materials found in the Western Libraries. Provides bibliographies of multicultural literature, guides for classroom use, resources for multicultural activities, and web links to other resources.

Selecting/Evaluating Multicultural Literature
http://www.library.wwu.edu/ref/subjguides/ed/mcselection.htm
Western Libraries research guide. Offers criteria for today's classroom and library. Includes children's book awards and selected articles, books and websites.

Selecting Hispanic Books: Hispanic Bibliography: Central and South America: Hispanic Americans
http://falcon.jmu.edu/%7Eramseyil/mulhispbib.htm
The Internet School Library Media Center offers a collection of bibliographies focusing on literature for children and young adults related to Latin America. Topics include Central America, Mexico, South America, Puerto Rico, Mexican American, and Hispanic American. Inez Ramsey is the administrator for the site.

Teaching reading with multicultural books kids love. Carol J. Fuhler. Golden, CO : Fulcrum Resources, 2000.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC E PR FULC 2000

Teatro! : Hispanic plays for young people. Angel Vigil. Englewood, CO : Teacher Ideas, 1996.
Wilson 4E -Curriculum CURRIC E PD TEAC teatro 1996
Consists of fourteen scripts for classroom use based upon Hispanic culture and traditions of the American Southwest.

Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award
http://www.education.txstate.edu/subpages/tomasrivera/
"The award was established in 1995 by the College of Education at Texas State University–San Marcos to encourage authors, illustrators and publishers of books that authentically reflect the lives of Mexican American children and young adults in the United States." Go to the site for a list of winners.

Using multicultural literature to teach K-4 social studies : a thematic unit approach Barbara Edwards and J. Allen Queen. Boston : Allyn and Bacon, 2002.
Wilson 4E - Curriculum CURRIC E H ALLY 2002 using
Provides sections on Setting the Context, Organizing for Integrated Instruction, and Exemplar Units for using multicultural literature in the primary grades.

Using multiethnic literature in the K-8 classroom. Ed. Violet J. Harris.
Reference LC1099 .U75 1997
Wilson 4E -Books LC1099 .U75 1997
Contains sections on Puerto Rican and Mexican American children's literature, with literary criticism and recommended, reviewed titles.

Venture into Cultures: A Resource Book of Multicultural Materials and Programs. Ed. Carla D. Hayden. Chicago: American Library Association, 1992.
Reference PN1009.A1 V46 1992
Chapters offer resources that cover various American ethnic groups.

Western Libraries Children's Collection
Wilson 4 East
Western Libraries maintain an extensive collection of children's literature on all subjects. The collection is geared primarily toward curriculum support for students enrolled in the Woodring College of Education. To access the collection to search for children's materials on Hispanic Americans, go to the Western Libraries Online Catalog. In the subject field, type Hispanic Americans and limit your search to "Location: Children's Collection". Selected materials from the Children's Collection, focusing on Hispanic Americans, are on display in the Education Featured Topic area, and are listed below under BIBLIOGRAPHY.

Western Libraries Curriculum Collection
Wilson 4 East
Western Libraries offers a small collection of curriculum materials on Hispanic Americans for the elementary grades.
To access the collection go to the Western Libraries Online Catalog. In the subject field, type Hispanic Americans. Then, limit your search to "WHERE Item is located "Wilson 4E - Curriculum".


For additional curriculum resources, consult the following online databases:

  • ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center)
    Consists of the Resources in Education file of document citations, and the Current Index to Journals in education file from over 750 professional journals. Citations with an ED number (located at the bottom of the record) correspond to the ERIC microfiche collection located in Media Collections, Wilson 2 West.

  •  
  • KCDLonline (Kraus Curriculum Development Library).
    Provides online access to more than 300 full-text curriculum documents that make up the 20th Edition of the Kraus Curriculum development Library. It also allows you to search through detailed descriptions of nearly 4500 curricula and standards dating back as far as 1983. Try searching under subject Hispanic Studies for a broad focus.

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Bibliography

Selected Materials from Western Libraries Children's Collection

The following books from the Children's Collection are featured in the Spring/Summer 2005 Education Featured Topic Display - Diversity Series: Celebrating Hispanic Americans in Western Libraries on Wilson 4 East. The selected books are organized into the categories listed below, and are available to check-out for use outside the library. Consult the Western Libraries Online Catalog for location and availability.

If a specific Hispanic American ethnic group is the main subject of the book, this is noted where appropriate. For most of the books in the section on Hispanic American writers and illustrators, a brief story summary is included.

For more examples of resources for children and young adults or curriculum materials on Hispanic Americans, search the Western Libraries Online Catalog. Try a Keyword search and limit your search to Location: Children's Collection or Curriculum Collection.

CATEGORIES
Award Winning Books | Hispanic American Biography | Hispanic American Poetry
Hispanic American Writers & Illustrators | Hispanic Folktales | Learning More about Hispanic Americans
Award Winning Books

Américas Award | Pura Belpré Award

Américas Award

“The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. By combining both and linking the Americas, the award reaches beyond geographic borders, as well as multicultural-international boundaries, focusing instead upon cultural heritages within the hemisphere. The award is sponsored by the national Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP).”

2003 Awards

Just a minute : a trickster tale and counting book. Yuyi Morales.
CHIL 398.2 M828ju 2003
Summary: In 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. Also Pura Belpré 2004 Medal Winner for illustration and Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award 2003 Winner.

2002 Awards

Before we were free. Julia Alvarez.
CHIL F A473be 2002
Also Pura Belpré 2004 Medal winner for narrative.

2001 Awards

A movie in my pillow / poems. Jorge Argueta. San Francisco : Children's, 2001.
CHIL 861 A694mo 2001

Breaking through. Francisco Jiménez.
CHIL F J61br 2001
Also Pura Belpré 2002 Honor Book for narrative and Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 2001 Winner.

2000 Awards

The composition. Antonio Skármeta. Toronto : Groundwood, 2000.
CHIL F S626co 2000

The color of my words. Lynn Joseph. New York : HarperCollins, 2000.
CHIL F J827co 2000

1998 Awards

Barrio : José's neighborhood. George Ancona.
CHIL 979.4 A542ba 1998
Also Pura Belpré 2000 Honor Book for illustration.

Mama and Papa have a store. Amelia Lau Carling.
CHIL F C282ma 1998
Also Pura Belpré 2000 Honor Book for illustration.

1997 Awards

The circuit : stories from the life of a migrant child. Francisco Jiménez. Albuquerque : U of New Mexico P, 1997.
CHIL F J61ci 1997

1996 Awards

In my family. Paintings and stories by Carmen Lomas Garza.
CHIL 306.85 L839in 1996
Also Pura Belpré 1998 Honor Book for illustration and Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 1996 winner.

Parrot in the oven : mi vida : a novel. Victor Martinez.
CHIL F M385pa 1998
Also Pura Belpré 1998 Medal winner for narrative.

1995 Awards

Tonight, by sea : a novel. Frances Temple. New York : Orchard, 1995.
CHIL F T2844to 1995

Pura Belpré Award

The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. This American Library Association award is named after the first Latina Librarian from the New York Public Library, Pura Belpré. As a children's librarian, storyteller, and author, she enriched the lives of Puerto Rican children in the U.S.A. through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore.

2004 Awards

Before we were free. Julia Alvarez.
CHIL F A473be 2002
Medal winner for narrative.
Summary: In the early 1960s in the Dominican Republic, twelve-year-old Anita learns that her family is involved in the underground movement to end the bloody rule of the dictator, General Trujillo. Also Américas Award for 2002.

Cuba 15 : a novel. Nancy Osa.
CHIL F O81cu 2003
Honor Book for narrative.
Summary: Violet Paz, a Chicago high school student, reluctantly prepares for her upcoming "quince," a Spanish nickname for the celebration of an Hispanic girl's fifteenth birthday.

My diary from here to there / Mi diario de aquí hasta allá. Amada Irma Pérez.
CHIL F P438md 2002
Honor Book for narrative.
Summary: A young girl describes her feelings when her father decides to leave their home in Mexico to look for work in the United States.

Just a minute : a trickster tale and counting book. Yuyi Morales.
CHIL 398.2 M828ju 2003
Medal winner for illustration.
Summary: In 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. Also Américas Award for 2003 and Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award 2003 Winner.

First day in grapes. L. King Pérez; illustrator, Robert Casilla.
CHIL F P4385fi 2002
Honor Book for illustration.
Summary: When Chico starts the third grade after his migrant worker family moves to begin harvesting California grapes, he finds that self confidence and math skills help him cope with the first day of school.

The pot that Juan Built. Nancy Andrews-Goebel; illustrator, David Diaz.
CHIL 738.092 Q59an 2002
Honor Book for illustration.
Summary: A cumulative rhyme summarizes the life's work of renowned Mexican potter, Juan Quezada. Additional information describes the process he uses to create his pots after the style of the Casas Grandes people.

Harvesting hope : the story of Cesar Chavez. Kathleen Krull; illustrator, Yuyi Morales.
CHIL 331.88 C512kr 2003
Honor Book for illustration.
Summary: A biography of Cesar Chavez, from age ten when he and his family lived happily on their Arizona ranch, to age thirty-eight when he led a peaceful protest against California migrant workers' miserable working conditions.

2002 Awards

Esperanza rising. Pam Muñoz Ryan.
CHIL F R9893es 2000
Medal winner for narrative.

Breaking through. Francisco Jiménez.
CHIL F J61br 2001
Honor Book for narrative. Also Américas Award for 2001 and Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 2001 Winner.

Iguanas in the snow and other winter poems. Francisco X. Alarcón.
CHIL 811.5 A3163ig 2001
Honor Book for narrative.

Chato and the party animals. Gary Soto; illustrator, Susan Guevara.
CHIL F S718ch 2000
Medal winner for illustration.

Juan Bobo goes to work : a Puerto Rican folktale Retold by Marisa Montes; illustrator, Joe Cepeda.
CHIL 398.2 M779ju 2000
Honor Book for illustration.

2000 Awards

Under the royal palms : a childhood in Cuba. Alma Flor Ada.
CHIL 813.54 A191un 1998
Medal winner for narrative.

From the bellybutton of the moon and other summer poems = Del ombligo de la luna y otros poemas de verano. Francisco X. Alarcón.
CHIL 811.5 A3163fr 1998
Honor Book for narrative.

Laughing out loud, I fly : poems in English and Spanish. Juan Felipe Herrera.
CHIL 811 H565La 1998
Honor Book for narrative.

Magic windows : cut-paper art and stories. Carmen Lomas Garza.
CHIL 306.85 L839ma 1999
Medal winner for illustration.

Barrio : José's neighborhood. George Ancona.
CHIL 979.4 A542ba 1998
Honor Book for illustration. Also Américas Award for 1998.

The secret stars. Joseph Slate; illustrator, Felipe Davalos.
CHIL F S6289se 1998
Honor Book for illustration.

Mama and Papa have a store. Amelia Lau Carling.
CHIL F C282ma 1998
Honor Book for illustration. Also Américas Award for 1998.

1998 Award

Parrot in the oven : mi vida : a novel. Victor Martinez.
CHIL F M385pa 1998
Medal winner for narrative. Also Américas Award for 1998.

Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems = Jitomates risueños y otros poemas de primavera. Francisco X. Alarcón.
CHIL 811.5 A3163La 1997
Honor Book for narrative.

Spirits of the high mesa. Floyd Martinez.
On order
Honor Book for narrative.

Snapshots from the wedding. Gary Soto; illustrator, Stephanie Garcia.
CHIL F S718sn 1997
Medal winner for illustration.

In my family. Paintings and stories by Carmen Lomas Garza.
CHIL 306.85 L839in 1996
Honor Book for illustration. Also Américas Award for 1996 and Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 1996 winner.

The golden flower : a Taino myth from Puerto Rico. Nina Jaffe.
On order
Honor Book for illustration.

Gathering the sun : an alphabet in Spanish and English. Alma Flor Ada; illustrator, Simón Silva.
CHIL 861 A191ga 1997
Honor Book for illustration.

1996 Awards

An island like you : stories of the barrio. Judith Ortiz Cofer.
On order
Medal winner for narrative.

The bossy gallito = El gallo de bodas ; a traditional Cuban folktale. Lucía M. González.
CHIL E G643bo 1994
Honor Book for narrative.

Baseball in April and other stories. Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718ba 1990
Honor Book for narrative.

Chato's kitchen. Gary Soto.
On order
Medal winner for illustration.

Pablo remembers : the fiesta of the Day of the Dead. George Ancona.
On order
Honor Book for illustration.

The bossy gallito = El gallo de bodas ; a traditional Cuban folktale. Lucía M. González; illustrator, Lulu Delacre.
CHIL E G643bo 1994
Honor Book for illustration.

Family pictures. Carmen Lomas Garza.
CHIL 306.85 L839fa 1990
Honor Book for illustration.

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Hispanic American Biography

Harvesting hope : the story of Cesar Chavez. Kathleen Krull; illustrator, Yuyi Morales.
CHIL 331.88C512kr 2003

Mighty hard road; the story of Cesar Chaves James P. Terzian and Kathryn Cramer.
CHIL 331.88 C512t

Ten Hispanic American authors Christine M. Hill.
CHIL 810.9H645te2002

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Hispanic American Poetry

Elegy on the death of César Chávez. Rudolfo Anaya.
CHIL 811.5A532eL2000

Laughing out loud, I fly : poems in English and Spanish. Juan Felipe Herrera.
CHIL 811H565La 1998

My own true name : new and selected poems for young adults, 1984-1999. Pat Mora.
CHIL 811.5 M828my 2000

Neighborhood odes. Gary Soto.
CHIL 811S718ne 1992

The year of our revolution : new and selected stories and poems. Judith Ortiz Cofer.
CHIL F O77ye 1998

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Hispanic American Writers & Illustrators

Biographical and literary information on each featured author is from the Contemporary Authors database, available through Western Libraries.

Rudolfo Anaya | George Ancona | Pura Belpré | Juan Felipe Herrera | Nicholasa Mohr | Pat Mora | Leo Politi | Gary Soto

Rudolfo Anaya, 1937 -

"Rudolfo A. Anaya's writing stems from his New Mexican background and his fascination with the oral tradition of Chicano stories in Spanish cuentos. He grew up listening to cuentistas, oral storytellers, and wanted to bring their magic into his writing. The mystical nature of these folk tales, together with events from his own life, have had a significant influence on his novels, which portray the experiences of Chicanos in the American Southwest."

Elegy on the death of César Chávez Rudolfo Anaya.
CHIL 811.5 A532eL 2000
Summary: A poem eulogizing the Mexican American labor activist Cesar Chavez and his work helping organize migrant farm workers.

My land sings : stories from the Rio Grande. Rudolfo Anaya.
CHIL F A536my 2001
Summary: A collection of ten original and traditional stories set in New Mexico. Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 1999 Winner.

Roadrunner's dance Rudolfo Anaya.
CHIL F A536ro 2000
Summary: Because Rattlesnake has taken over the road and will not let any of the people or animals in the village use it, Desert Woman enlists the aid of the other animals to create a strange new creature with the necessary tools to overcome Rattlesnake.

George Ancona, 1929 -

"George Ancona is renowned for his vivid photo essays that allow children to immerse themselves in new ideas and cultures, to appreciate labor that so often goes unnoticed behind the scenes of daily life, and to accept themselves as well as others. Ancona's numerous photo essays and writings have also celebrated his own Mexican heritage and the Spanish language."

The American family farm : a photo essay. George Ancona; text by Joan Anderson.
CHIL 630 A542am 1989
Summary: A pictorial essay of the American family farm, focusing on the daily lives of three families in Massachusetts, Georgia, and Iowa.

Barrio : José's neighborhood. George Ancona.
CHIL 979.4 A542ba 1998
Summary: Presents life in a barrio in San Francisco, describing the school, recreation, holidays, and family life of an eight-year-old boy who lives there. Pura Belpré 2000 Honor Book for illustration and Americas Award for 1998.

Being adopted. Maxine B. Rosenberg ; photographs by George Ancona.
CHIL 362.73 .R798b
Summary: Several young children recount their experiences as adopted members of their families.

Carnaval. George Ancona.
CHIL 394.26 A542ca 1999
Summary: Text and photographs present the traditions and rituals of the annual celebration of Carnaval as experienced in the small Brazilian city of Olinda.

Fiesta U.S.A. George Ancona.
CHIL 394.2 A542fi 1995
Summary: Deals with four of the holidays most celebrated by Latinos in North America, showing both "color and passion" in food, dance, and music. Featured holidays include El Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, Los Matachines, celebrated on New Year's Day, La Fiesta de los Reyes Magos, or Three Kings' Day, and Los Posadas, a reenactment of Mary and Joseph's hunt for accommodations in Bethlehem.

Growing older. George Ancona.
CHIL 301.43 .A542g
Summary: Presents anecdotal remembrance of older people as told to the author.

Harvest. George Ancona.
CHIL 331.544 A542ha 2001
Summary: Photos and text show the hard work migrant workers do, picking produce on various West Coast farms. Also introduces young readers to a wide variety of crops and to the work of labor organizer Cesar Chavez.

Handtalk zoo. George Ancona & Mary Beth.
CHIL E A538ha 1989
Summary: Words and sign language depict children at the zoo discovering how to sign the names of various animals and how to tell time.

Let's dance! George Ancona.
CHIL 793.3 A542Le 1998
Summary: Simple text and photographs describe various dances from all over the world.

Making a new home in America. Maxine B. Rosenberg; photographs by George Ancona.
CHIL 325.73 .R813m 1986
Text and photographs present the stories of five children who have come to the United States as immigrants or resident aliens from Japan, Cuba, India, Guyana, and Vietnam.

Murals : walls that sing. George Ancona.
CHIL 751.73 A542mu 2003
Summary: Presents a photo essay about murals, a form of art the photographer, George Ancona, regards as authentically for the people or "para el pueblo."

Pablo remembers : the fiesta of the Day of the Dead. George Ancona.
On order
Summary: Features a Mexican family as they prepare for and enjoy the festival of the Day of the Dead. Pura Belpre 1996 Honor Book for illustration.

Pura Belpré, 1899 - 1982

"Pura Belpré, a puppeteer and the author of books for children, began her career as a children's librarian in 1921, when she became the first Hispanic librarian in the New York Public Library. During her years of service at various branches within the city, she was responsible for the expansion of Puerto Rican folklore programs, which included storytelling and puppet theatres." (Contemporary Authors)

"As a children's librarian, storyteller, and author, she enriched the lives of Puerto Rican children in the U.S.A. through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore. The Pura Belpré Award, established in 1996, is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth." (American Library Association)

Perez and Martina, a Portorican folk tale Pura Belpré.
CHIL 398.2 B452p

Santiago. Pura Belpré.
CHIL F B453s
Summary: More than anything else, Santiago wants Ernie to believe his stories about the beautiful pet hen he had to leave behind in Puerto Rico.

The tiger and the rabbit, and other tales. Pura Belpré. Illustrated by Tomie de Paola.
CHIL 398.2 B452t
Summary: Puerto Rican folktales

Juan Felipe Herrera, 1948 -

"Juan Felipe Herrera grew up in California, the son of farmworker parents. His interest in poetry began as a child, and he constructed his poems during the 1960s to protest the Vietnam War and admission policies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Many of his books, particularly his poetry, are published as bilingual editions, in English and Spanish. The Chicano poet writes for children and adults and reads at elementary schools, as well as bookstores."

Calling the doves = El canto de las palomas. Juan Felipe Herrera.
CHIL 811 H565ca 1995
Summary: The author recalls his childhood in the mountains and valleys of California with his farmworker parents who inspired him with poetry and song. Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for new children's author, 1997.

Laughing out loud, I fly : poems in English and Spanish. Juan Felipe Herrera.
CHIL 811 H565La 1998
Summary: A collection of poems in Spanish and English about childhood, place, and identity.

Nicholasa Mohr, 1938 -

"Nicholasa Mohr is the author and illustrator of picture books, young adult and adult novels, and short stories that offer what reviewers have hailed as realistic and uncompromising portraits of life in New York City's Puerto Rican barrio. Drawing on memories from her own adolescence and passage to adulthood in fashioning the characters and events that fill her fictions, Mohr has replaced brushes, paint, and canvas with pen and paper; from a young painter and printmaker working throughout the United States during the 1950s, she has developed into one of the most critically acclaimed Hispanic writers of young adult literature. "

El Bronx remembered : a novella and stories. Nicholasa Mohr.
CHIL F M699b
Summary: This story collection provides insight into the lives of Hispanics in New York City.

Felita. Nicholasa Mohr.
CHIL F M699f 1981
Summary: The everyday experiences of an eight-year-old Puerto Rican girl growing up in a close-knit, urban community.

Going home. Nicholasa Mohr.
CHIL F M699go 1986
Summary: Feeling like an outsider when she visits her relatives in Puerto Rico for the first time, eleven-year-old Felita tries to come to terms with the heritage she always took for granted.

Pat Mora, 1942 -

"Considered among the most distinguished of Hispanic writers, Pat Mora is praised both as an author and an activist for cultural appreciation and conservation. An educator and speaker, she is also a respected advocate for literature and literacy. Mora seeks to establish the recognition and preservation of Mexican-American culture and fostering pride in Latino heritage....Mora is noted for her diversity as a writer as well as for the positive, healing messages with which she underscores her books. As a writer for the young, she has written picture books, a biography, a board book, a counting book, and two retellings of Mayan folktales. She also has written volumes of poetry for children as well as a collection of her poems for young adults, and has edited and contributed to a poetry collection that celebrates motherhood."

A library for Juana : the world of Sor Juana Inés. Pat Mora.
CHIL 861.3 J91mo 2002
Summary: A biography of the seventeenth-century Mexican poet, learned in many subjects, who became a nun later in life. Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 2002 winner.

My own true name : new and selected poems for young adults, 1984-1999. Pat Mora.
CHIL 811.5 M828my 2000
Summary: More than sixty poems, some with Spanish translations, include such titles as "The Young Sor Juana," "Graduation Morning," "Border Town 1938," "Abuelita Magic," and "In the Blood."

Tomás and the library lady. Pat Mora
CHIL F M827to 1997
Summary: While helping his family in their work as migrant laborers far from their home, Tomás finds an entire world to explore in the books at the local public library. Inspired by the real life story of Tomás Rivera, who became chancellor of the University of California at Riverside. Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 1997 winner.

Leo Politi, 1908 - 1996

"Leo Politi, an Italian-American, is best known for his works depicting life in the historic Spanish section of Los Angeles, surrounding Olvera Street. His warm, earthy pictures have helped to preserve the area's culture for children of all backgrounds to enjoy....He published his first children's book, Little Pancho, in 1938 [and later] he began illustrating the works of other children's authors and eventually creating his famous California stories for children." Here is a selection of his books on Mexican-Americans and California history.

Juanita. Leo Politi.
CHIL F P769j
Summary: Juanita receives a dove for her fourth birthday and takes him to the Old Mission Church for the blessing of the animals. Caldecott Honor Book, 1949.

The mission bell. Leo Politi.
CHIL F P769m
Summary: Father Serra and the Indian boy who accompanies him on his journeys watch their dream come true as the missions are built in California.

The nicest gift. Leo Politi.
CHIL E P769n
Summary: A little boy living in a Los Angeles barrio is desolate when Christmas Day arrives and his lost dog still hasn't been found.

Pedro, the angel of Olvera street. Leo Politi.
CHIL E P769p
CHIL 863 P769p (Spanish)
Summary: Pedro sings like an angel in the heart of Los Angeles at Christmas. Two songs are included. Caldecott Honor Book, 1947.

Song of the swallows. Leo Politi.
CHIL F P769s
Summary: Juan hears the story about the annual return of the swallows to the mission of San Juan Capistrano in southern California on St. Joseph's Day. Two songs are included. Caldecott Medal Winner, 1950.

Gary Soto, 1952 -

"Gary Soto, born in Fresno, California, is an American poet and prose writer influenced by his working-class Mexican-American background. In his writing, as Raymund Paredes noted in the Rocky Mountain Review, 'Soto establishes his acute sense of ethnicity and, simultaneously, his belief that certain emotions, values, and experiences transcend ethnic boundaries and allegiances.' In his works for adolescents, Soto "'stays within the teenagers' universe . . . he manages to convey all the social change and stress without bathos or didacticism. In fact, his stories are moving, yet humorous and entertaining.'" His poetry and stories for younger readers "focus on growing up in the Mexican neighborhoods of California's Central Valley."

Baseball in April and other stories. Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718ba 1990
Summary: A collection of eleven short stories focusing on the everyday adventures of Hispanic young people growing up in Fresno, California.

Chato and the party animals. Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718ch 2000
Summary: Chato decides to throw a "pachanga" for his friend Novio Boy, who has never had a birthday party, but when it is time to party, Novio Boy cannot be found.

Chato's kitchen. Gary Soto.
On order.
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, 1995 winner.

A fire in my hands : a book of poems. Gary Soto.
CHIL 811.5 .S718fi 1990
Summary: The author's twenty-three poems are about the themes of life and each is preceded by a personal anecdote.

Living up the street : narrative recollections. Gary Soto.
CHIL 813.54 S718Li 1992
Summary: The author describes his experiences growing up as a Mexican American in Fresno, California.

Neighborhood odes. Gary Soto.
CHIL 811 S718ne 1992
Summary: Twenty-one poems about growing up in an Hispanic neighborhood, highlighting the delights in such everyday items as sprinklers, the park, the library, and pomegranates.

Off and running Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718of 1996
Summary: When they learn that Rudy Herrera and Alex Garcia, two fifth-grade class clowns, plan to run against them in the school elections, Miata and her friend Ana know that they face a difficult race.

Pacific crossing. Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718pa 1992
Summary: Fourteen-year-old Mexican American Lincoln Mendoza spends a summer with a host family in Japan, encountering new experiences and making new friends.

The skirt. Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718sk 1992
Summary: When Miata leaves on the school bus the skirt that she is to wear in a dance performance, she needs all her wits to get it back without her parents' finding out that she has lost something yet again.

Snapshots from the wedding. Gary Soto.
CHIL F S718sn 1997
Summary: Maya, the flower girl, describes a Mexican American wedding through snapshots of the day's events, beginning with the procession to the altar and ending with her sleeping after the dance.

Too many tamales. Gary Soto.
CHIL E S718to 1993
Summary: Maria tries on her mother's wedding ring while helping make tamales for a Christmas family get-together. Panic ensues when hours later, she realizes the ring is missing.

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Hispanic Folktales

Borreguita and the coyote : a tale from Ayutla, Mexico. Retold by Verna Aardema.
CHIL E A113bo 1991

The boy who could do anything, & other Mexican folk tales. Retold by Anita Brenner.
CHIL 398.2 B838b

Horse hooves and chicken feet : Mexican folktales. Selected by Neil Philip.
CHIL 398.2 H817 2003

Lazy stories. Retold by Diane Wolkstein.
CHIL 398.2 .W862L 1977
Mexican

Pita, pita, cedacero : cuentos de nanas. Pascuala Corona.
CHIL 398.2 .C822p 1981
Mexican

The three pigs : Nacho, Tito, and Miguel=Los tres cerdos. Retold by Bobbi Salinas-Norman; Spanish version by Amapola Franzen and Marcos Guerrero.
CHIL 398.2 T531sa 2001
Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award.

The three wishes; a collection of Puerto Rican folktales. Selected by Ricardo E. Alegría.
CHIL 398.2 A366t

The woman who outshone the sun : the legend of Lucia Zenteno = La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol : la leyenda de Lucía Zenteno. From a poem by Alejandro Cruz Martinez.
CHIL 398.2 C957wo 1991
Mexican - Zapotec Indians

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Learning More about Hispanic Americans

Any small goodness : a novel of the barrio. Tony Johnston.
CHIL F J737an 2001
Mexican Americans

Bad boy, good boy. Marie Hall Ets.
CHIL F E85b
Mexican Americans

Becoming Naomi León. Pam Muñoz Ryan.
CHIL F R9893be 2004
Mexican Americans

Blue willow. Doris Gates; illustrator, Paul Lantz. New York : Viking, 1940.
CHIL F G259b

Calling the doves = El canto de las palomas. Juan Felipe Herrera.
CHIL 811 H565ca 1995

Centerfield ballhawk. Matt Christopher.
CHIL F C5562ce 1992

Chicano roots go deep. Harold Coy.
CHIL 973.04 C881c
Mexican Americans

Child of fire. Scott O'Dell.
CHIL F O23ch 1978
Mexican Americans

Crazy loco : stories. David Rice.
CHIL F R495cr 2001
Mexican Americans

Day of the dead : a Mexican-American celebration. Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith. New York : Holiday House, 1994.
CHIL 394.2 H868da 1994
Mexican Americans

Fiesta U.S.A. George Ancona.
CHIL 394.2 A542fi 1995

Getting to know Puerto Rico ... . Regina Tor.
CHIL 972.95 T676g

Graciela: a Mexican-American child tells her story. Joe Molnar.
CHIL 301.45 G731g
Mexican Americans

Hairs = Pelitos. Sandra Cisneros
CHIL E C579ha 1994

Harvest. George Ancona.
CHIL 331.544 A542ha 2001

How Tía Lola came to visit stay. Julia Alvarez.
CHIL F A473ho 2001
Dominican Americans

The jumping tree : a novel. René Saldaña, Jr.
CHIL F S162ju 2001
Mexican Americans

Kids explore America's Hispanic heritage. Westridge Young Writers Workshop.
CHIL 973 K46 1992

The loner. Ester Wier. New York : D. McKay, 1963.
CHIL F W648L

Magic windows : cut-paper art and stories. Carmen Lomas Garza.
CHIL 306.85 L839ma 1999
Mexican Americans

Making a new home in America. Maxine B. Rosenberg; photographs by George Ancona.
CHIL 325.73 .R813m 1986
Cuban Americans

María, Mota and the grandmother. Stella Houghton Alico.
CHIL F A398ma 1993

María Teresa. Mary Atkinson.
CHIL E A877m
Mexican Americans

My very own room=Mi propio cuartito. Amada Irma Pérez.
CHIL F P438my 2000
Mexican Americans

The new life--La vida nueva; the Mexican Americans today. Arnold Dobrin.
CHIL 917.3 D634n

Once upon a cuento. Ed. Lyn Miller-Lachmann.
CHIL F O579 2003

The other side : how kids live in a California Latino neighborhood. Kathleen Krull.
CHIL 979.4 K94ot 1994
Mexican Americans

Pedro and Donkeeta. Violet Ramos.
CHIL F R175pe 2001
Mexican Americans

Uncle Rain Cloud. Tony Johnston.
CHIL F J737un 2001
Mexican Americans

Viva Chicano. Frank Bonham.
CHIL F B714v
Mexican Americans

Where the deer and the cantaloupe play : a novel. T. Ernesto Bethancourt.
CHIL F B562w

Who needs Espie Sanchez? Terry Dunnahoo.
CHIL F D9232wh
Mexican Americans

The year of our revolution : new and selected stories and poems. Judith Ortiz Cofer.
CHIL F O77ye 1998

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FOR MORE HELP, contact a reference specialist or a librarian at Wilson Library.   Cecilia Poon, Education Librarian, is available at 360-650-3079 or by email at Cecilia.Poon@wwu.edu.


Image from Hispanic Heritage Month at ORNL [Oak Ridge National Laboratory] at http://www.ornl.gov/adm/hr_ornl/hhm2002/hhm2002.htm

Compiled by Cecilia Poon, Education Librarian and Martha Mautino, Reference Specialist.
Last update: May 20, 2005


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