List
Hispanic-Centered Books for Kids: Grades K-2
These books feature Hispanic characters, settings, and stories, with a focus on Hispanic authors and illustrators.
-
The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border
2022 by Briseño, StephenGet this itemAfter traveling to Tijuana, Mexico, Noemi and her mother are denied entry at the border and must find the refugee in charge of the "notebook," an unofficial ledger of those waiting to cross into the United States.
-
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos
2017 by Brown, MonicaGet this itemThis book portrays the beauty and strength of Frida's creative spirit, which carried her through her life's highs and lows, and the animals that inspired her along the way.
-
Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramírez
2024 by Cabot, Belen MedinaGet this itemA beautifully illustrated biography of the indigenous ultra marathon runner from Northern Mexico who wins races all over the world, while running in sandals.
-
Lia & Luís: Puzzled!
2023 by Crespo, AnaGet this itemThis is another terrific Lia and Luis entry in the Storytelling Math series. In this book, they need to put together a jigsaw puzzle to figure out the secret message. Fun!
-
The Perfect Place
2024 by de la Peña, MattGet this itemWhen Lucas gets a perfect score on his robot report, he's excited to show it to his family. But his mom is in a hurry to get to work, his dad is dealing with his truck breaking down, and Lucas ends up focusing on his apartment's imperfections. In a dream or vision, he visits a "perfect place" where people live in beautiful homes, and the mayor awards him a Medal of Perfection. In the morning, his loving family shares his joy and excitement around his robot report, and he decides that the messiness around real life is "the right kind of imperfect."
-
Paletero Man
2021 by Diaz, LuckyGet this itemWritten by Latin Grammy winner Lucky Diaz, this delightful story about community and summer invites readers to imagine their favorite flavor of paleta, a Mexican-style ice pop.
-
Remembering
2023 by González, XelenaGet this itemIn this gorgeous picture book, a family celebrates and remembers their beloved dog by building an ofrenda for Dia de Los Muertos. Moving words paired with vivid illustrations make this a great book for talking about grief and pets, and for learning about Dia de Los Muertos.
-
A Flicker of Hope
2024 by Harmony, CynthiaGet this itemThis year, when Lucia watches the annual monarch migration in spring with her papa, she also must say goodbye to him as he leaves to search for work. He soothes her by telling her he will return with the monarchs after their parallel journeys. This gorgeous picture book includes a glossary of the Spanish words used in the book and additional information and resources.
-
Esme's Birthday Conga Line
2022 by Heuer, LourdesGet this itemIn this delightful early chapter book, readers get to meet plucky Esme and her grandparents. Her grandparents are great at giving birthday presents: this year, she got a guitar! But they don't really know how to plan a birthday party with a piñata or cake or fun, so problem-solving Esme figures it out! You might also enjoy Troop Esme, a sequel that features Esme trying to start her own badge-earning troop.
-
Abuelita and I Make Flan
2022 by Hernández Bergstrom, AdrianaGet this itemBaking flan with abuelita is the best, but will grandma be upset when she finds out that Anita accidentally dropped their heirloom flan plate?
-
A Crown for Corina
2023 by Kemp, Laekan ZeaGet this itemCorina's abuela helps her select flowers that mean something to Corina from the garden for her Mexican flower crown that she will wear on her birthday, and explains the symbolic meaning of a birthday crown.
-
Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla
2021 by López, DianaGet this itemWhat an inspiring story of this legendary superstar Latina recording artist! It is great to read about her struggles to figure out who she wanted to be and her determination to learn Spanish.
-
To the Other Side
2023 by Meza, ErikaGet this itemWe hear so much about young migrants crossing the southern border on their own, and this book focuses on what it feels like to be one those young children.
-
Bright Star
2021 by Morales, YuyiGet this itemThis gorgeous, poetic picture book is an ode to the border land between Mexico and the United States.
-
Martina Has Too Many Tías
2023 by Otheguy, EmmaGet this itemMartina has a big, loving family, but they can also be super loud! Imagining herself on a peaceful island, Martina has joyful and quiet adventures, but can she enjoy them all fully without anyone to share them with? A great story for anyone with a big, boisterous family who also sometimes needs some quiet time.
-
Training Day
2021 by Raúl the ThirdGet this itemThis easy fiction/graphic novel hybrid about Raul training for his next wrestling match is very funny!
-
¡Vamos!: Let's Go Read
2023 by Raúl the ThirdGet this itemKids (and adults!) will immediately be captivated by the exuberant illustrations and sense of humor seen throughout this book. There's so much to discover, and lots of fun on each page.
-
Brick by Brick
2020 by Sheffield, Heidi WoodwardGet this itemThe richly colored collages in this lovely book about a child and his father and the work they do (bricks and books!), are absolutely brimming with love. Each page has a different feel--some you want to run your fingers over--but all are beautiful. The spread with the cityscape built with words like "dream" and "I can" is especially nice.
-
Catalina Incognito
2022 by Torres, JenniferGet this itemCan the magical sewing kit eight-year-old Catalina receives as a birthday gift from her famous telenovela actress tia abuela help solve a mystery of stolen rhinestones?
Bookmatch
Bookmatch allows Skokie Library cardholders to receive a custom list of titles prepared for you by the library's expert staff.
Try Bookmatch