Los Gatos Black on Halloween

Los Gatos Black on Halloween

Written by: Marisa Montes
Illustrated by: Yuyi Morales

Elementary Grades

"A cat's green eyes stare out from the book's cover. Inside, there are more of los gatos--as well as las brujas (witches), los fantasmas (ghosts), and los esqueletos (skeletons looking like they have come from a Dia de los Muertos celebration. The pithy, rhyming text tells a frightening, if familiar, story. The ghosts and ghoulies are off to a Monsters' Ball at Haunted Hall, and though there's plenty of scary stuff around, the guests are most frightened by the children who come knocking at the door for trick-or-treat. Montes' evocative poem deserves exceptional artwork, and Morales obliges. Her soft-edged paintings glow with the luminosity of jewels, and her witches, werewolves, and corpses are frighteningly executed. Therein lies what may be a problem for preschoolers. These fiends aren't particularly kid-friendly; they are dead-eyed, Day of the Dead folk who scare. For slightly older children, however, this spookiness is what Halloween is all about. The Spanish is neatly integrated into the text, but for those who need clarification, a glossary is appended."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.marisamontes.com/GatosBlack.htm

Downtown Boy

Downtown Boy

Written by: Juan Felipe Herrera

Junior High and High School Grades

"Juanito Paloma, his mother Lucha, and his elderly father Felipe, are a tiny family who, after years of working in the fields of California's Central Valley, move to San Francisco's Latin Mission District to live with relatives. Juanito longs to be in one place, rather than "going, going, going," and pines for the love of his often-absent father. This family story of growing up Latino will resonate with readers of all backgrounds."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3035
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/10/books/review/Burt2-t.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

My Very Own Room/Mi propio cuartito

My Very Own Room/Mi propio cuartito

Written by: Amada Irma Perez
Illustrated by:

Elementary Grades

"I woke up one morning in a crowded bed in a crowded room," begins this warm bilingual story of a young Mexican American girl's search for her own space in an overflowing house. Because the eight-year-old narrator shares a room with five brothers, she climbs trees to find quiet and longs for a room of her own. Behind a flour-sack curtain, she finds a storage closet with possibilities: "I imagined it with my own bed, table, and lamp--a place where I could read the books I loved, write in my diary, and dream." Working together "like a mighty team of powerful ants," the family moves the closet's contents to the back porch and helps the girl create her own room. The naive-style, tropical-colored paintings, reminiscent in places of mural art, illustrate the frustrations of too-little space, the tenderness between the girl and her mother, and the family's loving resourcefulness within the cheerful chaos. An excellent choice for libraries in Hispanic and migrant communities, this book will resonate with all young ones growing up with limited space and resources."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.amadairmaperez.com/

A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Ines

A Library for Juana: The World of Sor Juana Ines

Written by: Pat Mora
Illustrated by: Beatriz Vidal

Elementary Grades

"This attractive picture-book biography introduces Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz--Mexican child prodigy turned renowned seventeenth-century scholar and poet. After teaching herself to read at age three, Juana Ines studied at the university in Mexico City and then at the viceroy's palace, where she earned a national reputation for her vast knowledge. Finally, she became a nun, devoting her life to poetry and study. Children will enjoy Mora's inspiring, anecdote-filled account of a Latin American woman who loved learning during a time when few women were educated."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.patmora.com/book_pages/sorjuana.htm

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

**This book has been nominated for the National Book Award**

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Written by: Phillip M. Hoose

Junior High and High School Grades

"In Montgomery, AL, in March 1955, 15-year-old Colvin refused to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. She was arrested, and although she received some help from local civil rights leaders, they decided that the sometimes-volatile teen was not suitable to be the public face of a mass protest. Later that year, Rosa Parks sparked the famous bus boycott. Colvin was left with a police record and soon faced the additional problems of an unwed pregnancy and expulsion from school. In spite of those troubles, she consented to be named as a plaintiff in the court case that eventually integrated Montgomery's buses. Thus Colvin played a central role in the city's civil rights drama, but her story has been largely lost to history. Hoose, who had been curious about the often-unidentified teen who first defied bus segregation, persuaded her to tell her story.

His book puts Colvin back into the historical record, combining her reminiscences with narrative about her life and the tumultuous events of the boycott. He includes background about segregated Montgomery and places Colvin's story into the context of the larger Civil Rights Movement. The text is supplemented with black-and-white photos, reproductions of period newspapers and documents, and sidebars. While virtually all students know Rosa Parks's story, this well-written and engaging book will introduce them to a teen who also fought for racial justice and give them a new perspective on the era, making it an outstanding choice for most collections."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.nationalbook.org/nba2009_ypl_hoose.html
http://www.philliphoose.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/curiouscity/3307702101/

Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon

Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon

Written by: Susanna Reich
Illustrated by: Raul Colon

Elementary Grades

"This picture-book biography tells the story of Jose Limon, who became a legendary figure in the history of American dance. Reich punctuates the scenes of Limon's childhood in Mexico with sensory details, especially sounds: the "TRILLIA-WEET! TRILLIA-WEET!" of his grandmother's canary singing; the clicking heels of flamenco dancers; the cries of "Ole! Ole! Ole!" at the bullfight; and his mama's bedtime lullaby: "SORA-SORA-SO, SORA-SO." Later, Reich shows how the rhythmic sounds from Limon's childhood became inspirations for movements expressed in his dance.

When civil war in Mexico leads to fighting in the streets of their town, Linon's family flees to the U.S. In elementary school, laughter at his poor English fires his determination to succeed. As an adult, he moves to New York City, discovers his passion for dance, and works hard to become a dancer and choreographer. Sensitively written and beautifully illustrated, this picture book offers a soaring portrayal of achievement."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.susannareich.com/

Hip Hop Speaks to Children with CD: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat

Hip Hop Speaks to Children with CD: A Celebration of Poetry with a Beat

Written by: Nikki Giovanni
Illustrated by: Alicia Vergel de Dios, Damian Ward, Kristen Balouch, Jeremy Tugeau, and Michele Noiset

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"In this slamming cousin to Poetry Speaks to Children (2005), editor Giovanni states, “Poetry with a beat. That’s hip hop in a flash,” and she goes on to link hip-hop to grand opera and present a capsule history of African American vernacular music. This features a wide-ranging selection of 51 entries, plus a CD with new or previously released recorded versions of 29, some with music. The poets range from Langston Hughes and W. E. B. DuBois to Kanye West, Mos Def, and Queen Latifah. In keeping with hip-hop tradition, many of the selections are self-referential; others take on a variety of topics, from Gwendolyn Brooks’ celebration of “Aloneness” to James Berry’s inspirational “People Equal.” Calef Brown’s “Funky Snowman” is more about medium than message: “Turn up the music / with the disco beat, / when you’re in the groove, / you don’t need feet.” Similarly, on the CD, some presentations are straight readings, and others evoke jazz, rap, pop, and field- or pulpit-style chanting."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/620000062/post/1460033146.html