To celebrate and honor the histories and cultures of people with Hispanic heritage, we want to share some stories that feature strong Hispanic and Latino characters in all forms—skeleton, insect, or human. Pick one to read today and celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month with us! And don’t forget to check out our Spanish and Bilingual books round-up!

Miguel’s Brave Knight
Young Cervantes and His Dream of Don Quixote

To escape the hardships of his family life, Miguel lives in his imagination, and finds inspiration in wandering actors and storytellers. Based on the real childhood of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, author of Don Quixote, the first modern novel, this fictionalized first-person biography tells the uplifting tale one of the greatest Spanish writers of all time.

Not only does this book provide insight into the hardships in young Miguel’s life in Spain, but it also highlights the influence he and Don Quixote had on Western culture in the United States and around the world. Cuban-American author and poet Margarita Engle, and illustrator Raul Colon, who grew up in Puerto Rico, also explain in each of their personal notes what Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote mean to them. Check out the Spanish edition here!

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach
A Cuban Folktale

Based off of a Cuban folktale, this picture book tells the story of Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha and her difficulties finding a good husband among her fellow cockroaches. After taking her Aubela’s advice to test her suitors with café cubano, can anyone pass the test and win their way to Martina’s heart? Abuelas always know best!

Sprinkled with Spanish words, puns, and plenty of humor, this book is perfect for reading aloud. It is also available in Spanish and audio.

Clatter Bash!
A Day of the Dead Celebration

Celebrate Dia De Los Muertos with playful skeletons that rattle and shake as they rise from their graves to receive offerings, sing, dance, and feast before the sun rises. Rollicking rhyme—sprinkled with Spanish words—captures the bone-rattling sounds and fun of the evening, while the vivid cut-paper art is sure to raise the spirits of young readers without frightening them.

Dia De Los Muertos, a celebration of life and legacy that originated in Mexico, has become a huge part of how we celebrate Halloween in the United States today, and this picture book is perfect for storytime and introducing the holiday to young readers.

Truth and Salsa

Almost-thirteen-year-old Hayley has to spend six months with her eccentric grandmother in the rural mountain town of San Miguel, Mexico after the breakup of her parents’ marriage. Going by her new, more glamorous chosen name Margarita, she finds life in Mexico surprisingly exciting and full of adventure, including mystery of la fantama (“the ghost”) that has been haunting her grandmother’s house. Margarita enjoys the Mexican culture and lifestyle she has been immersed in, but also becomes aware of the poverty and demand for migrant work that affects those around her.

This entertaining and engaging coming-of-age story reminds us that our experiences can change how we see the world and ourselves.

Growing Up Cuban in Decatur, Georgia

Follow popular storyteller Carmen Agra Deedy as she takes listeners through her childhood experiences of moving from Havana, Cuba as a refugee to Decatur, Georgia in this compelling audio CD. This collection of twelve stories, several of which have been featured on NPR’s “Weekend All Things Considered,” is a perfect glimpse into Deedy’s collision of cultures and what it’s like for a child to transition from one country to another.

Find these books and more at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble.

In honor of the legacy of Hispanic and Latino Americans, and the fact that the beautiful Spanish language is so widespread in our country, we want to share some of our bilingual and Spanish titles. We love having these books for our Spanish-speaking readers, and we hope you enjoy them! ¡Esperamos que te gusta estos libros!

Spanish Titles

Martina una cucarachita muy linda: Un cuento cubano
by Carmen Agra Deedy
illustrated by Michael Austin

Martina the beautiful cockroach wants to pick the right suitor to marry, but how?  Abuela, her Cuban grandmother, gives her un consejo increíble, some shocking advice: put those suitors to the test with a little café cubano.  One by one they fail until only the gardener Pérez, a tiny brown mouse, is left. Will he win her leg in marriage?

Un colchón de plumas para Agata
by Carmen Agra Deedy
illustrated by Laura L. Seeley

Agatha owns a weaving shop in Manhattan and likes to answer the questions of children who want to know the source of her beautiful fabrics.

“Everything comes from something,” she says, “nothing comes from nothing.”

But she does not seem to think about where her brand new feather bed came from.  That is, until six cranky, cold, naked geese come knocking.  In a delightful O. Henry-inspired ending, Agatha arrives at a solution that benefits them all, teaching readers to understand how to use resources responsibly.

La gallinita de la pradera
by Jackie Mims Hopkins
illustrated by Henry Cole

Mary McBlicken hears a rumble and is sure a stampede’s a comin’! She sets off to warn Cowboy Stan and Red Dog Dan, gathering up her friends along the way. Before they can get there, though, the band of prairie critters gets tricked by a mean Coyote and trapped in his evil den. Will the friends escape in time? And where is that rumbling really coming from?

14 Vacas para América
by Carmen Agra Deedy
illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

This New York Times Bestseller is a true story of hope and generosity, and the gift a small Kenyan village makes to the people of America after the September 11 attacks.  For a heartsick nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope—and friendship.

Miguel y su valiente caballero: El joven Cervantes sueña a don Quijote
by Margarita Engle
illustrated by Raúl Colón
translated by Teresa Mlawer and Georgina Lázaro

This fictionalized first-person biography in verse of Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra follows the early years of the child who grows up to pen Don Quixote, the first modern novel. Award-winning author Margarita Engle’s distinctive picture book depiction of the childhood of the father of the modern novel, told in a series of free verse poems, is enhanced by Raúl Colón’s stunning illustrations.

Bilingual Titles

Stripes of All Types / Rayas de todas las tallas
by Susan Stockdale

Bouncy, alliterative rhyme and gorgeous illustrations introduce readers to a wide range of striped animals. An afterword provides more information about each featured animal and where it lives, and explains the role its stripes play. Readers can test their knowledge of animal stripes with a fun matching game at the end!

Spectacular Spots / Magníficas manchas

Several of books in our About… Series, written by educator and author Cathryn Sill and by naturalist John Sill, are now available in both English and Spanish for young explorers who are learning a new language.

About Birds: A Guide for Children / Sobre los pájaros: Una guía para niños
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill

Learn about the life of birds, from egg to flight, in this thoughtful examination of the species.

About Mammals: A Guide for Children / Sobre los mamíferos: Una guía para niños
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill

So many animals are mammals! But are all animals mammals? Questions are answered and new facts discovered in the pages of this bilingual nature guide.

About Insects: A Guide for Children / Sobre los insectos: Una guía para niños
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill

Creepy, crawly, spindly things are actually rather interesting when you get close enough to them.  Backyard naturalists will love having this as a reference during their outdoor adventures.

About Reptiles: A Guide for Children / Sobre los reptiles: Una guía para niños
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill

Take a colorful and informative first glimpse into the diverse world of reptiles with this thoughtful guide for young readers.

About Amphibians: A Guide for Children / Sobre los anfibios: Una guía para niños
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by  John Sill

Learn about what amphibians are, how they look, how they move, what they eat, and where they live. With beautifully detailed, realistic paintings, noted wildlife illustrator John Sill introduces readers to a variety of amphibians, from frogs and toads to salamanders and more.

About Fish: A Guide for Children / Sobre los peces: Una guía para niños
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by  John Sill 

This beginner’s guide offers a first glimpse into the diverse natural world of fish, from an Arctic char to a Porcupine fish.

Look for these titles and more at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble!