* Recommended for Teens
FICTION
The Ballad of Johnny Sosa: A Novel
by Mario Delgado Aparaín.
Johnny dreams of becoming a famous musician while struggling with
military oppression in provincial Uruguay.
* Before We Were Free
by Julia Alvarez.
In the early 1960’s in the Dominican Republic, 12-year-old
Anita learns that her family is involved in the underground movement
to end the bloody rule of Trujillo.
Blood Lake
by K.j.a. Wishnia.
Filomena Buscarsela, Wishnia’s Ecuadorian-American P.I., goes
home to Ecuador with her teenage daughter, where she finds that
her childhood priest has been murdered.
Burning the Sea: A Novel
by Sarah Pemberton Strong.
Michelle’s search for her roots takes her to the Dominican
Republic, where her grandfather lived, in this travel adventure
and lament for a lost homeland.
A Cafecito Story = El Cuento del Cafecito
by Julia Alvarez.
This fable about a farmer's son who involves himself in the politics
of coffee cultivation is set in the Dominican Republic. In English
and Spanish.
Chocolate Sangria: A Novel
by Tracy Price-Thompson.
Juanita and Scooter, two teenage misfits, lead relatively uneventful
lives until they meet brothers Conan and Jorge on the bus.
* City of the Beasts
by Isabel Allende.
Fifteen-year-old Alexander joins his fearless grandmother, a reporter
for International Geographic Magazine, on an expedition to locate
a beast in the Amazon.
* Cuba 15
by Nancy Osa.
Violet begrudgingly accepts her abuela’s plans for her quinceañera,
but as she learns more about her Cuban roots, cultures and feelings
collide.
The Cuban Prospect: A Novel
by Brian Shawver.
Dennis Birch is a hapless minor league scout sent to Cuba to smuggle
out a young pitching phenomenon.
The Dark Bride: A Novel
by Laura Restrepo.
Sayonara, a prostitute in a Columbian barrio frequented by workers
from the American-controlled Tropical Oil Company, is the heroine
of a humorous yet poignant love story.
Dear First Love: A Novel
by Zoé Valdés.
On the verge of a breakdown, Danae leaves her family in Havana to
search for her first love and relives the trauma of a childhood
spent in government work camps.
Death in Precinct Puerto Rico: Book Two
by Steven Torres.
Another gripping tale featuring Sheriff Louis Gonzalo.
The Dirty Girls Social Club
by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez.
In the years after graduating from Boston University, six Latina
friends from widely varied backgrounds meet every six months to
dine, share the stories of their everyday lives, and offer advice
to one another.
* Drift
by Manuel Luis Martínez.
Newcomer Martinez tells the coming-of-age story of a young Chicano
in Texas.
El Paso del Norte: Stories on the Border
by Richard Yañez.
This solidly written debut collection shows the quiet gravity and
grace of those whose lives are permanently on the edge.
Feathered Serpent: A Novel of the Mexican Conquest
by Colin Falconer.
Based on true events, the Aztec woman Malinali serves as guide and
interpreter for Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and even bears
him a son.
* Flight to Freedom
by Ana Veciana-Suarez.
Thirteen-year-old Yara describes life with her family in Havana
in 1967 and her experiences as an immigrant in Miami after she leaves
her home in Cuba.
Frontera Street
by Tanya Maria Barrientos.
Pregnant and alone, Dee Paxton finds an unlikely friend in Alma
Cruz, a single mother living in the barrio of Los Cielos, Texas.
* The House of the Scorpion
by Nancy Farmer.
Set in the future, young Matt Alacrán realizes he is the
clone of El Patrón, the 142-year-old ruler of a drug empire
set between the U.S. and Mexico.
The Incantation of Frida K.
by Kate Braverman.
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo looks back on her life as she lies on
her deathbed at age 46.
Incas: Book One: The Puma’s Shadow
by A. B. Daniel.
Anamaya, the daughter of an Incan princess and confidante of King
Huayna Capec, meets handsome Spanish nobleman Gabriel Montelucar
y Flores.
Inez
by Carlos Fuentes.
This book of magic realism involves an orchestra conductor and his
passion for a red-haired Mexican diva.
Lands of Memory
by Felisberto Hernández.
This collection features two novellas and four short stories by
Uruguayan author Hernández, who is considered to be a “founding
father” of magic realism.
Monkey Hunting
by Cristina García.
This saga of 5 generations of a Chinese-Cuban family begins with
Chen Pan, who moves from China to Cuba in 1857, and ends with his
great-grandson Domingo, who becomes an American citizen after Castro’s
revolution.
* Motorcycle Ride on the Sea of Tranquility
by Patricia Santana.
Santana’s prize-winning novel tells the tender coming of age
tale of a young Chicana in San Diego in 1969.
One Hot Summer
by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera.
Margarita Santos Silva, a successful Miami lawyer who’s happily
married and just had her first child, is tempted to stray when her
college boyfriend appears on the scene.
Precinct Puerto Rico: Book One
by Steven Torres.
Luis Gonzalo, sheriff of Angustias, Puerto Rico, finds himself caught
up in a gruesome case when dozens of bodies begin washing ashore.
The Republic of East L.A.: Stories
by Luis J. Rodriguez.
These 12 stories from the barrio feature a philosophizing limo driver,
a jealous factory worker, and a grandmother who dances with a watermelon,
among others.
Shadow without a Name
by Ignacio Padilla.
This extraordinarily clever historical novel by a prizewinning Mexican
author chronicles an intricate history of deception.
The Truth about Alicia and Other Stories
by Ana Consuelo Matiella.
Matiella explores the world of Hispanic women in this debut story
collection offering illuminating insight into her characters’
lives.
* What Night Brings
by Carla Trujillo.
This first novel by Trujillo tells of a young Latina lesbian’s
painful coming of age in an unhappy and abusive household.
A Whistler in the Nightworld: Short Fiction from the Latin Americas
ed. by Thomas Colchie.
Colchie, a veteran anthologist, brings us a dynamic and relevant
collection of contemporary short fiction from several Latin American
countries.
The Wise Women of Havana
by José Raúl Bernardo.
Cuba 1938: When young newlyweds Marguita and Lorenzo are forced
to move in with their in-laws due to the Great Depression, family
tensions cause a rift in their marriage.
HISTORY
Chile: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture
by Nick Caistor.
With separate sections on people, history and politics, the economy,
society, and culture, this guide provides a good overview of this
South American country. F3059.5.C35 2002x
Culture and Customs of Peru
by César Ferreira and Eduardo Dargent-Chamot.
This is an overview of Peru’s history, people, culture, media,
religions, literature and more. F3448.F37 2003
Havana: A Cultural and Literary Companion
by Claudia Lightfoot.
More than just a guidebook, this is an in-depth cultural and historical
guide to one of the world’s great cities. F1799.H34L54 2002
Nicaragua: A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture
by Hazel Plunkett.
With separate sections on people, history and politics, the economy,
society, and culture, this guide provides a good overview of this
Central American country. F1523.5.P68 2002x
The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History
ed. by Kal Wagenheim and Olga Jimenez de Wagenheim.
This comprehensive collection of writings offers many different
perspectives on the history of Puerto Rico, with an emphasis on
the 20th century. F1971.P79 2002
Silence on the Mountain: Stories of Terror, Betrayal, and Forgetting
in Guatemala
by Daniel Wilkinson.
A human rights worker talks to Guatemalan citizens and uncovers
the shocking, hidden history of the country’s thirty-six-year
civil war. F1466.5.W55 2002x
The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland
by Hugh Thomson.
In this richly descriptive and exciting account, veteran explorer
and filmmaker Hugh Thomson traces the history and culture of the
lost Inca civilization. F3429.T28 2003
EXPRESSIONS
25 Latino Craft Projects
by Ana-Elba Pavon and Diana Borrego.
Creative activities and recipes for children and families are described,
with illustrations. Z718.2.U6P38 2003
Alabanza: New and Selected Poems, 1982-2002
by Martín Espada.
“Alabanza” means “praise”—and that’s
just what Espada gives—to African slaves in Puerto Rico, a
striking janitor, and Zapatista rebels in this collection of poetry.
PS3555.S53A78 2003
Arte: A Contemporary Latin Expression = Una Expresión
Latina Contemporánea
Thirty artists from Latin America are profiled by Casa & Estilo
Internacional Magazine. The book is in both English and Spanish,
and has many illustrations.
N6502.2.A7B4x
Beauty is Convulsive: Poems in Prose
by Carole Maso.
Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is the subject and inspiration for these
poems by Maso, a Professor of English at Brown University. PS3563.A786B43
2002
Chicano Visions: American Painters on the Verge
by Cheech Marin.
Over 90 full-color photos of paintings in the collection of actor
Cheech Marin are accompanied by brief essays. ND255.M37
Cocinando para Latinos con Diabetes = Diabetic Cooking for Latinos
by Olga V. Fusté.
Over 87 recipes for soups, rice dishes, beans, vegetables, chicken,
and desserts are presented in both English and Spanish. RC662.F87
2002
Cuba Style: Graphics from the Golden Age of Design
by Vicki Gold Levi and Steven Heller.
The authors present color reproductions of postcards, tourism advertisements,
cigar boxes, music posters, and hotel advertisements from pre-Castro
Cuba.
NC998.6.C9L48 2002
Cuban Fire: The Story of Salsa and Latin Jazz
by Isabelle Leymarie.
This book traces the history of Cuban music and its major artists
from the 1920s to today. ML3486.C8L313 2002
Cubanísimo: The Vintage Book of Contemporary Cuban Literature
edited and with an introduction by Cristina García.
This volume includes stories, essays, poems, and novel excerpts
from Havana, Miami, New York, and beyond. PQ7383.5.E5C83
The Devil’s Workshop
by Demetria Martínez.
This Tucson Latina offers poems about the creative and destructive
powers of love.
PS3563.A7333337D4 2002
The Edge of Enchantment: Sovereignty and Ceremony in Huatulco,
México
by Alicia María González.
The history and culture of the native peoples of coastal Oaxaca
are described in their own words, alongside color photographs. F1219.1.O11G655
2002
Eyes to See Otherwise: Selected Poems = Ojos de Otro Mirar
by Homero Aridjis.
Poems by this Mexican author are presented in both English and Spanish.
PQ7297.A8365A24 2002
Frida: Bringing Frida Kahlo’s Life and Art to Film
foreword by Hayden Herrera; intro. by Julie Taymor; intro. by Salma
Hayek.
Photographs and screenplay from the movie Frida, starring Salma
Hayek. PN1997.2.F75 2002x
From the Other Side of Night = Del Otro Lado de la Noche: New
and Selected Poems
by Francisco X. Alarcón.
“Alarcón invokes both the mysteries of Mesoamerica
and the ‘otherness’ of his gay identity.” PS3551.L22F77
2002
Guide to the Blue Tongue: Poems
by Virgil Suárez.
These poems, many of which feature Caliban from Shakespeare’s
The Tempest, evoke the mythical and historical landscape of Cuba.
PS3569.U18G85 2002
Home Movies of Narcissus: Poems
by Rane Arroyo.
Arroyo explores themes of his Puerto Rican heritage and his residence
in the urban Midwest. PS3551.R722H664 2002x
Inside Havana
by Andrew Moore.
This photographic portrait of Havana juxtaposes its architecture
from the turn of the century with its current inhabitants and city
life. F1765.3.M66 2002
Landscape with Human Figure
by Rafael Campo.
This collection by Jamaica Plain resident Campo includes “poems
that remain unafraid to explore and celebrate his identity as a
doctor and Cuban American gay man.” PS3553.A4883L36 2002
Latin American Writers at Work
ed. by George Plimpton.
Interviews from the annals of The Paris Review of Jorge Luis Borges,
Gabriel García Márquez, Carlos Fuentes, Luisa Valenzuela,
and 7 others have been gathered together in this one volume. PQ7081.3.L38
2003
Latin Dancing
by Dessi and Orod Ohanians.
Learn how to salsa, lambada, and merengue with this photographic
guide. GV1976.S245O43 2002x
Letters to a Young Novelist
by Mario Vargas Llosa.
The author of Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter and The Feast of the
Goat offers this manual for aspiring writers. PQ8498.32.A65C32813
2002x
Making Home in Havana
photographs by Vincenzo Pietropaolo; text by Cecelia B. Lawless.
Photos of the city are placed alongside portraits of residents,
many of whom share their thoughts and philosophy of life. F1799.H343P54
2002
Mexican Details
by Karen Witynski and Joe P. Carr.
The authors traveled through Mexico and southwestern U.S. to find
furniture, architectural elements, and handcrafted accents for home
decorating ideas.
NK844 .W55 2003
Mexican Textiles: Spirit and Style
by Masako Takahashi.
Photographs and brief text detail the vibrant colors and patterns
of the woven fabrics. NK8914.A1T34 2003
Modern Mexican Flavors
by Richard Sandoval with David Ricketts.
This cookbook offers over 125 contemporary Mexican recipes for drinks,
salads, soups, tamales, appetizers, entrees, and desserts. TX716.M4S263
2002
No Shelter: The Selected Poems of Pura López-Colomé
by Pura López-Colomé.
This contemporary Mexican poet offers her spare, searing verses
in both English and Spanish. PQ7298.22.O56715A24 2002
Notebooks of a Chile Verde Smuggler
by Juan Felipe Herrera.
This poetry collection from the professor of Chicano and Latin American
studies at Cal State Fresno includes the section titles “Chile
con Karma” and “Hispanopoly: The Upwardly Mobile Identity
Game Show.” PS3558.E74Z4695 2002
Poncho Sanchez’ Conga Cookbook
by Poncho Sanchez with Chuck Silverman.
“Develop your conga playing by learning Afro-Cuban rhythms
from the master.” MT663.8.S26 2002x
Secrets of the Ancient Incas: A Modern Approach to Ancient Ritual
and Practice
by Michael Peter Langevin.
Learn how to incorporate the teachings, traditions, magic, and mystery
of the Incas into everyday modern life. BF1622.I4L36 2002
The Smallest Muscle in the Human Body
by Alberto Ríos.
These magical poems are set in a town that straddles the U.S./Mexico
border. PS3568.I587S63 2002
El Toque de Candombe: Ritmo Tradicional Afro-Uruguayo = Traditional
Afro-Uruguayan Rhythm
by Hugo “Foca” Machado.
Learn this popular musical style from Uruguay, using the 3 traditional
drums: the chico, the repique, and the piano. In English and Spanish.
MT655.8.M33 2002
Viva la Vida: Festive Recipes for Entertaining Latin-Style
by Rafael Palomino and Arlen Gargagliano.
Mango and Lime Relish, Sparky Peruvian Potato Salad, and Tuna and
Chipotle Burgers are just a few of the over 90 recipes included
in this cookbook.
TX716.A1P355 2002
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Bilingual Education: A Reference Handbook
by Rosa Castro Feinberg.
A professor of education explores the history of bilingual education,
curriculums, and related political controversies. She also includes
a list of organizations and print and non-print resources. LC3731.F45
2002
Brown: The Last Discovery of America
by Richard Rodriguez.
Rodriguez argues that America has been brown from its inception
and reflects on cultural associations of the color. E184.S75R67
2002
Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala,
Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama: True Stories
ed. by Larry Habegger and Natanya Pearlman.
This is a collection of travel essays by a variety of writers, both
well known and unknown. F1433.2.C43 2002
Cuba: From Columbus to Castro and Beyond
by Jaime Suchlicki.
An expert on Latin America reflects on Cuba’s rich and turbulent
history and looks at its possible future. F1776.S93 2002
8 Minutes in the Morning for Real Shapes, Real Sizes: Specifically
Designed for People Who Want to Lose 30 Pounds or More
by Jorge Cruise.
This diet and exercise book written by a weight-loss expert claims
you can lose and keep off weight with minimal daily exercise. RM222.2.C77
2003
Enduring Cuba
by Zoe Bran.
Zoe Bran has written a travel memoir based on meetings with writers,
artists, expatriates, revolutionaries and those desperate to escape
Cuba.
F1765.3.B73 2002x
The Language of Passion: Selected Commentary
by Mario Vargas Llosa.
The noted novelist has compiled this collection of his well-regarded
newspaper columns from the 1990s. PQ8498.32.A65L4613 2003
The Latina’s Bible: The Nueva Latina’s Guide to
Love, Spirituality, Family and La Vida
by Sandra Guzman.
The former editor of Latina Magazine provides valuable advice, anecdotes,
and information on family, sex, and life in general. HQ1421.G89
2002
Latinas in Love: A Modern Guide to Love and Relationships
by Valerie Menard.
A journalist and relationship expert explores the challenges Latinas
face in their journey to understand themselves and find the right
relationships.
E184.S75M45 2002x
* The Latino Student’s Guide to College Success
ed. by Leonard A. Valverde.
This comprehensive work covers preparing for college, campus life,
notable Latinos recounting their experiences, and a directory of
the schools that graduate the most Latinos. LC2670.6.H57 2002x
* Latinos at Work
This series comprised of the following titles examines a variety
of careers from a Latino perspective and focuses on the experiences
of successful Latinos.
Careers in Community Service
Careers in Education
Careers in Entertainment
Careers in Law and Politics
Careers in Publishing and Communications
Careers in Science and Medicine
Careers in Sports
Careers in Technology
Careers in the Music Industry
Latino Entrepreneurs
Living in Spanglish: The Search for a New Latino Identity in
America
by Ed Morales.
A journalist and poet examines Latino stereotypes and emphasizes
the importance of each culture’s ability to hold onto its
heritage while creating a new American cultural identity. E184.S75M667
2002
Mama: Latina Daughters Celebrate Their Mothers
by Maria Perez-Brown.
In their own words Latina daughters talk about their relationships
with their mothers. E184.S75 P464
Mexican-American Genealogical Research: Following the Paper
Trail to Mexico
by John P. Schmal and Donna S. Morales.
This guide explores how to research one’s Mexican ancestors.
E184.M5S36 2002
More Terrible than Death: Massacres, Drugs, and America’s
War in Colombia
by Robin Kirk.
The author weaves together the life stories of a coffee baron, a
legendary rebel leader, an outlaw paramilitary chief, and a small
town human rights leader and their connection with the United States.
HV5840.C7K57 2003
The New Face of Baseball: The One-Hundred-Year Rise and Triumph
of Latinos in America’s Favorite Sport
by Tim Wendel.
An award-winning journalist explores the role of Latinos throughout
baseball’s history. GV865.A1W46 2003
Puro Border: Dispatches, Snapshots & Graffiti from La Frontera
edited by Luis Humberto Crosthwaite, et al.
This startling collection of essays by journalists, academics, writers,
and artists on the Mexican-U.S. border takes a harsh look at life,
inequality, and injustice there. F787.P87 2003
Salud: A Latina’s Guide to Total Health
by Jane L. Delgado.
A health care advocate and psychologist provides scientific and
medical information on health related issues. She includes resources
of particular interest to Latinas. RA778.4.H57D45 2002x
Searching for El Dorado: A Journey into the South American Rain
Forest on the Tail of the World’s Largest Gold Rush
by Marc Herman.
A journalist juxtaposes the myth of El Dorado, the hidden city of
gold, with the present-day reality of those scrambling for every
extractable ounce of the precious metal. F2373.H47 2003
This is Cuba: An Outlaw Culture Survives
by Ben Corbett.
Corbett has written a colorful first-person account of living on
the fringes of Castro’s Cuba. HN203.5.C67 2002
Waiting for Bebé: A Pregnancy Guide for Latinas
by Lourdes Alcañiz.
An award-winning health journalist and radio personality explores
the unique concerns that Hispanic women confront during pregnancy.
RG525.A43 2003
BIOGRAPHY
* 100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History
by Rick Laezman.
This book offers short, interesting biographies of Hispanic men
and women from the 15th century through the early 21st century.
E184.S75L34 2002x
The Blindfold’s Eyes: My Journey from Torture to Truth
by Dianna Ortiz with Patricia Davis.
Sister Dianna Ortiz, an American Ursuline nun, was abducted and
tortured while on a mission in Guatemala. She went on to become
a human rights activist and advocate for torture victims. BX4705.07183A3
2002
César Chávez: A Brief Biography with Documents
ed. by Richard W. Etulain.
Labor organizer and founder of the National Farm Workers Association,
Chávez is remembered here in his own words, in those of his
contemporaries, and by historians. HD6509.C48C47 2002x
The Country Under My Skin: A Memoir of Love and War
by Gioconda Belli.
Nicaraguan poet and novelist Belli shares memories of her life,
including twenty years as one of the Sandinistas. PQ7519.2.B44Z47413
2002x
Gritos: Essays
by Dagoberto Gilb.
In these autobiographical pieces, Gilb reminisces about various
parts of his life, including growing up in L.A. as a mixed-race
son of a beautiful Mexican mother. PS3557.I296G75 2003
Infinite Refuge
by Virgil Suárez.
Cuban-American author Virgil Suárez describes his family’s
emigration from Cuba to the United States and the resulting family
disintegration and cultural shock.
PS3569.U18Z75 2002
Lalo: My Life and Music
by Lalo Guerrero and Sherilyn Meece Mentes.
This memoir covers the 60-year career of the superstar bandleader
from his childhood years in Tucson's Barrio Libre to his rise to
fame as a Spanish- and English-language recording artist. ML420.G88A3
2002
My Invented Country: A Nostalgic Journey through Chile
by Isabel Allende.
The author of Eva Luna and The House of the Spirits recalls her
journey from her beginnings in Santiago to her present-day life
in the U.S.
PQ8098.1.L54Z46713 2003
No Borders: A Journalist’s Search for Home
by Jorge Ramos.
Ramos, an award-winning anchorman for Univision who emigrated from
Mexico 20 years ago, details the struggles he faced as a Latino
journalist and his sense of being a foreigner in the U.S. PN4874.R25A3
2002bx
The Underground Heart: A Return to a Hidden Landscape: Essays
by Ray González.
Mexican-American González, a University of Minnesota English
professor, returns to the southwestern U.S. to rediscover the land
of his past. PS3557.0476Z478 2002
An Unlikely Conservative: The Transformation of an Ex-Liberal,
or, How I Became the Most Hated Hispanic in America
by Linda Chavez.
Chavez, president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, describes
her political journey from the Young People’s Socialist League
to the Reagan wing of the Republican Party. E840.8.C435A3 2002
Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy
by Carlos Eire.
In this memoir, Yale professor Eire describes his early life in
Cuba, before Castro came to power, as well as the events following
his escape to Miami at age 11. E184.C97E37 2003
Compiled by Joanne
Bogart, General Library, Adult Services, Cynthia Dromgoole, Mattapan
Branch, Becky Manos, Parker Hill Branch, Amy Manson,
Chairperson Connolly Branch, Andy Schmidt, Honan-Allston
Branch, Boston Public Library, 2003
