BCCB-November 2004 Bulletin Dozen

	The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
	The Bulletin Dozen is a monthly theme-based booklist available as an online-only Bulletin feature. Since we're awfully fond of bakers here at the Bulletin, we thought we'd adopt their philosophy of generosity and throw in an extra one or two when we have them to offer--so don't expect an even dozen. Please feel free to copy, download, or link to these lists. We ask only that you cite the source. See the archive for lists from previous months.
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¡Leamos!: A Latino Dozen for Teens
--selected by Maggie Hommel

The Latin culture craze may have started with pop music icons like J. Lo, but it seems all-things-Latin, from music to cuisine to dance, are growing in popularity, and many teens just can't get enough. The last few years have also seen a surge in books reflecting the Latin American teen experience, and whether you're looking to satisfy your patrons' Latin cravings, want to teach about Latin American culture in an appetizing way, or know Hispanic teens looking for books they can relate to, this month's Dozens will feed your need. With stories and poems featuring such varied experiences as life in a harsh city barrio, a trip to lush Puerto Rico, an American quinceañero, and more, these libros are full of the rhythms and spices of Latino cultures to which booklovers of all backgrounds will be drawn. ¡Leamos!--Let's read.

Allende, Isabel. City of the Beasts; tr. by Margaret Sayers Peden. HarperCollins, 2002. Gr. 7-12
Leaving his ailing mother and family behind, fifteen-year-old Alex embarks on a magical-realism quest through the Amazon with his adventuring magazine-reporter grandmother, seeking a mythical beast. (BCCB 2/03)
Alvarez, Julia. Before We Were Free. Knopf, 2002. Gr. 7-10
Companion to Alvarez's adult book How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, here a twelve-year old witnesses her extended family's flight from the Dominican Republic after their involvement in a plot to overthrow the country's leader. (BCCB 11/02)
Cameron, Ann. Colibrí. Foster/Farrar, 2003. Gr. 6-10
Rosa betrays her caretaker-conman uncle and reveals to a priest her uncle's scheme to steal from the church, hoping to return to her Mayan family and a life under her real name, Tzunún. (BCCB 10/03)
Carlson, Lori M., ed. Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States. Holt, 1994. Gr. 5-8
Lyrical poems in English and Spanish recount stories of happiness, struggle, differences, survival, and identity by Latinos in the U.S. (BCCB 9/94)
Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. Arte Público, 1984. Gr. 7 up
Vignettes capture the story of Esperanza and her siblings, who reside and search for beauty in an often harsh Hispanic Chicago neighborhood.
Cofer, Judith Ortiz. An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio. Kroupa/Orchard, 1995. Gr. 7-12
The lives of Chicano teenagers in a New Jersey barrio are explored through twelve short stories that showcase the adolescents' coming of age and developing sense of identity-personal and cultural. (BCCB 4/95)
Jiménez, Francisco. Breaking Through. Houghton, 2001. Gr. 6-10
An autobiographical account of a young Mexican immigrant's experiences as he and his family struggle to survive and be accepted in the United States. (BCCB 1/02)
Martinez, Victor. Parrot in the Oven: mi vida. Cotler/HarperCollins, 1996. Gr. 9-12
A gritty, intimate look inside a young Mexican American's choices as he teeters on the brink of adulthood, juggling his troubled family, impending gang initiation, and desire for acceptance. (BCCB 12/96)
Osa, Nancy. Cuba 15. Delacorte, 2003. Gr. 7-10
Planning a quinceañero is the last of Violet Paz's priorities, especially since she assumes it will be awash with traditions she cares little about, but she soon comes to appreciate her Cuban heritage. (BCCB 9/03)
Polikoff, Barbara Garland. Why Does the Coquí Sing? Holiday House, 2004. Gr. 6-8
Puerto Rico is the land of Chicagoan Luz Sorrento's ancestors, but it is not her home, even if she is being forced to move there. Only through her family will she love her second homeland. (BCCB 6/04)
Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Sammy & Juliana in Hollywood. Cinco Puntos, 2004. Gr. 9-12
In the troubled barrio of Hollywood, New Mexico, tragedy is commonplace for teens like Sammy Santos, whose girlfriend was murdered by her father. Set in the turmoil of the Vietnam era, this story gives a close-up view of Sammy's world. (BCCB 9/04)
Saldaña, Jr., René. Finding Our Way: Stories. Lamb, 2003. Gr. 7-10
Latino teens coming of age are featured in eleven unique and moving stories from the author of The Jumping Tree. (BCCB 4/03)
Soto, Gary. The Afterlife. Harcourt, 2003. Gr. 6-10
Chuy, a Fresno, California, teenager, is knifed for checking out another guy's shoes, and his ghost travels through the city for a last revisiting after his death. (BCCB 10/03)
Stavans, Ilan, comp. Wáchale!: Poetry and Prose about Growing Up Latino in America. Marcato/Cricket, 2001. Gr. 7-10
A collection of poems and stories by well-known Latino authors, peppered with Spanglish, portray the experiences of young Latinos in the U.S. (BCCB 2/02)

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