Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin

Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin Written and Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh Two young cousins correspond comparing and contrasting their lives in rural Mexico and the urban United States.

Who will I be, lord? Written by VaundaMicheaux Nelson and Illustrated by Sean Qualls Thinking about what adults she knows do for a living, a young African American girl ponders her own future with the repeated refrain, “What will I be, Lord? What will I be?” Many types of work and many kinds of choices are treated with respect and dignity in this lively narrative

Flabbersmashed about you Written by Rachel Vail and illustrated by YumiHeo An inter-racial friendship is threatened by a “betrayal” and a rollercoaster of emotions plays out.

h. o. r. s. e Written and illustrated by Christopher Myers The amazingly talented son of Walter Dean Myers is both author and illustrator in this imaginative exploration of the traditional hoops challenge between two African-American boys.

Back to front and upside down Written and illustrated by Claire Alexander Stan is excited about making a birthday card for his principal, Mr. Slippers, until he discovers that he has to write a message. For him, letters come out back to front and upside down. Stan learns that asking for help, a little coaching, and a lot of practice make for success.

The one and only ivan Written by Catherine Applegate A silverback gorilla changes the way we think of animals and ourselves as he serves as our unusual narrator for this story of his evolution. 2013 Winner of the Newberry Award.

bait Written by Alex Sanchez After Diego lands himself on probation for fighting, he doesn’t trust his probation officer, Mr. Vidas. But as he begins to open up, Diego realizes that he needs Mr. Vidas’s help to get his anger under control. To do that, Diego will need to face the nightmares from his past head-on and confront the memories he’s been avoiding.

Chavela and the magic bubble Written by Monica Brown and Illustrated by Magaly Morales A young Mexican-American girl, loves chewing chicle (gum), and is exceptionally good at blowing bubbles with it. She discovers a new kind of gum that once it is chewed, allows her to float. The gum glides her all the way to Mexico where she meets chicleros (gum collectors), who are extracting chicle from sapodilla trees, and a girl, who mysteriously reminds her of her grandmother.

Cora cooks pancit Written by Dorina K. Lazlo Gilmore and Illustrated by Kristi Valiant Cora loves being in the kitchen, but she always gets stuck doing the kid jobs like licking the spoon. One day, however, when her older sisters and brother head out, Cora finally gets the chance to be Mama's assistant chef in celebrating their Filipino heritage.

One crazy summer By Rita Williams-Garcia Set during a pivotal moment in African American history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a reluctant parent’s love.

He forgot to say goodbye Written by Benjamin Alire Saenz Two unlikely protagonists, one Anglo and one Mexican-American, one rich and one poor, share a similarity that binds them together: fathers who walked out on them.

Each Kindness Written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E. B. Lewis A young African-American girl is left feeling regret for kindnesses undone, but her life is surely change.

Will grayson, will grayson Written by John Green and David Levithan On a cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, Will Grayson crosses paths with. . .Will Grayson. Two teens with the same name, running in two different circles, suddenly find their lives going in new and unexpected directions.

Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from darkness into LIght Written by Tim Tingle and Illustrated by Karen Clarkson The old and contemporary are explored through generations of a Choctaw family who moves from the Choctaw reservation in Oklahoma to Pasadena, TX.

lockdown By Walter Dean Myers Myers takes readers inside of a juvenile detention center in this gritty novel about a 14 year old attempting to turn his life around.

Rene has two last names/renetiene dos apellidos Written by Rene ColatoLainez and Illustrated by FabiolaGraullera Ramirez Rene sets out to teach his classmates about the Latino cultural tradition of using both parents’ names rather than just one, in response to his teacher shortening his name to label his desk.

Me and momma and big john Written by Mara Rockliff and Illustrated by William Low A young African-American boy learns to see the “artistry” in his mother’s job as a stonecutter.

Dante and aristotle discover the secrets of the universe Written by Benjamin AlireSae’nz A universal story told from an incredibly specific cultural viewpoint, this tale of two Mexican-American boys on the threshold of manhood is exhilarating as it embraces geography, cultural identity and sexuality.

My abuelita Written by Tony Johnston and Illustrated by Yuyi Morales The strong and loving bond between this flamboyant and robust grandmother and her grandchild is lovingly explored through their daily routines.

Teacakes for tosh Written by Kelly Starling Lyons and Illustrated by E. B. Lewis The loving relationship between African-American Tosh and his aging grandma provides both a reassuring snapshot of a family dealing with a common concern of aging, as well an enduring family history traveling through the generations.

Muchacho Written by Louanne Johnson Eddie Corazon, a New Mexico teen, is labeled a delinquent but shows incredible insight into his life and surroundings in this story of a teen’s struggles at home, in school and with friends.

Marcelo in the real world Written by Francisco X Stork 17 year old, Marcelo’s (on the high functioning end of the autism spectrum) summer takes a drastic shift away from his original plans caring for the ponies at his private school for students with disabilities, when his father forces him to take a job in the mailroom of his law office. His father wants him to be prepared for “the real world.”

Confetti girl Written by Diana Lopez Sixth grader, Lina Flores, deals with a host of problems and challenges in this light-hearted gem grounded in traditional Mexican-American culture.

Braids/trencitas Written by Kathleen Contreras and Illustrated by Margaret Lindmark Isabela’sabuelita weaves colorful stories as she weaves her hair, encouraging her to write stories of her own. Using the traditional Mexican bingo game la loteria, she teachs her beloved illiterate grandmother to read.

Return to sender Written by Julia Alvarez The relationship between two friends: one, a VT farm kid and another, a young Mexican girl, transforms both of their lives.

Auntie yang’s soybean picnic Written by Ginnie Lo and illustrated by Beth Lo A young Chinese American girl remembers the discovery of soybeans by her Auntie Yang’s home in Northern Illinois and the family tradition that resulted.

Gringolandia Written by Lyn Miller-Lachmann The young protagonist’s family flees Chile for Wisconsin in 1980, leaving their father behind. Through a girlfriend, Daniel begins to learn about Chile and his father’s past

Stars in the forest Written by Laura Resau Zitally, meaning star in the Nahuatl language, deals with the deportation of her father back to Mexico by nursing a dog back to health.

How tialola learned to teach Written by Julia Alvarez The second in a wonderful series, Dominican Tia Lola becomes an integral part of a school’s community as a temporary Spanish teacher

Grandma’s gift Written and Illustrated by Eric Velasquez Based on the artist/author’s life, a young boy and his grandmother share the paintings of Juan de Pareja in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

From North to South/Del norte al sur Written by Rene ColatoLainez and Illustrated by Joe Cepeda A young boy travels with his father from San Diego to Tijuana to visit his mother, recently deported to Mexico.

Big Red Lollipop Written by Ruckshana Khan and Illustrated by Sophie Blackall An immigrant Muslim family that doesn’t celebrate birthdays confronts a cultural practice of including younger siblings in invitations to birthday parties to one daughter’s embarrassment.

Under the Mesquite Written by Guadalupe Garcia McCall Growing up in a bicultural community in Texas, 14-year old Lupita deals with her mother’s terminal illness surrounded by her seven siblings embracing and discarding their Mexican roots in varying degrees.

Maximilian and the mystery of the guardian angel: a bilingual lucalibre thriller Written by Xavier Garza An 11 year old Mexican American boy discovers that his favorite Luca Libre wrestler is coming to town and might have a strange connection to his own family.

These hands Written by Margaret H. Mason and Illustrated by Floyd Cooper An African American grandfather tells his grandson about his own accomplishments and struggles while teaching the boy new things in an engaging picture book that gracefully traverses personal and social history

Marisol mcdonald doesn’t match/marisolMcdonald no combina Written by Monica and illustrated by Sara Palacios Bright and vivacious Marisol, a Peruvian-Scottish-American girl loves peanut butter and jelly burritos and speaks both English and Spanish. Unfortunately her teacher and classmates don’t especially appreciate her mashing of cultures

Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin