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The Aguero Sisters
by Cristina GarcíaWhen Cristina García's first novel, Dreaming in Cuban, was published in 1992, The New York Times called the author "a magical new writer...completely original." The book was nominated for a National Book Award, and reviewers everywhere praised it for the richness of its prose, the vivid drama of the narrative, and the dazzling illumination it brought to bear on the intricacies of family life in general and the Cuban American family in particular. Now, with The Agüero Sisters, García gives us her widely anticipated new novel. Large, vibrant, resonant with image and emotion, it tells a mesmerizing story about the power of family myth to mask, transform, and, finally, reveal the truth.It is the story of Reina and Constancia Agüero, Cuban sisters who have been estranged for thirty years. Reina, forty-eight years old, living in Cuba in the early 1990s, was once a devoted daughter of la revolución; Constancia, an eager to assimilate naturalized American, smuggled herself off the island in 1962. Reina is tall, darkly beautiful, unmarried, and magnetically sexual, a master electrician who is known as Compañera Amazona among her countless male suitors, and who basks in the admiration she receives in her trade and in her bed. Constancia is petite, perfectly put together, pale skinned, an inspirationally successful yet modest cosmetics saleswoman, long resigned to her passionless marriage. Reina believes in only what she can grasp with her five senses; Constancia believes in miracles that "arrive every day from the succulent edge of disaster." Reina lives surrounded by their father's belongings, the tangible remains of her childhood; Constancia has inherited only a startling resemblance to their mother--the mysterious Blanca--which she wears like an unwanted mask.The sisters' stories are braided with the voice from the past of their father, Ignacio, a renowned naturalist whose chronicling of Cuba's dying species mirrored his own sad inability to prevent familial tragedy. It is in the memories of their parents--dead many years but still powerfully present--that the sisters' lives have remained inextricably bound. Tireless scientists, Ignacio and Blanca understood the perfect truth of the language of nature, but never learned to speak it in their own tongue. What they left their daughters--the picture of a dark and uncertain history sifted with half-truths and pure lies--is the burden and the gift the two women struggle with as they move unknowingly toward reunion. And during that movement, as their stories unfurl and intertwine with those of their children, their lovers and husbands, their parents, we see the expression and effect of the passions, humor, and desires that both define their differences and shape their fierce attachment to each other and to their discordant past.The Agüero Sisters is clear confirmation of Cristina García's standing in the front ranks of new American fiction.From the Hardcover edition.
Alicia Alonso
by Sandra Martin ArnoldA biography of the Cuban ballerina who founded her own ballet school and company, performed with the Ballet Russe, and continued to dance even after she lost her sight.
Amelia's Road
by Linda Jacobs AltmanTired of moving around so much, Amelia, the daughter of migrant farm workers, dreams of a stable home.
America Is Her Name
by Luis J. RodriguezSet in the Pilsen barrio of Chicago, this children's picture book gives a heartwarming message of hope. The heroine, America, is a primary school student who is unhappy in school until a poet visits the class and inspires the students to express themselves creatively -- in Spanish or English. America Is Her Name emphasizes the power of individual creativity in overcoming a difficult environment and establishing self-worth and identity through the young girl America's desire and determination to be a writer. This story deals realistically with the problems in urban neighborhoods and has an upbeat theme: you can succeed in spite of the odds against you. Carlos Vazquez's inspired four-color illustrations give a vivid sense of the barrio, as well as the beauty and strength of the young girl America. Luis J. Rodriguez grew up in Watts and East L.A. His bestselling memoir about gang life, Always Running (now available in paperback in both English and Spanish from Touchstone Books), won the Carl Sandburg Award. His Poems Across the Pavement (Tia Chucha Press) won the Poetry Center Book Award from San Francisco State University, and his poetry collection, The Concrete River was awarded the 1991 PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award for Poetry. Mr. Rodriguez has worked extensively with gang members to guide them in positive directions, and he is frequently featured as a keynote speaker or guest poet at national conferences and cultural centers. Rodriguez explores the Chicano experience with an unrelenting, socially conscious eye that moved Larry Weintraub of the Chicago Sun-Times to call him a poet "we need to hear." Illustrator Carlos Vazquez was born in Mexico, studied physics and art, and now teaches in adult education programs in New York City. This book is also available in a Spanish language edition as La llaman America translated by Tino Villanueva.
Barrio
by George AnconaWelcome to José's neighborhood. In his barrio, people speak an easy mix of Spanish and English and sometimes even Chinese. The masked revelry of Halloween leads into the festive remembrances of the Day of the Dead. And murals on the walls and buildings sing out the stories of the people who live here. As familiar as any neighborhood yet as strange as a foreign country, Jose's barrio isn't in Mexico or Argentina--it's in San Francisco. Award-winning author and photographer George Ancona follows José through a season in the barrio, and in the process gives readers a glimpse of a community as rich and varied as America itself.
Baseball in the Barrios
by Henry HorensteinJoin nine-year-old Hubaldo Romero Páez in Venezuela as he introduces his friends, his family, and his favorite sport -- baseball. Complemented by a map and an English-Spanish baseball glossary, Hubaldo's story is an inviting introduction to a foreign land viewed through the lens of a shared passion.
Beisbol en los Barrios
by Henry HorensteinHubaldo Antonio Romero Páez nos presenta a su familia, a su país y, más importante, a su deporte preferido, el béisbol. El libro consciene una carta y un glosario inglés-espavol sobre el beisbol. [The Spanish-language edition of Baseball in the Barrios. Join nine-year-old Hubaldo Romero Paacute in Venezuela as he introduces his friends, his family, and his favorite sport--baseball. Complemented by a map and an English-Spanish baseball glossary, Hubaldo's story is an inviting introduction to a foreign land viewed through the lens of a shared passion.]
Beisbol! Latino Baseball Pioneers and Legends
by Jonah WinterThis tribute to 14 Latino baseball legends, designed like a collection of baseball cards, features portraits and profiles of some of the sport's greatest players from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic.
¡Béisbol! Pioneros y leyendas del béisbol latino
by Jonah Winter and Enrique Del RiscoBéisbol es muy popular en América Latina y muchos de los mejores jugadores del deporte crecían sur de la frontera. Este libro hace reseñas biográficas de catorce de estas gran estrellas quienes jugaban desde 1900 a las 1960s. El libro se inspiró en las tarjetas tradicionales de béisbol y contiene estadísticas y anécdotas sobre catorce jugadores pioneros latinos. Empezó con Dolf Luque, el lanzador cubano quien era el primero estrello latinoamericano en las ligas mayores, y terminó con Roberto Clemente, el legendario jardinero puertorriqueño de los 1950s y los 1960s. Béisbol! también cuenta los desafíos de ser un jugador latino y como estos jugadores contribuyeron a la historia de béisbol. Será una adquisición bienvenida a cualquier colección sobre béisbol. School Library Journal
Bless Me, Ultima
by Rudolfo AnayaThis coming-of-age classic from "one of the nation's foremost Chicano literary artists" follows a young boy as he questions his faith and beliefs after a curandera woman introduces herbs and magic into his life (Denver Post). Antonio Marez is six years old when Ultima comes to stay with his family in New Mexico. She is a curandera, one who cures with herbs and magic. Under her wise wing, Tony will probe the family ties that bind and rend him, and he will discover himself in the magical secrets of the pagan past--a mythic legacy as palpable as the Catholicism of Latin America. And at each life turn there is Ultima, who delivered Tony into the world... and will nurture the birth of his soul.
Call Me Consuelo
by Ofelia Dumas LachtmanAfter suddenly being orphaned, twelve-year-old Consuelo reluctantly moves in with her American grandmother while hoping to return soon to her Mexican American family.
La casa en Mango Street
by Sandra Cisneros and Elena PoniatowskaLa casa en Mango Street es la historia de una chica que mueve a una casa nueva en Mango Street pero no quiere vivir en el barrio.
The Christmas Gift
by Claire B. Cotts and Francisco JiménezWith honesty and grace, award-winning author Francisco Jiménez shares his most poignant Christmas memory in this beautifully illustrated picture book. As Christmas approaches, Panchito can't wait to see what present he gets. But on Christmas Day, he is disappointed when all he gets is a bag of candy, until he sees the gift his father gives his mother. Panchito then realizes that gifts of the heart are the most precious of all.
Cien Años de Soledad
by Gabriel García Márquez1967. En Buenos Aires aparece la novela de un escritor colombiano de cuarenta años. No queda hoy lengua literaria a la que no haya sido traducida.
The Circuit
by Francisco JiménezThis is a collection of short stories based on the life of the author, Francisco Jiménez, while he was growing up as the son of a migrant farm worker in California.
Como agua para chocolate
by Laura EsquivelEarthy, magical, and utterly charming, this tale of family life in turn-of-the-century Mexico became a best-selling phenomenon with its winning blend of poignant romance and bittersweet wit. The classic love story takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother's womb, her daughter to be weeps so violently she causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef. She shares special points of her favorite preparations with listeners throughout the story.The Spanish language edition of the best-selling Like Water For Chocolate is a remarkable success in its own right. Now, in this mass market edition, thousands of new readers will be able to partake in the sumptuous, romantic, and hilarious tale of Tita, the terrific cook with an extra special something in her sauce.From the Paperback edition.
The Composition
by Antonio SkármetaIn a village in Chile, Pedro and Daniel are two typical nine-year-old boys. Up until Daniel's father gets arrested, their biggest worry had been how to improve their soccer skills. Now, they are thrust into a situation where they must grapple with the incomprehensible: dictatorship and its inherent abuses. "The Composition" is a winner of the Americas Award for Children's Literature and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award.
Con Mi Hermano / With My Brother
by Eileen RoePlaying catch together in the sunny park, putting colorful jigsaw puzzles together, and reading stories before bedtime--two brothers share all this and more. Soon, the younger boy will be going to school on the big yellow bus and playing baseball in the park on Saturdays like his older brother, but for now he dreams of these things and enjoys every moment they can spend together.
Esperanza Rising
by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Joe CepedaA reissue of Pam Munoz Ryan's bestselling backlist with a distinctive new author treatment. Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.
Family Pictures / Cuadros de Familia
by Carmen Lomas GarzaFamily Pictures is the story of Carmen Lomas Garza's girlhood: celebrating birthdays, making tamales, finding a hammerhead shark on the beach, picking cactus, going to a fair in Mexico, and confiding to her sister her dreams of becoming an artist.
These day-to-day experiences are told through fourteen vignettes of art and a descriptive narrative, each focusing on a different aspect of traditional Mexican American culture. The English-Spanish text and vivid illustrations reflect the author's strong sense of family and community. For Mexican Americans, Carmen Lomas Garza offers a book that reflects their lives and traditions. For others, this work offers insights into a beautifully rich community.
[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts for K-1 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Felita
by Nicholasa MohrThe everyday experiences of an eight-year-old Puerto Rican girl growing up in a close-knit, urban community.
Fitting In
by Anilú BernardoAnilu Bernardo's spunky Cuban-American protagonists navigate the uncertain waters of adolescence in Miami, and their lot is all that much harder as they juggle the traditional burdens of middle school and high school coupled with the stresses of living those burdens in a foreign culture. This edition includes a study guide.
The Forty-Third War
by Louise MoeriTwelve-year-old Uno is conscripted into the army of a revolutionary force in a Central American country that is fighting for its freedom.
Going Home
by Nicholasa MohrFeeling like an outsider when she visits her relatives in Puerto Rico for the first time, eleven-year-old Felita finds herself having to come to terms with the heritage she always took for granted.