National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated Sept. 15-Oct. 15 each year. One way to celebrate is to read Hispanic fiction, and we have a great list for you!
Adult Fiction
Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo
Flor has a unique gift – she knows the day when someone is going to die. When she brings her family together for a living wake, no one knows whose death she has foretold. The book tells the stories of Flor, her sisters Matilde, Pastora, and Camila, and her nieces Ona and Yadi, and the love the sisters, aunts, cousins and nieces share.
The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro
Alejandra is fighting a darkness that no one else can see. She is haunted by La Llorona, who is a Mexican folk legend. La Llorona wanders near sources of water in a torn white dress, trying to save her children, whom she murdered after finding out her husband was cheating on her.
Alejandra learns that generations of women in her family have been haunted by La Llorona, and she won’t give up until she’s dragged Alejandra into the depths, like her ancestors. But Alejandra is strong, and she will call on that strength to banish La Llorona forever.
Juvenile Fiction
Felice and the Wailing Woman by Diana Lopez
A lighter read about La Llorona is the middle grade book, Felice and the Wailing Woman.
When Felice learns she is the daughter of La Llorona, she goes to the magical town of Tres Leches, on the US/Mexico border, to help her mother move on to the afterworld. She meets the children of over folktale legends as well, and they band together to free the town from the curses that plague it.
Pack Your Bags, Maggie Diaz by Nina Moreno
Maggie is killing 7th grade. But when her close-knit group of three starts to fall apart, what should she do? Julian has a crush on a girl, and asks her to the dance. Zoey is so stressed, she is in danger of losing her straight-A streak. And Maggie can’t stop thinking about Eerie Eddie. The school trip is coming up, and she isn’t sure where she fits or with whom.
Young Adult Fiction
Julieta and the Romeos by Maria E. Andreu
Julieta’s summer creative writing teacher encourages them to publish their works online. She is surprised when her rom-com has a new contributor, Happily Ever Drafter. She wasn’t looking for love, but now there are three boys in her life that are tempting – her best friend’s brother, the boy next door and her oldest friend. Are one of them her mysterious contributor? Will her story and her life end happily ever after?
The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila
Yolanda is a senior in high school, flirting with Jose and hanging out with her best friend Victory. She is waiting to be initiated into the family bruja tradition. But when she is, she starts to have troubling visions of the new white boy at her school. Can she figure out what these visions mean, and save her community? Maybe, with the help of her ancestors and guides, the Brujas Diosas, and the support of her friends and family.
The Weight of Everything by Marcia Argueta Mickleson
Sarah’s mom died just six months ago, and she is trying to keep her family together, while adjusting to life at the local public school, instead of the fine arts boarding school she had been attending. Her father is falling apart – drinking, spending money, and neglecting her younger brother, who needs him. The only art she’s doing are things she can sell online to help support her family. She is assigned a project at school that has her exploring her mother’s Mexican and Guatemalan roots, which leads to her finding out things about her mother’s history she never knew. She realizes she must voice the pain she is feeling, and she can’t do it alone.
All of these books, plus many more, are available for checkout through Alamance County Public Libraries! Come ask any of our staff for their recommendations!
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. You can reach her at madams@alamancelibraries.org or 336-570-6981.