Latino Voices for Young Adults

See also: Bibliografia en Espanol Para Los Adultos Jovenes

Alegria, Malin. Estrella's Quinceañera. 2006. (YA Fiction Alegr.M)

In this touching debut novel, Estrella Alvarez is about to turn 15, and there's nothing her meddling mother and Tia Lucky want more than to throw her a gaudy "quinceanera"--a party that Estrella would rather avoid. (MS, HS)

 

 

Alvarez, Julia. Before We Were Free. 2004. (YA Fiction Alvar.J)

Anita de la Torre never questioned her freedom living in the Dominican Republic. But by her 12th birthday in 1960, most of her relatives have emigrated to the United States, her Tio Toni has disappeared without a trace, and the government's secret police terrorize her remaining family because of their suspected opposition of el Trujillo's dictatorship. Using the strength and courage of her family, Anita must overcome her fears and fly to freedom, leaving all that she once knew behind. From renowned author Julia Alvarez comes an unforgettable story about adolescence, perseverance, and one girl's struggle to be free.

 

 

Cameron, Ann. Colibrí. 2003. (YA Fiction & YA Spanish Fiction Camer.A)

She was little and quick and pretty. Her mother nicknamed her Colibri; , Spanish for "Hummingbird." At age four she was kidnapped, torn from her parents on a crowded bus in Guatemala City. Since then, she's traveled with "Uncle," the ex-soldier and wandering beggar who has renamed her Rosa. Uncle has always told Rosa that he searched for his parents but had no success. There's almost no chance Rosa will ever find them--but Rosa still remembers and longs for them.

 

Canales, Viola. The Tequila Worm. 2005. (YA Fiction J Canal.V)

Sofia comes from a family of storytellers. Here are her tales of growing up in the barrio, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions: making Easter "cascarones," celebrating "el Dia de los Muertos, "preparing for "quinceanera, "rejoicing in the Christmas "nacimiento," and curing homesickness by eating the tequila worm. When Sofia is singled out to receive a scholarship to an elite boarding school, she longs to explore life beyond the barrio, even though it means leaving her family to navigate a strange world of rich, privileged kids. It's a different "mundo," but one where Sofia's traditions take on new meaning and illuminate her path. (MS)

 

Cisneros, Sandra. The House On Mango Street. 2001. (YA Fiction Cisne.S & CD Fiction Cisne.S)

Esperanza's life growing up in Chicago is told through a series of stories and observations about seemingly ordinary people, things, and events.

 

 

 

 

Peña, Matt de la. Mexican Whiteboy. 2008. (YA Fiction Pena.M)

Sixteen-year-old Danny searches for his identity amidst the confusion of being half-Mexican and half-white while spending a summer with his cousin and new friends on the baseball fields and back alleys of San Diego County, California.

 

 

Dole, Mayra L. Down To The Bone. 2008. (YA Fiction Dole.M)

Laura, a seventeen-year-old Cuban American girl, is thrown out of her house when her mother discovers she is a lesbian, but after trying to change her heart and hide from the truth, Laura finally comes to terms with who she is and learns to love and respect herself.

 

 

 

Gill, David Macinnis. Soul Enchilada. 2009. (YA Fiction Gill.D)

When, after a demon appears to repossess her car, she discovers that both the car and her soul were given as collateral in a deal made with the Devil by her irascible grandfather, eighteen-year-old Bug Smoot, given two-days' grace, tries to find ways to outsmart the Devil and his minions.

 

 

 

Haycak, Cara. Red Palms. 2004. (YA Fiction Hayca.C)

When fourteen-year-old Benita's wealthy family goes bankrupt as a result of the Depression, they go from their luxurious life in Guayaquil, Ecuador to an island, with the wild scheme of starting a coconut plantation.

 

 

 

 

Herrera, Juan Felipe. Cinnamon Girl : Letters Found Inside A Cereal Box. 2005. (YA Fiction Herre.J)

Yolanda, a Puerto Rican girl, tries to come to terms with her painful past as she waits to see if her uncle recovers from injuries he suffered when the towers collapsed on September 11, 2001.

 

 

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