Topics in the Youth Collection

A child confronts conflicting feelings of embarrassment and love for her Mexican abuela in this moving, personal story from Newbery- and Pura Belpré Award-winning author Donna Barba Higuera My abuela wears an old yellow handkerchief that her grandmother gave to her. I don't like the yellow handkerchief. When a young girl feels ashamed of her family for being "different" and subconsciously blames her abuela, she gradually grows to not only accept but also love the yellow handkerchief that represents a language and culture that once brought embarrassment. Inspired by the personal experiences of award-winning author Donna Barba Higuera and expressively illustrated by Cynthia Alonso, The Yellow Handkerchief is a lyrical, honest, and intimate intergenerational story about embracing who we are, where we come from, and the people who shape us.

Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.

Two girls in Bolivia, with a passion for wrestling, beat the odds in this new empowering picture book Noelia and Wara are two girls who live in the city of El Alto, Bolivia. Wrestling is their passion. They are often told that "wrestling is for boys." But despite this resistance, every Sunday they proudly put on the traditional costume of the Cholitas, the Aymara women of Bolivia, and head to the ring, where they would fight with courage and defy all the odds stacked against them. The stories told in the Against All Odds picture book series are true stories of brave boys and girls from different parts of the world, who, with their small everyday actions, beat the odds and achieve something great. The series is intended to promote diversity and acceptance by exposing children to kids' stories from faraway places facing unique situations or overcoming prejudice.

In the pueblo of Palenque in Colombia, hardly anybody knows how to read. Curious about the letters her older sister Gina receives from a young doctor each month--letters that she is sure contain promises of love--one young girl makes a decision that will change her life, and the lives of every child in the pueblo, forever.With the help of Señor Velandia, the owner of the village shop, she will slowly unlock the letters of the alphabet and discover the magic of reading. And soon she will make a discovery that is more miraculous still--that letters are literally all around her.

A festive nochebuena treat for little ones who believe in the magic of Christmas (and the deliciousness of cake)! On the night before Christmas, a spark of magic lights up Lita's Pastelería, and Esperanza Caramelo blinks open her eyes. Esperanza is a spun-sugar ornament, meant to sit atop the Nochebuena cake--but tonight she whirls through the bakery, singing and dancing, throwing a fiesta with all the other ornaments until . . . disaster strikes!  Can the cake be saved in time for Christmas? The clock is ticking, but on Nochebuena, anything is possible--and Esperanza never gives up hope.

From New York Times bestselling, Pura Belpré Award-winning author-illustrator Raúl the Third, ¡Vamos! Let's Go Read follows Little Lobo and friends as they explore their library's Libro Love Book Festival in this paper-over-board picture book from the World of ¡Vamos! Little Lobo and his friends are excited for the out-of-this-world book festival the Guadalupian Library hosts every year! Everyone has a special book they're looking for, but there's so much to see and do first. From cookbook demonstrations and comics workshops to mask making and language classes, this library has something for everyone. Can Little Lobo, Bernabé, Kooky Dooky, Coco Rocho, and La Chida each find the book of their dreams? Full of easy-to-remember Spanish vocabulary and packed with fun details, this colorful celebration of books, libraries, and all forms of reading will bring joy to young bookworms everywhere!

A delightful meal with a big extended family becomes a free-for-all when one particularly excitable baby joins the fun. Family dinner, set the table, Forks and spoons and napkins too, Knives and plates and water glasses, Flowers, placemats, white and blue. Wait a minute, where's the baby? Someone's playing peek-a-boo! What does it take to make a perfect family meal? Is it the forks, spoons, plates, and napkins? Maybe it's sister's lemonade, Papi's guacamole, or delicious meatballs and ravioli eyed by a hungry pup. When it's time to sit down and dig in, there's one thing everybody agrees they need to do, "Baby, baby, pass the baby!" This rollicking, rhyming picture book about one (rather large) diverse family dinner table captures the buzz and hum of a shared meal, with one adorably excitable baby at its center, eager to join the fun. With Pass the Baby, author Susanna Reich imbues her text with an undercurrent of harmony, warmth and inclusivity, complimented by ebullient illustrations by Raúl Colón.

Count up to ten in this bilingual picture book celebrating Día de Muertos / Day of the Dead from award-winning author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh From award-winning and beloved author-illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes this celebratory bilingual picture book centering on a Día de Muertos ofrenda (Day of the Dead altar), constructed annually to honor the memory and welcome the spirit of a loved one. The book uses a counting structure, from one to ten, to focus on family members and their offerings, with a double-gatefold finale that opens to reveal the family gathered around the fully decorated ofrenda with all of their offerings. Included at the back of the book is a brief author's note that lends additional context on the holiday. Cuenta hasta diez y celebra el Día de Muertos / Day of the Dead con este libro ilustrado bilingüe del galardonado autor-ilustrador Duncan Tonatiuh Este festivo libro ilustrado bilingüe del galardonado y querido autor-ilustrador Duncan Tonatiuh se centra en un altar del Día de Muertos, construido anualmente para honrar la memoria y recibir al espíritu de un ser amado. El libro, con una estructura que cuenta del uno al diez, se enfoca en los miembros de una familia y sus ofrendas. El gran final incluye paginas dobles despegables que revelan a la familia alrededor del altar decorado con todas las ofrendas. Al termino de la historia hay una breve nota del autor que ofrece mas información acerca de la festividad.

A heartwarming picture book about a young girl on her first trip to visit family in Mexico, who learns there is no language barrier when it comes to love--from debut author Mónica Mancillas and rising star illustrator Erika Meza. Perfect for fans of Where Are You From? and Mango, Abuela, and Me. Mariana is visiting her abuelita and extended family in Mexico for the first time. Her tummy does a flip as she and Mami cross the frontera. There are all new sights, smells, and sounds. And at Abuelita's house, Mariana is overwhelmed by new faces and Spanish phrases she doesn't understand. But with a story, some kindness, and a few new words from Abuelita, Mariana discovers that the love of family knows no cultural divide.

A hilarious holiday tale about the highs and lows of eating one very special Three Kings Day dessert: the Rosca de Reyes, a sweet bread with a figurine of the baby Jesus hidden inside! Marta is finally old enough for her own slice of the special, sneaky dessert she loves so much--la Rosca de Reyes. The colorful crown of sweet bread is so tempting, but Marta knows the truth--there's a baby hiding in the dessert: el Niño Dios. Marta can't help but wonder what will happen if she accidentally eats the little figurine of baby Jesus.  Suddenly, Marta will do whatever it takes to avoid picking the last slice of la rosca--no matter how badly she wants a bite! This humorous story of one girl's journey to overcome her fears explores the traditions of Three Kings Day and the importance of family and faith.