Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with titles from our Stories from Latin America series!
Explore the Series
9 Kilometers
written by Claudio Aguilera, illus. by Gabriela Lyon, trans. by Lawrence Schimel
Each day, a boy walks nine kilometers (over five-and-a-half miles) through the mountains and rain forests of Chile to get to school in this story of resilience, equality, and the value of education.
⭐ Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A brilliantly illustrated account of an arduous—yet deeply rewarding—journey.”
⭐ School Library Journal (starred review)
“With an overarching message that education is well worth the walk, this book is recommended for all picture book collections.”
⭐ Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)
“Contemplating, per an end note, ‘the construction of a society in which education is a right and not a privilege,’ this is a narrative to encounter again and again.”
AWARDS:
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books List – PreK-2 (2024)
Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of the Year List (2023)
The New York Public Library Best Books for Kids List (2023)
Building an Orchestra of Hope
written by Carmen Oliver and illustrated by Luisa Uribe
In Cateura, Paraguay, a town built on a landfill, music teacher Favio Chávez recycles garbage to create instruments and start the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura.
Kirkus Reviews
“Like a dose of pure inspiration.”
AWARDS:
Arizona Library Association Grand Canyon Reader Award Nominee in Nonfiction (2025)
The Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award Recommended Reading List – Picture Book (2024)
Colorful Mondays: A Bookmobile Spreads Hope in Honduras
written by Nelson Rodríguez and Leonardo Agustín, illus. by Rosana Faría and Carla Tabora, trans. by Lawrence Schimel
A boy experiences colorful stories, songs, and joy when the bookmobile visits his Honduran neighborhood each Monday. Based on JustWorld International’s real-life bookmobile program in Tegucigalpa.
AWARDS:
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books List – PreK-2 (2024)
Skipping Stones Magazine Honor Award in Multicultural and International Books (2024)
Latin American Studies Program Américas Award Commended Title (2024)
BolognaFiere Group Bologna Children’s Book Fair (2024)
Bookstagang Picture Book Guild Best Book in Bookshelf Builders (2023)
Different: A Story of the Spanish Civil War
written by Mónica Montañés, illus. by Eva Sánchez Gómez, trans. by Lawrence Schimel
The fear, extremism, and aftermath of the Spanish Civil War are seen through the eyes of seven-year-old Socorro and nine-year-old Paco. Based on the author’s family history.
⭐ Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“The well-crafted narrative, nuanced art, and appended historical context combine for a salient, important work.”
⭐ School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)
“This solid, well-rounded work on an important era in Spain’s history will need some book-talking, but it admirably invites readers into an ordinary household to show the how small and large events take a toll on the lives of children.”
Mexique: A Refugee Story from the Spanish Civil War
written by María José Ferrada, illus. by Ana Penyas, trans. by Elisa Amado
The story of four hundred “children of Morelia” who fled to Mexico during the Spanish Civil War, expecting to return home in just a few months. Many never returned during Franco’s almost forty-year regime.
⭐ Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“Specific yet universal in its narration, this makes the refugee experience accessible to young readers.”
⭐ Foreword Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“. . . a potent reminder of an echoing historical crisis.”
Niños: Poems for the Lost Children of Chile
written by María José Ferrada, illus. by María Elena Valdez, trans. by Lawrence Schimel
Thirty-four poems pay tribute to the children who lost their lives during dictator Augusto Pinochet’s horrific rule of Chile.
⭐ School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)
“A heartfelt volume emphasizing innocence in the face of continuing political violence, this #OwnVoices work is a must-purchase for poetry collections.”
⭐ Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“A book to be read and remembered.”
On the Edge of the World
written and illus. by Anna Desnitskaya, trans. by Lena Traer
Vera and Lucas live with their families on opposite ends of the world, both longing for a friend. One evening, they head to the beach, blink their flashlights into the dark, and discover that the edge of the world isn’t so lonely after all.
⭐ School Library Journal (starred review)
“A tender and beautiful work about loneliness and yearning for connection. A modern classic.”
⭐ Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Beautifully drawn tête-bêche-style volume that offers two stories. . . . Evocative double portrait.”
AWARDS:
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books List – Grades 3-5 (2024)
The Children’s Book Council Teacher FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024)
Cooperative Children’s Book Center CCBC Choices List – Picture Books (2024)
The Young Teacher and the Great Serpent
written by Irene Vasco, illus. by Juan Palomino, trans. by Lawrence Schimel
A young teacher sets out for the Amazon rain forest, eager to share geography, science, and math with the remote community of Las Delicias. But the inhabitants soon teach her that books aren’t the only path to wisdom.
⭐ Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)
“Gracefully told…stunning illustrations…undeniably marvelous.”
AWARDS:
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books List – PreK-2 (2024)
The New York Times New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Books Award (2023)
Vermont Department of Libraries Red Clover List (2024-2025)
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