Celebrate Hispanic heritage month with children's books

September 15, 8:25 AMChildren's Books ExaminerLori Calabrese

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Beginning today, students across the United States are celebrating Hispanic Heritage month. The first formal recognition of Hispanic Heritage was made by Congress in 1968. Originally designated as the week of Sept. 15, the celebration was centered around the Independence Days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, which are celebrated on Sept. 15, and Mexico, which is celebrated on Sept. 16. In 1988, the celebration was extended to 31 days, beginning on Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 15. It now includes Chile’s Independence Day (Sept. 18) and el Dia de la Raza, or the Hispanic celebration of Columbus Day (Oct. 12).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 44 million people in the United States are of Hispanic origin. That's why it's important to teach students about the ethnic diversity in our country and expose them to world traditions. National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates people of various different races, from more than 20 different nations around the world who share a related cultural and ethnic heritage.

Books to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month:

Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! Americas' Sproutings by Pat Mora (ages 4-8)
Yum is right! This is a wonderful introduction to 14 types of native foods of the Americas. Mora uses both English and a little bit of Spanish to give us info on peanuts, blueberries, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and more. A haiku is written about each and the stunning artwork is fun and appealing.

Abuela (English Edition with Spanish Phrases) (Picture Puffins) by Arthur Dorros (ages 4-8)
Imagine flying over New York City with your much loved abuela. The young girl in this fun fantasy, Rosalba, does just that! Dorros uses a perfect mix of English and Spanish to describe their journey above Manhattan streets all the way to Rosalba's father's office. (Available in both English and Spanish).

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet In Spanish And English (Spanish Edition) by Alma Flor Ada (ages 9-12)
This fun alphabet book matches each letter to a Spanish word and includes brief poems that explore rural life in Mexico. From A to Z, the book celebrates Mexican heritage and the beautiful illustrations do a wonderful job of showing the plight of migrant farm workers.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull (ages 4-8)
The life of Cesar Chavez is told in this beautiful picture book. Follow along as Chavez organizes his 340-mile march to better the lives of migrant workers. The text and illustrations compliment each other and will draw young readers into this well-told biography.

Love To Mama: A Tribute To Mothers by Pat Mora (ages 4-8)
A book that celebrates moms! This is a beautiful anthology of thirteen poems written to celebrate Latina women and the love, joy, and support of moms. Most of the authors sprinkle a little Spanish throughout and include an easy to read glossary with a pronunciation key.

My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia (Bilingual): The Life of Celia Cruz/la vida de Celia Cruz (Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature. Winner (Awards)) by Monica Brown (ages 9-12)
This picture book biography introduces young readers to the life and music of the famous Hispanic singer, Celia Cruz. Follow Celia Cruz's life as she becomes a well-known singer in her homeland of Cuba, then moves to New York City and Miami where she and others create a new type of music called salsa.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan (ages 9-12)
This wonderful novel is based on the life of the author's grandmother. Instead of celebrating her 13th birthday in Mexico as she imagined, Esperanza is forced to assimilate to a new way of life when her father is murdered, moving to the United States to become a farm worker in California.

Additional Resources:

*A History of Hispanic Heritage (American Federation of Teachers)
*An introduction to Hispanic Heritage Month (Fact Monster)
*Celebrate Hispanic Heritage (Scholastic)
*Celebrate Hispanic Heriatge (Education World)
*Visit ColorinColorado.org for more reading ideas, games, activities, and fun related to Hispanic Heritage month.
*Hispanic Heritage Teaching Resources (Smithsonian)
*Download this illustrative poster from the American Federation of Teachers. It depicts the many contributions of Hispanic Americans, and includes suggested classroom activities (PreK-12) for celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.