Hispanic Heritage Month

"Today, little Jesús has a big job to do. He's helping Papá at work, and he's in charge of the water jug -- which is also a magical clock! When it's empty, Papá explains, the workday is done. But what about all these thirsty animals? Soon, the water is gone, but the day is not over yet. Will Jesús be fired?! Or is the jug not really magical after all." -- page [2] of cover.

In The Worry Balloon, a thoughtful and reassuring picture book, Monica Mancillas's text and Betty C. Tang's illustrations show how one child experiences anxiety and worry, providing different tools to practice mindfulness and strengthen one's mental health.

A young boy bonds with his beloved abuela over a love of Spanish.

When Aurora came to America, she learned to speak English. But not her spaniel, Nena. As Aurora explains to her friends she meets along the way, her dog just knows Spanish. Nena doesn't know "sit," but she knows "sientate." And she doesn't know "wait," but she know "espera." And a "treat" might not mean anything to Nena, but she sure can sniff out a "postre"!

In the 1970s Bronx, Manolo, a shy Puerto Rican boy, overcomes his fears and insecurities to become part of a new innovative dance style called breaking.

"Co-quí, co-quí! The coquí frogs sing to Elena from her family's beloved mango tree--their calls so familiar that they might as well be singing, "You are home, you are safe." But home is suddenly not safe when a hurricane threatens to destroy everything that Elena knows"--

"Lola was just a baby when her family left the Island, so when she has to draw it for a school assignment, she asks her family, friends, and neighbors about their memories of her homeland ... and in the process, comes up with a new way of understanding her own heritage"--

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he's seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for...

Enjoying days spent with animal friends near her home in the Amazon, young Zonia wonders what to do on a day when the rainforest calls out to her for help, in a lushly illustrated story that is complemented by back matter about the Asháninka community.

When Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela asks her father why she has so many names, she hears the story of her name and learns about her grandparents.