THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

     The Latina Book Club ends its week-long celebration of multicultural children's books and diverse books.  We hope you enjoy them and share them with your children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, et al.  Happy Reading.---mcf   "He listened to their voices welcoming him, speaking to him as brothers. A wave of mystical recognition swept over Diego. He felt weak at the knees with the discovery of his identity. It wasn't eve ry day a sixth grade boy found out he might be on a collision course with an unknown destiny." Crying Cougar Press Move over Toothless. There is a new dragon in town and his name is Magnifico! DIEGO'S DRAGON is magnificent, adventurous, and enchanting.   And, it won second place in Young Adult Fantasy at the 12th International Latino Book Awards in 2012. DIEGO'S DRAGON is Book 1 of the author's new fantasy/sci fi series starring a 10 year old Mexican boy named Diego and a surly dragon named Magnifico.   The author d

      Join The Latina Book Club is its week-long celebration of multicultural children's books and diversity. Arte Publico Press "The note was important, because even if you missed the visit, you'd still get to enjoy the surprise...To know that someone cared enough about you to come by." -- Grandma The bond between mothers and daughters is special, but the bond between Grandmothers and granddaughters is extraordinary.   Abuelitas / Grandmas are like BFFs, cohorts, protectors and wise women all rolled into one.   You can tell them things you can't tell your mother and know they are always in your corner. Lydia Gil's LETTERS FROM HEAVEN/ CARTAS DEL CIELO starts with the loss of an grandmother-granddaughter bond.   Our young heroine, Celeste, is struggling to deal with this loss and the changes in her life. Upon the loss of her beloved grandmother, her world changes literally overnight -- her mother has to get a second job and is hardly home;

    The Latina Book Club was part of the MultiCultural Children's Book Day yesterday.   It was a tremendous honor and we want to continue the celebration of children's books and diversity this week.   So today, we'd like to celebrate Latino Children Picture Books.    Below are some fun ones.---mcf LAST STOP MARKET STREET by Matt de la Peña Every Sunday after church, CJ and his grandma ride the bus across town. But today, CJ wonders why they don't own a car like his friend Colby. Why doesn’t he have an iPod like the boys on the bus? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Each question is met with an encouraging answer from grandma, who helps him see the beauty—and fun—in their routine and the world around them. LALO LOVES TO HELP by Cecilia Velastegui Lalo, a yellow-naped Amazonian parrot speaks many languages and loves to sing opera. He lives a happy live according to the Amazonian oath of friendship. Lalo is al

   The Latina Book Club is proud to be part of Multicultural Children's Book Day (January 27, 2015).   Bloggers, reviewers, bookstores, and others around the country are posting reviews of different multicultural books and/or holding activities to celebrate the day.   Many thanks to co-creators of this event, Mia Wenjen from Pragmatic Mom and Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book /Audrey Press.   Please join us in celebrating this unique day.     #ReadYourWorld. Multicultural Children's Book Day Mission :   is to not only raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity, but to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries. REVIEW:    LITTLE BOY (Saga of a Comanche Warrior, Book One) by Max Oliver Max Oliver has written a powerful, arresting story of life among the People, the Comanches.   Theirs is a harsh life among the plains, constantly at war with other Indian tribes, Anglos, Mexicans and Rangers.   At the heart of this story is th

The Latina Book Club is proud to be part of POLI's 25th Anniversary Blog Tour.   As a treat, we are giving away a copy of this young adult novel to one lucky reader.---mcf "If a man forgets, he's in danger of dying." -- Poli Rodriguez "It is my hope that POLI will inform—and inspire—young Hispanic men and women, while also educating readers everywhere, about the role this remarkable Mexican-American, José Policarpo Rodriguez." -- author Jay Neugeboren Who would have thought that a classroom assignment would lead to the discovery of one of the earliest Mexican-American heroes of the 19th Century.   Summary:   José Policarpo "Poli" Rodriguez is 10-years old in 1829 when he and his father leave Mexico and a life of indentured servitude to make a new life for themselves near San Antonio.      He grows up during the formative years of the State of Texas (1839-1846).   At the heart of this book is Poli's friendship with a young C

   Happy New Year!   (I can still say that, especially with the Chinese New Year around the corner.) "Monday Musings" is a new feature for The Latina Book Club.   It will be a place I can share things with you about books, authors, my TBR pile, and other musings that just don't fit on a 140-character tweet.   Happy Reading!   --mcf QUOTES FROM MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR Today is Martin Luther King Junior Day.   Americans everywhere are reflecting on MLK's life and his dream for little black boys and girls to hold hands with little white boys and girls.   I would like to add to that dream that those little black and white boys and girls also hold hands with little yellow and brown boys and girls too.   Here are two of my favorite MLK quotes: "No person has the right to rain on your dreams." "We must live together as brothers or perish together as fools." BEST AWARD SPEECH TO-DATE Congratulations to Gina Rodriguez.   She gave a great

      Northampton House Press, January 2015 "Ever just wanna be who you are without the check-marks?"-- Justina Feliciano The Latina Book Club congratulates Dania Ramos on the publication of her debut novel, WHO'S JU?   It is the first in her 7th Grade Sleuths series, a contemporary middle grade novel featuring an amazing Latina tween heroine!   SUMMARY:   Justina Feliciano is adventurous, curious and smart.   She along with her fellow seventh-grade sleuths are on a case! Someone has vandalized the middle school drama club production and the newbie detectives must find out who before opening night. But there is an even greater mystery afoot!   Ju is given a genetics assignment at school.   At first, she thinks it's lame, until the mention of her assignment angers her mother and worries her father.   Suddenly, there are silences in her home, secrets in the attic; and now Ju has a different mystery to solve -- the case of who she is? Why does she has blond

ElMuseo del Barrio's 38th Annual Three Kings Day Parade and Celebration went on as planned earlier today, January 6, 2015, despite the snow storm and dropping temperatures.   Joseph and Mary bundled up the baby Jesus, while the three magi gulped hot cups of coffee.   The *Honorary Kings, Madrinas and Padrinos lined up outside the Museum, school graders from the neighborhood gathered with their homemade crowns, while sponsors and radio stations jockeyed for position.   Even Aurora Anaya-Cerda, founder of La Casa Azul Bookstore , and La Muerte, ruler of the Land of the Remembered, from the +movie "Book of Life" joined the fiesta. Outside, dozens of men, women and children of all ages gathered on 104th Street and on Third Avenue to watch the parade in all its white glory.  Also, present were members of Las Comadres Para Las Americas (a networking group for Latina women of which I am proud to be a member).   There was a nice "lady" camel but the

GIVEAWAY:   One lucky reader will receive a free copy of this book.   Just leave a comment below or retweet our post on Twitter.   I am proud of my Cuban heritage. At the same time, I am an American, through and through. I care about the community I live in and I’m grateful to the country that gave me a home. Many take the meaning of “home” for granted. I don’t. -- Mike Fernandez Happy New Year from The Latina Book Club.   We wanted to start 2015 with an inspirational book and we found the perfect one by Miguel "Mike" Benito Fernandez.    Story Farm, Jan 2015, with Martin Merzer HUMBLED BY THE JOURNEY: Life Lessons For My Family ... And Yours is part self-portrait, part adventure story.   It tells two tales: one is about a penniless Cuban immigrant, who became one of Miami's most successful business leaders and philanthropist. The other is the tale of his 508-mile, 3-million steps pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago / The Way of St. James to he