THE LATINA BOOK CLUB

   The Latina Book Club’s PICK FIVE for this week are all middle grade books  that spark our fancy and imagination. Happy Reading. And as always, #ReadLatinoLit. MY YEAR IN THE MIDDLE By Lila Quintero Weaver Candlewick Press Sixth-grader Lu Olivera just wants to keep her head down and get along with everyone in her class. But Lu can’t stay neutral about the racial divide at school. Will she find the gumption to stand up for what’s right and to choose friends who do the same?   This story is based on the author’s childhood.     WHAT LANE? By Torrey Maldonado Nancy Paulsen Books As a mixed kid, Steven feels like he's living in two worlds with different rules--and he's been noticing that strangers treat him differently than his white friends. Hold on tight as Stephen swerves in and out of lanes to find out which are his--and who should be with him . THE DREAM WEAVER  By Reina Luz Alegre  S...

In honor of Father’s Day, The Latina Book Club , has put together this short list of male authors.    We selected a wide variety, from coming of age stories to political poems to dark thrillers.   G reat selections all.     Happy Reading.     LOVE by Matt de la Peňa (G.P. Putnam) Written by a Newbery Medal winning author, this novel is about the love that surrounds us. As children we can see it, feel it, even taste it.  We lose that feeling as adults, but this beautifully illustrated picture book by Loren Long, brings those loving feelings back to life. MAXIMILIAN AND THE LUCHA LIBRE CLUB: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller by Xavier Garza (Cinco Puntos Press) Book 3 in the series, has Max joining the Lucha Libre Club – a club for kids related to the luchadores. His friend Paloma is in it too, but it’s Cecilia who has captured Max’s young heart, no? WHAT LANE?   by Torrey Maldonado (Nancy Paulsen...

  We are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with fun "Top 14" Lists.   Here is a list of New York's Leading Latino Authors.   How many do you know?   Feel free to add to our list by leaving a comment.   And, follow us on Twitter.   Our hashtag is #amreadingwiththelatinabookclub.   Matt de la Pe ñ a 1.        Esmeralda Santiago, www.esmeraldasantiago.com   2.        Theresa Valera,   http://theresavarela.com/   3.        Chris Campanioni, http://chriscampanioni.com/   4.        Manuel A. Melendez, http://www.manuel-melendez.com/   5.        Torrey Maldonado, http://www.torreymaldonado.com/ Theresa Varela   6.        Matt de la Pe ñ a, http://mattdelapena.com/   7.      ...

        Congratulations to our friend author Tor rey Maldonado for being named one of the Top Ten Latino Authors to Read and Watch for 2012 by  LatinoStories .  Here's what they had to say about Torrey and his book: Torrey Maldonado's book [SECRET SATURDAYS] is one of the great success stories of the year. Given all the negative press that teachers have received in these difficult economic times, it's great to see a talent like Mr. Maldonado emerge.  Following in the tradition of school teachers like Wally Lamb, whose debut grabbed national attention, this author is sure to continue to impress. This is a heartfelt story about a twelve-year old boy growing up in Brooklyn housing projects with a voice that is captured with great sensitivity. To see what other authors made Latino Stories' Top Ten List, click here . To read The Latina Book Club's interview with Torrey, click here .  Congratulations again, Torrey.  It is wel...

   Join Las Comadres and La Casa Azul Bookstore on September 18 at the Brooklyn Book Festival, Booth #125.  Here is the list of Latino authors scheduled to appear at the booth: 12:00pm - 2:00pm Alicia Anabel Santos Ana Galan Dahlma Llanos Figueroa Sergio Troncoso Toni Plummer Torrey Maldonado Yuyi Morales 2:00pm - 3:30pm Caridad Pineiro Carmen Mojica Fabian Charlie Vazquez Daisy Martinez Justin Torres Sofia Quintero 3:30pm-5:00pm Charles Rice-Gonzalez Esmeralda Santiago Gloria Rodriguez Peggy Robles Alvarado Festival Site Address:  Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201 Public Transportation: 2, 3, 4, 5 to Borough Hall; R to Court Street A, C, F to Jay Street/Borough Hall For more information, visit http://www.lacasaazulbookstore.com/ or http://www.brooklynbookfestival.com/ .  

The Latina Book Club is Celebrating Men this month, and we are honored to welcome author Torrey Maldonado as a Guest Blogger.  Torrey will be talking about Fathers and how their absence affects everyone.  Happy Reading, and as always, Read Latino. "Your father’s dead. He's gone." That's what my mother told me over the phone. I didn’t know how to feel. My father was absent for so much of our lives. Wasn't he already “gone” to us? Yet, here I was experiencing his real death. The kid in me suddenly wanted him back to give us what he never had: his full and fully positive presence. True to the song, my “poppa was a rolling stone.” He regularly disappeared for years and, during his absence, I didn’t know him. When he returned, my mom let him stay with us and I didn’t know him. He often disappeared into the streets, came home, and disappeared into his bedroom. From my first day of daycare to my first gray hair, he spent more time outside with guy-friends and ...

The Latina Book Club is Celebrating Men this month, and what better way to start than with a wonderful book by a talented and amazing author, teacher and father.  Happy Reading, and as always, Read Latino. SECRET SATURDAYS By Torrey Maldonado Putnam Juvenile “SECRET SATURDAYS ought to be required reading at middle schools everywhere.” –E.R. Frank, author of LIFE IS FUNNY and AMERICA, which inspired the Lifetime Movie. Torrey Maldonado has written a powerful, emotional, riveting novel about friendship, trust, hard choices and becoming a man. It’s the story of two 13-year olds best friends– Justin and Sean – living and surviving the dangerous Red Hook Housing projects. The friends are so much alike – half Puerto Rican, half Black, and no fathers – that they refer to themselves as twins. But lately Sean has been different, secretive, and he and his mom disappear on Saturdays. So what is a best friend to do but find out why? Read excerpt, by clicking here . ...

         "Torrey Maldonado’s SECRET SATURDAYS ought to be required reading at middle schools everywhere.” —E.R. Frank, author of the acclaimed LIFE IS FUNNY and AMERICA, which inspired the Lifetime movie. SECRET SATURDAYS is a fast read, entertaining and it also equips pre-teens and young adults to better handle everyday challenges. —Library Media Connections Torrey Maldonado is a teacher, a father, a writer, and a fierce hand ball player. His first young adult novel SECRET SATURDAYS was released from Putnam Juvenile this past April. Like the characters in his book, he too grew up in Red Hook, a poor, violent section of the Brooklyn. Raised by his mother, he went on to get a B.A. in Sociology from Vassar College and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Baruch College. Torrey has taught in New York City’s public school system for 10 years. SECRET SATURDAYS was inspired by his experiences with youth, city schools, fatherlessness and...

   30,000 people cannot be wrong. That’s how many are expected to attend the 5th Annual Brooklyn Book Festival on Sunday, September 12, at Borough Hall (209 Joralemon Street). The Festival will feature 200 authors, 175 vendors and 13 venues to explore. This will be my first Festival, and I am looking forward to all of it – the signings, readings, and meeting Latino authors like Charlie Rice-Gonzalez, Esmeralda Santiago, Brando Skyhorse, Daniel Serrano, Dahlma Llanos Figueroa, Christina Garcia, Torrey Maldonado, Daisy Martinez and Sofia Quintero. Torrey Maldonado (SECRET SATURDAYS) has gone in years past when he was a “fresh-face” teacher dreaming of becoming a novelist. Now he is a participating author on a panel next to his idol Jacqueline Woodson and Pulitzer Prize-winner Charles Fuller. “I’ve invited my school’s students and their families to show them that dreams come true. Magic will happen on that stage.” A veteran of the literary festival circuit, hometown aut...