(1) YA High school senior Emoni Santiago (an aspiring chef) and her two-year-old daughter live with Emoni's abuela. Emoni signs up for a culinary arts class that culminates in a trip to Spain--and she begins to see a path forward, if only she dares follow it. Acevedo creates beautifully realized characters with complex lives. A few recipes (such as "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Verbena Tembleque") are interspersed.

Reviewer: Christina L. Dobbs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(2) YA Afro–Puerto Rican teen Beatriz is torn between her desire to dance and her blood and chosen families in mid-1980s New Jersey. When the TV show Fame announces a casting call, she tries to balance "gang life" (chosen family) with her "dance life." Will she follow her dreams? Charles ([cf2Like Vanessa) presents a strong, smart, and sometimes snarky teenager whose family has developed mechanisms of survival in the face of abuse and injustice.

Reviewer: Sujei Lugo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Paola Escobar. As a bilingual assistant at Nueva York's public library in 1921, Pura Belpré retells the folk stories of her native Puerto Rico at storytimes and eventually writes them down for publication. Descriptive language moves between English and Spanish seamlessly. Both text and expressive, warm illustrations carry the metaphor of planting seeds, so that readers see the seeds of Belpré's stories bloom as the biographical details unfold. Also available in Spanish. Reading list. Bib.

Reviewer: Alicia K. Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(2) YA A schoolwide "dare" game and new social dynamics throw all of African American seventh grader Shayla's relationships into turmoil. She also becomes increasingly aware of the Black Lives Matter movement when the officer in a police-shooting case is acquitted. Shayla's first-person account is honest and accessible, her emotional and civic maturation believably portrayed. Ramée's debut novel presents a nuanced view of race, self-discovery, and social justice.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) K-3 Ready-to-Read: You Should Meet series. Illustrated by Alyssa Petersen. Emerging readers meet Broadway phenomenon Lin-Manuel Miranda in this accessible level-three easy reader. Accompanied by straightforward cartoon illustrations, chapters explore the role of influences such as hip-hop and Latino culture in Miranda's work while also emphasizing the support of his friends and family and his own hard work. Back matter includes facts about Puerto Rico and Broadway and a screenwriting activity.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(2) 4-6 After fourteen-year-old Marcus is suspended for confronting his disabled younger brother's bully, their mother decides the family needs a week in Puerto Rico, where Marcus was born, to figure things out. Spending time with his extended family and traveling across the Puerto Rican countryside open the young man's eyes to his heritage and his important roles as son and older brother. A middle-school travelogue and heartfelt intergenerational story with wide appeal.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Morrison. This biography of astrophysicist Tyson concentrates on his precocious early years, during which support from his parents and opportunities in his New York City environs outweighed his encounters with racism. The authors' enthusiastic account outlines a clear trajectory to his becoming the science popularizer we know today. Morrison's illustrations use exaggeration to underscore Tyson's curiosity and enthusiasm and frequently incorporate starry skies.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 In black Puerto Rican Bryan's Brooklyn world, tight can mean either "cool" or "angry." The sixth grader experiences both meanings when he becomes friends with Mike, who's cool at first but begins to show a dark peer-pressuring side. When he begins following Mike's risky lead, Bryan learns valuable lessons about character, friendship, family, and--like the superheroes in his favorite comic books--the power of choice.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) YA This young reader's edition of the Supreme Court justice's memoir recounts her lifelong determination and ambition. Beginning with her childhood in the Bronx, Sotomayor thoughtfully traces her personal and intellectual development as she attended Princeton and Yale and eventually landed her first appointment as a judge. The book's density and maturity recommend it for teen readers, who should find Sotomayor's warmth and honesty inspiring. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Lulu Delacre. The Associate Justice accessibly narrates her own story, highlighting the power of books and reading throughout her life. Mixed-media illustrations enhance Sotomayor's metaphorical approach ("I felt like a deep-sea diver... Books were my snorkel and flippers") and her emphasis on the written word by incorporating text into the art. Timeline.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) YA Since Mercedes won an art competition last year, personal crises (including a crush on best friend Victoria and a dying abuela back in Puerto Rico) have impeded her creativity and inspiration. Then a new neighbor introduces Mercedes to a mysterious, invitation-only artists' colony. Despite intriguing magical realism and complex character relationships, too many narrative strands make for a somewhat muddled story.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Living History series. A readable biography of the first Latino and third woman to be appointed a Supreme Court Justice. Beginning with her childhood poverty and early diagnosis of diabetes, the book shows how Justice Sotomayor's early experiences have shaped her adult life. Well researched, with detailed chapter notes and quotations from the Justice's autobiography.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(2) YA Shadowshaper Cypher series. Sierra fears for her loved ones' safety when the Deck of Worlds comes back into play. Older intricately ties upheaval in the spirit world to the all-too-familiar day-to-day dangers for black and brown teens. Moving past origin story, this sequel to Shadowshaper has a more focused and emotionally developed plot, as Sierra pursues a new love interest and explores the many meanings and consequences of family.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) YA Based on a 2011 Marvel comic, sixteen-year-old Black and Puerto Rican Miles Morales is Spider-Man. He discovers that the history teacher at his prestigious Brooklyn academy is part of a white supremacist organization led by a centuries-old villain. The novel has its fair share of action adventure, but it's also an expertly spun tale of identity as Miles finds purpose and resolve.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(4) YA Social-climbing Margot uses Papi's credit card to impress her private school friends. Her punishment--a summer of work at her Puerto Rican family's supermarket--sends her back to the Bronx, with petty "cashieristas," the ubiquitous drug trade, and a sexy social activist battling gentrification. Although Margot's snobby attitude is hard to empathize with, Rivera authentically depicts the stress of juggling cultural identities.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(4) 4-6 Edge Books: Hollywood Action Heroes series. These slim biographies focus on the Hollywood action heroes' upbringing and years of hard work as they rose to their eventual success in films such Avatar (Saldana) and Captain America (Evans). The many red-carpet photos and movie stills are oddly cropped and overlaid with loud graphics; quotes and "Fast Facts" supplement the serviceable texts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Edge Books: Hollywood Action Heroes titles: Zoe Saldana and Chris Evans.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. These level-three biographies for "fluent readers" use relatively simple sentence structure and unadorned writing styles to introduce readers to Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor and medieval Arab scholar and scientist Ibn al-Haytham. With various sidebars, text boxes, and visuals (photographs plus static illustrations in Ibn), the presentation is visually cluttered, but the material is solid. A quiz is appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these National Geographic Readers titles: Sonia Sotomayor and Ibn al-Haytham.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Olympic Biographies series. As each book states, these professional football teams "have had good seasons and bad. But time and again, they've proven themselves." The volumes focus on the good, highlighting the teams' Super Bowl victories, winning coaches, and star players. Accompanying the choppy texts are plenty of color and archival photographs showcasing players, stadiums, and fans. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Books: The NFL's Greatest Teams titles: Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, and Buffalo Bills.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Pebble Books: Great Hispanic and Latino Americans series. The goals and achievements of prominent Latino and Hispanic Americans are highlighted in this accessible series, though this heritage is mentioned in passing if at all. Well-chosen photographs combine with a level-appropriate amount of information focusing on each subject's early education and the influences that led to careers and accomplishments. The simple, pointed prose will appeal to new readers. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Pebble Books: Great Hispanic and Latino Americans titles: Cesar Chavez, Ellen Ochoa, and Sonia Sotomayor.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(1) K-3 The art world first took note of Jean-Michel Basquiat's graffiti in the late 1970s. He earned a large following and several art shows but was often discouraged by racism. Steptoe's style, similar to Basquiat's with its vivid palette and use of found objects, provides a close impression of the painter's work. Appended notes provide additional information about Basquiat's life and art. Bib.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016