Bravo! is written by Cuban American Margarita Engle. It celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of talented Latinos through a series of poems. A musician, botanist, a baseball player, and a pilot are just some of the Latinos portrayed in this book. Biographical poems include Felix Varela from Cuba, Juana Briones from Mexico, Paulina Pedros from Cuba, Jose Marti from Cuba, Ynes Mexia from Mexico, Louis Agassiz Fuertes from Puerto Rico, Aida de Acosta from Cuba, Fabiola Cabeza de Baca from Mexico, Arnold Rojas from Mexico, Pura Belpre from Puerto Rico, George Melendez Wright from El Salvador, Julia de Burgo from Peurto Rico, Baruj Benacerraf from Venezuela, Tito Puente from Puerto Rico, Cesar Chavez from Mexico, Roberto Clemente from Puerto Rico, and Tomas Rivera from Mexico. Bravo! also includes magnificent illustrations by Rafael Lopez. Through his simple outlines and vibrant colors, he captures the lively personalities for each person....
Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan is an award winning historical fiction book based on the life of a Mexican migrant farmer in the 1930´s. Esperanza is the daughter of a wealthy grape grower in Mexico. Her life is good, until her father is killed by bandits. Esperanza´s mother is convinced by her uncle to marry him, but after he burns down the ranch, Esperanza, her mother, and a family of former servants escape to California to become farmworkers. Esperanza must learn to work hard. When her mother falls ill, she joins the field workers through the crop seasons. Other problems arise when farmers begin to strike and more migrant farmers arrive. Esperanza must overcome struggles and keep her hope alive. Esperanza Rising will allow readers to learn a number of Spanish words about the lives of migrant farm workers during the 1930's as the character deals with strikes, discrimination, and harsh living conditions. Readers can discus...