Latino Books

This book has a wonderful message that is realistic AND you could learn to understand more Spanish!!! This book shows you that you shouldn't forsake your friends especially when they need you most. You may have friendships like this so you can relate easily. We enjoyed that the book left us with many questions at the end. Did Marisol find her father? Did Magdalena meet Ruben? It lets you use your imagination to create your own ending. If you choose to read this book, you will find that even though Marisol was sad about her father, she found a way to be happy. Hopefully, a lot of students can relate to this!

What we liked about the book was that Marisol learns about her heritage. Also, at the end of the book, Marisol was capable of filling her life and heart with new loves. What we detested was that at the end it didn't say anything about Magdalena, Mami, and Lucho. Also, at times it gave too few details. Overall we definitely recommend this book.

This is a light, contemporary story written for Hispanic American girls struggling with two cultural identities. For these readers, this book may fill a gap. However, most of the book moves too slowly. Were it not for the hint of romance, reluctant readers just might not make it through.

This book is the greatest book I've read on my level of reading.It shows a friend ship that will last. Ruben and marisol should have thier own book.It was fun reading: MARISOL AND MAGDELENA THE SOUND OF OUR SISTER HOOD

I received this book as part of my teaching curriculum, and read it all in one afternoon. It's fast, light, and gives so many opportunities to start discussions on what it means to be from two (or more) cultures, it's scary. I thought it ended too soon, but maybe (hopefully) that's because Ms. Chambers plans to write more about Marisol and her friends. Certainly will draw kids in and the ending provides (at least for me) a chance to allow my students to continue Marisol's adventures and ask them, "What happens next?". Good job!

Ruth Glasser illustrates how the political circumstances, the particular situations of some of the social sectors, and the geographical settings of the Puerto Rican population produced the musicians that created a musical corpus which in turn identified Puerto Ricans as a people in the first half of the 20th century. The text gives an account of how those musicians forged the template of popular Puerto Rican music for the century, while contributing to the popular music of other Latin American cultures. It helps us comprehend, from a music perspective, how the interaction of innumerable conditions and situations and their consequences sculptured the elements of a national culture.

"My Music Is My Flag" is a rare and genuine contribution, as well as a very provocative and insightful analysis, of the history of Puerto Ricans and their music in New York City during the period of 1917 through 1940.

However, this book "failed" to mention the enormous contributions and the importance of "Pregones"(Musical cries of street vendors used to attract customers...in many cases they were bawdy, double entendre compositions. Lyrics patterned after the "pregon" also appeared in many compositions by Puerto Ricans). Many of these "pregones" were recorded in New York. A perfect example was "El Botanico", done on a 78, inspired by Manuel Jimenez "Canario". He recorded it with his band on June 8, 1929. Pedro Flores, Rafael Hernandez, Mirta Silva, Johnny Rodriguez and many others also recorded "pregones". Johnny Rodriguez did them all from New York. These "pregones" were very important, as they reflected much about the economic and social conditions of the Puerto Ricans.

Nevertheless, Ruth Glasser has made an important contribution to our understanding of the role Puerto Rican musicians have played in the development, growth and evolution of Latin music today.

Highly recommended!

I wrote a paper in Graduate School on "The Impact of American Colonialism on Puerto Rican Music." Ms. Glasser's book served as a principal resource. I was totally unaware of the existance of such notables as Rafael Hernandez and Pedro Flores. The story behind the orgins of the song, Preciosa, was fascinating. It has become my personal anthem. Today, there is a new version of the song being played on the radio by Marc Anthony. It always brings a tear to my eye. In Ms. Glasser's book I have found a part of my heritage that I didn't know existed. I was born and raised in New york City. My parents came to this country from Puerto Rico in 1948. They, like many of the self exiled musicians in the book, came to New York from Puerto Rico seeking a better life and economic prosperity. This is a wonderful book, with plenty of anecdotes and heart warming narratives. I intend to buy a copy for my parents and my brother. It is a part of our history that must be told. Bravo, Ms. Glasser.

As both a musician and anthropologist, I find this book helps fill a tremendous gap in the musical history of US Latinos, and Nuyoricans in particular. It is also an excellent example of how to conduct ethnomusicological research with concienza. I'm using it as a required in my MUSIC FOLKLORE course.

This book is everything other reviewers have said, and more. For it doesn't cover some encapsulated mono-ethnic phenomenon. Long before Diz, Puerto Ricans were a permanent part of mainstream jazz. They made up almost half JR Europe's WWI Hellfighters band, and were present in some of the most famous black swing bands (and you thought it was just Juan Tizol!) Moreover it was largely PR music and musicians who added to Cuban roots what turned them into US salsa. As anybody who has read my LATIN JAZZ knows, I couldn't have written parts of it without Glasser and I'm glad to acknowledge the fact publicly. JOHN STORM ROBERTS

Growing up in a violence-ridden housing project, sixteen-year-old Hector Robles kept his head to the ground. A studious boy, he was the last person anyone would expect to end up on the wrong side of a feud with the local gang. However, when his impulsive older bother sets his sights on Gloria, the neighborhood knockout and on-again, off-again girlfriend of Chava, leader of the Discípulos, that's exactly what happens.

Victim of his own impulsiveness, Hector gets caught in what seems to be a never ending cycle of violence. When he realizes that leaving El Paso is the only thing he can do to protect himself and his family, Hector agrees to go to Furman, a reform school one step away from a juvenile detention facility. The influence of the Discípulos is far-reaching and, even with the protections that Furman offers, Hector knows that he is not completely safe.

A coming of age story centered around finding inspiration in unexpected places, building internal discipline, and the importance of overcoming fear, Behind the Eyes charts Hector's rocky journey to manhood and self-knowledge. Throughout the novel, Stork juxtaposes the present with the recent past, allowing the reader to gain insight into Hector and the reason he is at Furman while Hector is struggling to understand his own part in what happened in El Paso.

Peopled with a vast array of fairly realistic characters, the novel explores the all-too-real struggles of children growing up in the inner city. However, while the story is interesting and compulsively readable, it lacks a sense of urgency. Despite being set both in the projects of El Paso and within a military-style reform school, Behind the Eyes fails to be as gritty as expected. Though this may be because the book is targeted to a young adult audience, one can't help feeling that the book has been somewhat sanitized. That being said, an unexpected ending does give the novel - and Hector's character - substance.

Reviewed by Preston Ward (age 14) for Reader Views (6/07)

This story takes place in the projects of El Paso, Texas, which is where our main character Hector had lived his 16-years of life. Hector was from a broken home; his father, who had died a few years earlier, was an alcoholic and was never happy with his life, and his brother Filiberto was headed down the same path. Troubles started up for Hector when his brother started to get mixed up in a gang, and he started to have a liking for the gang leaders' girl. When Hector himself became mixed up with this gang, The Discípulos, he is sent to Furman which is a school for students with a troubled past. He keeps to himself there, not trying to stir up trouble, getting through classes, just wanting to get out, and then El Topo arrives. Hector is almost sure he is a hit man sent by The Discípulos. The story starts here and Hector begins to realize what it takes to survive in this world.

The author, Francisco X. Stork, put together the story in what seemed a confusing way at first, not always giving you the details, and sometimes he would tell you everything that happened, before he told you what caused it. But in the end everything wrapped itself up very nicely and turned out to be great.

The story in "Behind the Eyes" is written for an older audience, due to very harsh language, and some of the things that the characters talk about, or do.

Behind the Eyes by Francisco X. Stork is a quick but thoughtful read, and a window into the difficulties that face adolescents, especially those living in housing projects. Behind the Eyes tells the story, in an flashback-filled fashion that builds suspense, of sixteen-year-old Hector Robles. Hector grew up in a housing project in El Paso, TX. He lives with his mother, older brother, and younger sister, his father having died a year earlier. Hector is a good student and even an altar boy, who has spent his years trying to stay out from under the radar of the local gang, the Discipulos. His older brother, Filiberto, is not so careful, however, and drags the family into trouble. The book begins in compelling fashion:

"Hector missed his brother's wake. He missed the funeral. Dr. Hernandez, the intern who treated him in the emergency room, had told him it would be at least a week before he could leave. The ear, the ribs, the spleen, all had to be evaluated. All needed stillness in order to begin to heal."

Though we don't know the details at first, it becomes clear that Hector has gotten himself into trouble over the matter of his brother's death. Both legal trouble and trouble with the Discipulos. A social worker offers him an out, one which he has little choice but to accept: admission/sentencing to Furman, a San Antonio school for troubled youths who are believed to have some chance of redemption.

Furman is a military school, one with locks and wire fences, filled with an array of juvenile delinquents. Hector has a rough start, but eventually finds himself learning from the teachers and the other students. He also encounters an unexpected enemy, and must use his new skills and friendships to save himself from disaster.

I liked Hector a lot. His reaction to his own intelligence is in some ways matter-of-fact - he just does better in school than other people. His family set him aside from an early age as the smart one, his parents learning English so that they could make sure he spoke English well, his father saving for him to go to college, working in a job that he didn't like to protect his younger son's future. And yet he has some ambivalence about the whole thing, too, about how differently things turned out for his brother, and about his responsibilities towards his mother and sister. And about fear and anger and courage.

Hector ends up learning his biggest lessons from a convicted murderer named Diaz, from whom he takes "Dumbells for the Mind" (an exercise and mediation class). Here is an excerpt, in which Diaz talks to Hector:

""For me, the way toward fearlessness was to go back over my life and look at the things I was afraid of. Not with blame or anger, but with the strength and calm concentration that the weight lifting had given me. The toughest part was facing the different ways I had been, was, and would always be a coward in one form or another."

Diaz's words shocked Hector at first. Then, after a moment, he felt the block of ice in his chest begin to melt."

Despite my different background from Hector's, Diaz's words gripped me, too. Struggling to figure out who you are and how best to use the resources that you are given are universal issues that face most adolescents (and adults, for that matter).

Francisco Stork was a Mexican immigrant who lived with his mother in a housing project in El Paso during his teen years. He was awarded a scholarship to a local Jesuit High School, and eventually received a full scholarship to a college in Alabama. I think that what makes this book work is the authenticity of Hector's interactions with his family, his peers, and his enemies. This book could have come across as preachy. There is, for example, a scene where the Furman kids go to visit a local prison, to see what things will be like for them if they don't straighten themselves out. This scene could have been moralistic, but wasn't. While I was reading it, I was mostly just thinking about the characters, and how they were reacting to the situation, not at all about the situation being lesson-based. Hector's two friends, the loquacious X-Lax and the stalwart but academically struggling Sanson, both feel completely real, and like people that I would like to meet.

I think that Behind the Eyes will appeal to kids looking for edgier stories, and will especially appeal to kids from Chicano and other immigrant families. There are many Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout the book, with no translation, but they are mostly clear from content, and are essential to the realism of the dialogue. If I was a librarian working with kids at risk from gangs, I would definitely hand them this title. And if I was working with any set of kids who could benefit from seeing a different perspective, I'd hand them this title, too.

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on November 26, 2006.

A lovely book which is the perfect marriage of style with story. It is a young adult's book, yes, but that's to say Huck Finn is a young adult's book. It is, but there's something there for those of us who find young adulthood a fond memory. Hector, the main character comes of age in that he has aged quickly when his brother is killed and takes a sort of revenge that lands him in what used to be known as a reform school. But Hector is an individual, with brains, feelings, insights, and enormous powers of observation and that is the charm of this. To take someone that many of us would overlook on the streets or on the subways and show us that he can be complex, suffer pain, have decisions put upon him that are difficult to make and make them and make them in the right way is what makes this as much of an adult book as a young adult's book. Don't be fooled by the simple language, there was simple language in the Old Man and the Sea, wasn't there? So buy this and enjoy and appreciate Hectors everywhere struggling not to come of age, but to come out of themselves into a world that will age them too quickly.

Sixteen-year-old Hector Robles's life will never be the same again. Living his entire life in the projects of El Paso, Texas, he's always stayed away from the gangs--but his brother Filiberto brought an end to that. A little more than a year after the death of their father, Hector, Fili and their younger sister Aurora have a run-in with some members of the Discipulos. Hector would like to keep out of their way after that, as would Aurora, but Fili sets his sights on Gloria...Who just happens to be dating Chava, leader of the Discipulos.

Fili just can't let it go. His conflict with Chava escalates until one night, he ends up dead. In less than a year and a half, Hector has lost his older brother and his father. Even though it's not something he could have imagined himself doing, Hector goes after Chava.

Chava does more damage to Hector than Hector does to him, leaving Hector with various rather serious injuries, including the loss of his hearing in one ear. When he recovers, a social worker has some rather grave news for him: Chava wants him dead. The only way he can keep safe, as well as protect his mother and sister, is to leave town.

Mrs. Garzo, the social worker, tells him there's one good place for him to go now. He's charged with the aggravated assault of Chava, and there's a school in another city that accepts kids who have been in trouble with the law. There, he'll be safe from the Discipulos, he'll get a good education, and his mother and sister won't be involved with the gangs anymore. Hector makes a decision: he'll go to Furman.

There, he makes friends with a colorful cast of characters, and could maybe have a fresh start and a new life...If his past can ever stop following him.

BEHIND THE EYES is divided up into three parts. The first and last part deal with Hector's time after his brother's death, and the second part takes place before Fili's "accident." Francisco X. Stork tells the story of whatever is going on in each section of the book in the past tense, and flashbacks are in the present tense, which threw me a little at first, but I quickly got used to it. The non-chronological division of the book was also a little odd, but I did like the way it was divided, and, in the end, it made sense.

Stork is a brilliant writer, and BEHIND THE EYES is a page-turner. It's told in a fresh, captivating voice, and the story itself is a fascinating one. It was inspired by Stork's own time living in the projects of El Paso, and some of the Chicano teenagers he knew there. That Stork knows what he's writing really shows, and it adds an extra dimension to an already wonderful book. The characters are diverse, fascinating and believable, each one well-thought out and three-dimensional. It's a character-driven story, and a fantastic one. This is definitely one of my favorites of 2006.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

For a change of pace, consider this new collection of essays, "How I Learned English: 55 Accomplished Latinos Recall Lessons in Language and Life" (National Geographic Society, $16.95 paperback), edited by Tom Miller. The contributors include politicians, authors, scientists, athletes, educators, and others. One of my favorite essays is "The Learning Curve" by journalist Rubén Martínez. He recounts that "long before the debates over bilingual education or English Only or whether a hyphenated American was a real America," his parents decided that he, "their first child and American citizen by birth, would speak Spanish before English." This book will enlighten and, perhaps, lower the volume on the often incendiary debate over bilingualism in this country. [The full review first appeared in the El Paso Times.]

I heard this book reveiwed on NPR and it was just as interesting as they said it wuld be..

I confess (embarrassedly) that along with many Americans, I am not bilingual. But I know more than enough Spanish to get by and I get the basics of the struggle to understand or be understood in a foreign language, having lived in Japan for several years. The "Lessons in Language and Life" of How I Learned English are probably best enjoyed by bilingual native Spanish speakers, who have the ability to empathize with and appreciate the writings of the "55 Accomplished Latinos" whose words are included in the book. The contents of their stories fall into a few basic categories: how to improve ones chances of learning English, examples of ridicule suffered by English learners due to teachers and students equating lack of language proficiency with stupidity, joyfulness at their bilingual ability in general or the English language in particular, specific activities or incidents which facilitated their ability or desire to learn, and (my favorite) funny or embarrassing anecdotes about language-related mistakes or misunderstandings. How I Learned English is a good book for bilingual Spanish-English speakers, but can be appreciated by anyone who has ever tried to learn a foreign language.

Aside from teaching 'new words,' the process of learning a new language teaches empathy--so sorely lacking in today's 'me-first' and 'sucks-to-be-you' world...EVERYONE who only speaks one language should be required to read this book--everyone needs to gain insight into what it means to find oneself in a parallel linguistic universe. Better yet, everyone should study a second (and third, and fourth) language!

In today's increasingly charged immigration/language-debate, this book is essential. The essays and anecdotes speak volumes about human communication, separation, cruelty, kindness, understanding, and desires--all in a non-partisan, readable way.

All people who work with the public--whether it be in customer service or education--should read this book. Just because a person can't 'say what s/he means' does not mean the person is stupid--linguistically challenged does not equal mentally disabled!

Although the book deals only with the specific experiences of those whose native language is Spanish or Portuguese, those experiences translate into any language. Whether people want to remember or not, this IS a nation of immigrants, and so many of its citizens come from families who, at some point in the past, were the 'language-outsiders.' May we not forget...

How I Learned English (also published in Spanish as Como aprendí inglés) is a collection of essays written by 55 Latinos about how they mastered the English language. Some of them learned English from popular music, some from the movies, while others learned it the old-fashioned way - in a classroom. Tom Miller has gathered contributions from novelists, journalists, musicians, performance artists, physicians, athletes, entertainers, businessmen. They are natives of 11 Central and South American countries, three Caribbean islands -- including Cuba -- and Mexico. Some found it easy, other found it difficult. But for all, learning English was the key to success in this their adopted homeland.

The idea of the book came to its editor Tom Miller when he moved from the East Coast to the Southwest in the late 1960s as a journalist. He found that most of the people he wrote about were people fir whom English was their second or perhaps third or fourth language. "And they carried it different from how they carried Spanish. They acted different. They had different body language. The pacing was different. The cadence was different. Their facial expressions were sometimes different. English is not just a language. It's a whole presence. And more and more, these people I was writing about became colleagues, they became friends. And eventually, I married into a Spanish- speaking family and watched, with wonder and pride, and my wife and my two stepsons as they acquired English." Miller believes that anyone learning a new language not only adopts a new persona, but also loses a bit of their old, pre-English persona.

Ilan Stavans, author of On Borrowed Words, contributed an excerpt. "Each language has its own world view, its own personality. It allows its speakers to dream, to think, to make love, to engage with one another in different ways. Probably, there is no better language than Spanish and French to say I love you. The best language to say offensive words might be Yiddish. The best language to put together thoughts, to develop argument, to make a speech, probably, in my mind, is English. The way the language the sentences are shaped, the way one knows where to put a period and a comma and a semicolon, it gives me a sense of a very precise, very methodical, very clear cut civilization that knows where it's going, what it's after, what its mission is. I think that one of the beauties of speaking more than one language is precisely the fact that one can live in different universes, as in different mentalities, in different levels of existence by using each of them at different points."

During his wife's pregnancy, one writer gets his twin daughters started in both languages. "I read them Pablo Neruda. And I read them Walt Whitman."

Another intentionally forgets Spanish: "Now, almost 40 years later, when I try to remember an intentionally forgotten Spanish word, what I first recall is the heartbroken expression on my [grandmother's] kind face."

Another writes, "Once you possess another language, your sense of reality changes. ... Suddenly the world seems twice as large, and twice as peopled, and more interesting than it did before."

Ray Suarez asks in the Foreword how Latinos confront the "delicate dance between mastery and loss": "How American am I going to be? Will I still be that other thing -- Puerto Rican, Mexican, Cuban, Peruvian, Honduran?"

Poet José Kozer advises that instead of using "beach" (which sounds too much like "bitch"), "I would say 'shore.' Some offer practical advice, carry a pocket dictionary, or to ask "older people who [don't] seem in a hurry" for directions. Others listen to Sinatra, Fitzgerald, Van Halen or Cyndi Lauper, or watch "I Love Lucy" or subtitled movies from the '30s and 40s, or compare ESL lessons with what they hear on the street. Time and again the books of William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway are mentioned.

Some of the essays in the collection are thoughtful, many are anecdotes. But all are intensely human. I empathized with every single one.

This is exactly what I was looking for to help me teach my children about los dia de muertos. This book is exciting for both my preschooler and my first grader and I would highly reccomend this book to anyone. My children asked to read it time and time again!

This book feels as though it is illustrated using papel picado techniques, with its geometric colorful shapes that are symmetrical and have black-colored backgrounds. This book charmingly uses lots of Spanish language to teach vocabulary to readers. It uses lots of words that have to do with the customs of Día de los Muertos. The narrative of the story leads the reader from the preparations for the fiesta all the way through the procession and celebration. The book is attractively small and square, which will also attract younger readers without intimidating them, but offers more than enough information for these younger readers to get a comprehensive view of Día de los Muertos.

This is an absolutely magical, lovely book, both in the text and illustrations.

However, the paperback I bought has a flimsy binding that started to fall apart after just one reading. I'm going to get it in hardback.

I have read this book to my 6 year-old daughter ab out a dozen times in the last 2 weeks. The colorful and rich illustrations are awe-inspiring and capture the spiritual side of this Mexican holiday. The story reflects the anticipation of the children as their parents prepare for this day of feasting and honoring passed souls.

Another plus in this book is the use of the Spanish language. Scattered throughout the book in short phrases, the words can be interpreted by context for the non-speaker.

I love this book and so does my daughter. We live near the border of Mexico and can attest to the fact that it is culturally accurate and reflects the Mexican culture in a beautiful way. I highly recommend this book!

This lively story tells the meaning of Dia de los Muertos--honoring loved ones--with beautiful illustrations, a good mixture of English and Spanish text, and accuracy. Great teaching tool.

The Devil's Mambo starts off with Nicholas Esperanza enjoying life. He's a former Navy Seal and NYPD homicide detective who hit a 30 Million lottery and provided an avenue for early retirement. He has the hottest nightclub in town, Sueno Latino, a gorgeous girlfriend, Legs, and a good group of longtime friends. In every way possible his life is fulfilled and satisfying, until one day Legs asks for a favor.

Legs asks Nick to see her abuela (grandmother) about Alina, Legs' buck-wild niece who has run away from home on multiple occasions. Abuela is worried and having visions about Alina hanging out with a bad element, a dangerous crowd. Because he loves Legs so much, and because it suits his background so well, Nick takes on the challenge of finding Alina and bringing her back home.

In no time at all, Nick is immersed in a world of sexual deviancy, where pain and pleasure is mixed, and for those seeking the extreme, violence and crime is added. He realizes that Alina has been hanging out with a tough crowd, from transvestites in underground sex clubs to pimps and prostitutes who have links to a world of degradation and sexual pleasure, and to Jason Ryback and his wife Mistress Devona Love.

Jason Ryback and Mistress Devona Love are the extreme of all extremes; they are pain artists and torture experts, and they are intricately involved in the seedy world with which Nick will soon be familiar. They use people to fulfill Love's extreme sadistic desires, and sometimes to do the bidding of a shady, part-time employer named Bishop who is involved in the sickest of the sick: kiddie porn. In their daily lives, the concepts of asphyxiation, electrical play, and murder are as normal as eating corn flakes for breakfast.

It's up to Nick to fight through the pimps, prostitutes, trannies, doms, subs, strippers, and murderers to find Alina within the New York underbelly saturated with sex, drugs, perversion, and crime.

Along the way he gains first-hand knowledge and experience of the insanely intense world of hardcore BDSM. He learns his limits of pain and pleasure, and the extent to which the two coexist. He learns that in order to survive in such a bizarre and deranged environment, he'll have to find his inner-sociopath and ignore his burgeoning sexual desires.

This is a hot page-turner that is so twisted and interesting that it simply can't be put down. It touches on the trashy nerve we all have within, the urge we have to peek at the magazines covered in plastic or the garbage tabloid. It's the desire for danger and the uknown that makes us attempt new experiences, and this book tugs at the roots beneath the tree of risk.

Demented, dark and gruesome. Those are 3 words I would use to descrbe Devil's Mambo by Jerry Rodriguez. It has to be one of the darkest novels I've read. It took me places where I only imagined in my darkest nightmares. It was like a guilty pleasure, the characters were so intrguing you had to turn the pages. You root for the main characters revenge as he's put through things no man should endure. Jerry's characters are rough and and unapologetic. If you're into noire I think you'll enjoy this book.

Devil's Mambo travels to places so dark and twisted it makes SVU feel like Sesame Street. This book is adrenaline charged from cover to cover yet well balanced by a compelling and empathetic lead character who discovers dark elements of his soul he never knew existed. Though I found myself cringing through a number of scenes, I found it hard to put down. This is a New York you've never seen before.

"Dirty." That's what all my co-workers are saying about this book. But what they also say, with a little bit of a blush, is that they couldn't put it down. Not your typical detective novel, Rodriguez certainly startles some by sliding the world of kink and play into his tale. But like his main character discovers along the journey, once you turn the page and explore the world of pleasure/pain it's not so easy to turn back. With a solid story to carry you through, this novel is sure to please even if you decide (or tell yourself) the "dirty" stuff just isn't for you.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Although some of the erotic parts made me feel out of my skin at times, the story overall was so engaging that I couldn't wait to return to find out what would happen next! The main character, Nick, is intriguing and complicated...and really pissed me off a few times, especially with some of his sexual escapades! But his Latin fueled passion adds a new flavor to the Erotica-Thriller genre.

I highly recommend this book and eagerly anticipate a sequel or better yet, I'd like to see this on the Silver Screen!!

--Khadijah Carter

My 2 year-old loves this book. She is able to turn the wheel and pick the correct animal. It's a fun book to learn with also. She is also able to say what each animal is. These are not your typical animals, so it's a good learning opportunity to introduce your child to different types of animals.

This sturdy board book has lots of colorful pages with Dora and her friends trying to find the matching baby for each animal. There is a little wheel on the right side of the book which your child turns to find the matching baby animal.

My two and a half year old has no problem at all finding each match, turning the wheel and then clapping happily at her discoveries!

It's fun to watch how easily she learns with DORA, not just with this book but all the Dora Board Books usually offer a fun way to educate your child in letters, counting, colors and shapes.

This one is a keeper in our child's library!

Anything to do with Dora is great. All her books are fun and educational in some aspect.

This brightly colored board book is larger than average and quite sturdy. In easy-to-read font, each page contains one or two sentences in English with the Spanish translation below it or on the opposite page. I took two years of Spanish in high school. So although I am not a native speaker, I attempted to read (and mispronounce!) the Spanish to my daughters. Only 12 pages in length, it serves as an introduction to the primary characters (Dora, Mami, Papi, Backpack, Map, Boots the Monkey, Tico the Squirrel, Benny the Bull, Isa the Iguana, and the ever-so-sneaky Swiper the Fox). Dora and Boots do not go on an actual quest. Thus this book may be too basic for the avid Dora explorer. Try one of the more adventurous books, such as Dora's Rainbow Surprise.

This is one of my daughter's favorite books. She's 15 months old and she has just started saying "Dota" every time she sees the book. She really enjoys the large pictures. She doesn't care for the TV show, but she's probably too little for cartoons now. I read this book to her every night before she goes to sleep and she just loves it. Oh, I only read this book to her in Spanish. She has plenty of English books, it's nice to have one that I can read to her in Spanish.

BTW, other Spanish books that I recommend are Boots and Clifford y la hora de dormir

Uncle Nacho's old hat is no longer serving him very well. His neice, Ambrosia, presents him with a new hat, but ridding himself of his old hat is not so easy. The story is simple and profound at the same time. Written in both English and Spanish (the story is adapted from a Nicaraguan folktale), the book is not only very enjoyable in its own right, but contributes to the learning of a second language if you speak either Spanish or English.

I am grateful that bilingual children's books are being written. Uncle Nacho's Hat introduces children to beautiful magical folklore and exposes them to talented artist, Simon Silva. I have started a small collection of books published by Children's Book Press for my nephew and son. These books are a tool for me to preserve our language and culture.

Delightful parable about change. When given a gift of a new hat, Uncle Nacho discards his old one. Everyone seeing the old onw recognizes it as Uncle Nacho's and returns it to him. The story appears in both English and delightful Spanish.

The book I am doing is called Uncle Nacho's Hat by Harriet Rohmer. It is really funny. Hear is how it goes.

The book is about this man named Uncle Nacho. That has a cat, dog, parrot and a monkey. But he has a hat that is very old and full of holes. And one day his niece Ambrosia stopped by for a visit before she went to school. She got Uncle Nacho a new hat. But uncle nacho did not know what to do with his old one. He tried to put it in the street. He put it by the super market. But people kept on returning the old hat. So he threw it in the trash can and he went outside to show the people and everyone said he look very handsome in his new hat.

The message of this book is to buy a new hat when your old one is full of holes.
My opinion is that uncle Nacho can talk Spanish and English. So can his niece Ambrosia.

I like this book. At the end all kinds of people like uncle Nacho's new hat. I would like to recommend this book because it was funny and cool.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in quality latino literature. The other two books I read and highly recommend are DRUM, CHAVI, DRUM! (by Cuban author Mayra L. Dole) and TRINOS CHOICE (by chicana author Diane Bertrand).

Too many words for not enough pictures. As a teacher I would have it out for reading time..or on my shelf but it is definately not a read aloud book...I hate picture books with too many words!

I read this to my kindergarten class every Thanksgiving when I was teaching. The boy in the story has a dad who is a truck driver so he spends all his time with his grandparents (Abuelo and Abuela). His dad sends along a turkey with a note that he will be home for Thanksgiving dinner. Well, as the boy takes care of and becomes more and more attached to the turkey it becomes apparent they are not going to have a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving.

Nice ending and a very cute story!

I use this book with at-risk 2nd and 3rd grade readers. It is wonderfully multicultural, and involves a multigenerational,Hispanic family living in New York city at Thanksgiving time. Miguel's father is a long-haul trucker who sends him a live turkey to raise for Thanksgiving dinner. Papa will be home to share it with the family. The predictable happens: boy and turkey fall in love. Miguel tries to reach his father in time to spare Gracias' life. At this point, I have my students write a letter, too, as if it were their pet they wanted to keep. The suspense builds until Gracias follows Miguel to church, and gets blessed by the priest! The grandparents are wonderfully supportive, and Tia Rosa is predictably pessimistic. Gracias comes to Thanksgiving dinner, but not in the way expected. My students make written predictions about how Papa will react, and what will happen next. This book is written by Joy Cowley,who writes many of the books we use in the Reading Recovery Program for at-risk readers in the United States. I really love it as it inspires poor writers to write, and gets everyone involved in the enfolding drama.

This book is special to me because it is about a holiday. I love this book because it makes me laugh, think of my family, and it makes me think about Thanksgiving. I really enjoyed this book. I really think I should keep this book in my heart. Everyday I read this book. That's why this book is important to me. Also that's why this is one of my favorite book! From,Kiana

The narrator's dad is a long-haul truck driver who sends a live baby turkey to his son, who lives in New York City with his grandparents. Along with the turkey, he sends instructions to fatten him up for Thanksgiving Day. But by the time dad returns for Thanksgiving, the bird has become a pet, not a meal. The story is quite fun, with just a little tension, but no scary bits. There is a sprinkling of Spanish words throughout the text, and a bilingual glossary at the end of the book. Altogether, the book has about 1300 words.

This was one of my very first cookbooks. I received it as a gift and at first was intimated due to the author's / chef's reputation and the book's photographs, which depict dishes as they were presented at Patria, Mr. Rodriguez's former NYC restaurant. Nonetheless, while I'm not a "star chef", I've had great success with several of these recipes and even ventured to make a few variations.

I made the Brazo Park Avenue and the chocolate flan and people went nutz for them! The Brazo takes time to make but on your first bite, you'll be hooked. I'm making it as for Christmas Eve.

Is this cool way of cookin?! I'm totally impressed by the style and excitement of this style of cuisine, full of marinades (adobo in Spanish, both dry rub and liquid), and that hot/cool tension of Latino food.

With tropical fruits and Latino veggies and tubers (malanga, yuca, etc) this introduces most of us to an exciting whole new venue of possibilities.

It's all here, drink suggestions and Breads (you've got to try the Yellow Arepas, they're worth the book itself). Amazing array of salsas and mojos, such as Ruby Grapefruit, Shallot and Cilantro Mojo (unblievable flavors).

The offerings here are spectacular, Grilled Flank Steak over Mushroom Ceviche. Who would have thought of that, ceviche applied to small button mushrooms which this guy found in Peruvia through his dad's barber.

Knockout dishes like Original Plantain Coated Mahimahi served with Tamarind Tartar Sauce. Avocado and Pistachio Crusted Gulf Snapper with Black Bean Sauce. Sugarcane Tuna with Malanga Puree and Dried Shrimp Salsa. Mango and Mustard-Glazed Salmon with Calamari Rice.

This review could continue to speak of creative dish after dish. Desserts are equally attractive, with fruit and flans and rice and a neat dish to dazzle your guests from Cuba, Brazo Park Avenue with Banana Mousse.

All nicely packaged by one of the best, Ten Speed Press, with class and style, color photos and rich, vibrant text.

My frontrunner for Latino cooking resource.

We've just returned from a Caribbean cruise with its final destination in Costa Rica. We were inspired by the diversity of the flavors and food presentation everywhere we visited...so inspired we decided to come home and have a New Year's Latino brunch for friends and neighbors. So, our local library had Nuevo Latino on the shelf and we were on! Douglas Rodriguez' book is well written so that it tells an interesting story of his career journey, and it presents recipes, definitions of ingredients, and presentation ideas in a practical and easy-to-replicate way. Now, even the trips to the grocery store with all these new "foreign" foods in the produce section conjure up memories/ideas from the recipes he's presented. Can't wait to go to New York to experience Patria, but also know that what we made from his book was excellent. Our friends thought we were great cooks! And that's the point of cookbooks, isn't it! Thanks to Nuevo Latino.

Rodriguez is an excellent chef and a great cookbook writer. I bought this after eating a couple of meals in one of his newer restaurants in NYC, Chicama, where the creative ceviches, oyster appetizers and other dishes are absolutely out of this world. Combining unlikely flavors to create new versions of Latin American standards, this book contains many recipes you will want to make over and over. Only challenges: some ingredients are hard to find, and most of the recipes take a little extra preparation. Small price to pay for uncommonly good food.