Most Anticipated August 2025 Releases

What a busy month full of new releases! We’ve got some exciting picks for most anticipated books this August, check out our list below to find the newest addition to your TBR pile. 📚✨

 

Menudo Sunday: A Spanglish Counting Book by María Dolores Águila | Illustrated by Erika Meza | PICTURE BOOK

Sundays are the best: that’s when a little girl and her mamá, abuelitos, tías and primos all gather together to eat yummy menudo, a traditional Mexican soup. But when playtime with the cousins and family dogs gets out of hand and Abuelito Esteban’s special bowl of menudo breaks, everyone has to pitch in to make a new batch! Through all the menudo mishaps and sneaky snacks for perritos with wagging tails, young readers will giggle as they learn to count from 1-15 in Spanish and English.

Bonus materials at the back of the book include a glossary of Spanish words, a note from the author, and tips for hosting your very own Menudo Sunday!

 

Solitaria by Eliana Alvez Cruz | Translated by Benjamin Brooks | ADULT FICTION

Mabel has been staying in the Golden Plate—the most expensive building on the block, in an unnamed city in Brazil—for almost her entire life. Yet her presence there is merely tolerated: she inhabits a miniscule room with her mother, Eunice, who alongside Mabel provides round-the-clock attention and care for the wealthy family who lives there. As Mabel grows up, her dissatisfaction with the forced smallness of her life becomes difficult to bear, and she is driven to work toward new possibilities for herself.

Eunice does the best that she can—uneducated, and with a daughter and ailing mother both depending solely on her, her life is a series of limitations. She moves through the rooms of the penthouse suite in silent servitude, and though Mabel is ashamed of this invisibility act they've both perfected, the era of slavery is still fresh in the country's consciousness, and Eunice thinks it best not to dwell too hard on such things. But when tragedy strikes, and a little boy dies, Eunice must decide if she can face the indifference and injustices of the ruling class she has spent so long orbiting.

Told through direct, agile and evocative prose, Solitaria is a liberation novel of the most rousing order. Through the book's awareness of space and whose presence is permissible, the world of the Golden Plate unfurls, and an unflinching portrait emerges of modern-day Brazil, its legacies of colonial violence haunting rooms across the country, both big and small.

 

Marisol Acts the Part by Elle Gonzalez Rose | YOUNG ADULT

Actress Marisol Polly-Rodriguez might be entering her flop era. After wrapping  up a hit show, she’s neither booked nor busy. Not to mention, her former costar turned boyfriend, Miles, recently dumped her for being an “unserious” performer. Can you imagine?

To prove to Miles—and online trolls—that she takes her craft very seriously,  Marisol lands a role on the same  upcoming drama series he does. But with the eccentric director constantly  rewriting her lines and a snobby castmate trying to upstage her, Marisol quickly  realizes that her hope of nabbing an award nomination might be a pipe dream.

The only person she doesn’t have to put on a performance for is the show’s leading lady, Jamila. Marisol hasn’t  been able to look away from her since their first audition. Falling for Jamila wasn’t part of Marisol’s plan, but even the most dedicated actors go off script sometimes, right?

 

The Darién Gap: A Reporter's Journey Through the Deadly Crossroads of the Americas by Belén Fernández | NONFICTION

The narrow Darién Gap, the only land bridge connecting South and Central America, encompasses a spectacularly hostile jungle, covered in steep mountains, dense rainforests, and flood-prone marshes. Known in Spanish as el infierno verde, or "the green hell," it is one of the most inhospitable places in the world. Its terrain is too treacherous for roads, yet hundreds of thousands of refuge seekers contend with its horrors every year in the hopes of reaching the United States, still some three thousand miles away. And of the countless who set out for the border, an untold number never arrive.

In this book, journalist Belén Fernández visits the Darién Gap to report on the dehumanizing and deadly stretch of land that has become a mass graveyard for migrants. Fernández's travels bring her into contact with refuge seekers, people smugglers, law enforcement officials, and many more whose stories bring life to a place overwhelmingly associated with death. Combining history, on-the-ground reporting, travelogue, memoir, and searing politico-economic analysis, she shines light on a largely made-in-the-USA crisis that has come to define our modern era.

Engrossing and heartrending, The Darién Gap is a poignant and compassionate indictment of structural inequality and institutionalized inhumanity in a world where the have-nots must risk death for a chance at a better life--or any life at all.

 

Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe by Amy S. Hansen & Wanda Díaz Merced | Illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza | CHILDREN’S

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Wanda Díaz Merced wanted to learn everything she could about the stars. But in college she started losing her sight. How could she study what she couldn't see?

Wanda found a way. She learned to hear the stars using sonification, which converts data into sounds. Listening to those chimes and drumbeats, she made new discoveries about the universe.

Today Wanda is a leading advocate for inclusive science. She and her friend Amy S. Hansen collaborated on this book to inspire children to follow their curiosity no matter the challenges. As Wanda urges, "Never give up!" 

Wanda Hears the Stars is the perfect picture book biography to inspire any STEM-minded future scientist!

 

Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa | ADULT FICTION

As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can’t escape her father’s expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband—a compromise she’s unwilling to make.

For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family’s estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.

When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her…but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?

August 2025 Latinx Releases

ON SALE AUGUST 5

Menudo Sunday: A Spanglish Counting Book by María Dolores Águila | Illustrated by Erika Meza | PICTURE BOOK
Sundays are the best: that’s when a little girl and her mamá, abuelitos, tías and primos all gather together to eat yummy menudo, a traditional Mexican soup. But when playtime with the cousins and family dogs gets out of hand and Abuelito Esteban’s special bowl of menudo breaks, everyone has to pitch in to make a new batch! Through all the menudo mishaps and sneaky snacks for perritos with wagging tails, young readers will giggle as they learn to count from 1-15 in Spanish and English. Bonus materials at the back of the book include a glossary of Spanish words, a note from the author, and tips for hosting your very own Menudo Sunday!

 

Rosa by Any Other Name by Hailey Alcaraz | YOUNG ADULT

Rosa Capistrano has been attending posh North Phoenix High School to boost her chances of a college education and a career in journalism, thanks to the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education verdict for desegregation. But though she’s legally allowed to be there, it’s still unsafe for Mexican Americans. That’s why she’s secretly passing as Rosie, a white girl. All she has to do to secure her future is make sure her Mexican home life and her white school experience never intersect.

However, Rosa’s two worlds collide when her best friend Ramon and classmate Julianne meet and find themselves entangled in a star-crossed romance. Rosa is terrified about what their relationship could mean for her and them . . . and her worst fears are soon realized in an unspeakable tragedy. Rosa is thrown into the center of a town-wide scandal and her true identity is put in the spotlight. With the help of Marco, Ramon's brooding and volatile brother whose passion ignites hers, Rosa must choose what is more important to her—protecting her fragile future, or risking everything to help her friends find justice.

 

The Island of Forgotten Gods by Victor Piñeiro | MIDDLE GRADE

Nico wants to be a famous film director. He's pretty sure if he can make the right movie, and soon, his life will completely change. The catch? His parents are sending him to Puerto Rico for the summer to stay with his iconic, but old-school, Abuela Luciana, and his awesome, but unpredictable cousins. Still, the show must go on.

Until Nico and his cousins awaken a monster. A monster that looks an awful lot like the infamous Chupacabra. And it turns out this isn't a chance encounter. The creature begins stalking them all over Puerto Rico, turning up on every dark corner, sandy beach, and moonlit night. To make matters worse, a shadowy cult enters the chase, intent on capturing them before the Chupacabra can.

Soon they are thrown into an adventure that brings them face-to-face with the ancient Taino people, even more ancient Taino gods, and the mysterious Chupacabra, who is somehow linked to everything. Nico keeps his camera rolling, hoping the epic documentary will catapult him to stardom. But in the end, it's the island's fate that hangs in the balance, as they face down the very gods that created Puerto Rico.

 

Day of the Dead ABC / Día de Los Muertos ABC by Gabriela Orozco Belt | Illustrated by Estelí Meza | PICTURE BOOK

In this beautifully illustrated bilingual book, readers aged 7 to 11 will delight in discovering the rich traditions and customs of Day of the Dead. From decorating colorful altars to enjoying delicious pan de muerto, this heartwarming book captures the essence of this special celebration.

English and Spanish alphabet books often provide one set of text in English with a Spanish translation. This book weights both English and Spanish equally for our bilingual readers--providing different entry text for many letters of the alphabet. Both English and Spanish have translations underneath to help readers understand and connect to the illustrations.

 

Bebé AMA a Abuelita / Baby Loves Grandma by Chela de la Vega | Illustrated by Teresa Martínez | CHILDREN’S

Bebé Ama a Abuelita / Baby Loves Grandma is a sweet and charming exploration of grandmotherly love, creating a rich and engaging experience for babies and toddlers. Through charming illustrations and simple, expressive text, the book celebrates the special bond between babies and their grandmothers and features a diverse group of grandmas from various backgrounds throughout Latin America and the United States. From playful moments to exploring the city to mealtime, Bebé Ama a Abuelita / Baby Loves Grandma captures the joy that abuelas/grandmas have when spending time with their grandkids, making it a perfect read for families looking to embrace both English and Spanish in their little one's early learning journey.

 

Sundust by Zeke Peña | PICTURE BOOK

Where the rock wall ends, the desert beyond begins.

Following a blazing trail of sundust, two curious siblings hop the wall into a place that’s endless and free. Here, prickly old nopal trees beg to be climbed, empty turtle shells invite a closer look, enormous rocks model how to sit still and listen, and a colibrí offers an unexpected ride. In the desert, where life revolves around the Sun, brother and sister explore, imagine, and wonder, What if Sun’s power was inside me? until their mom’s whistle calls them back home again.

With spare, lyrical text, Pura Belpré Honor and Ezra Jack Keats Honor recipient Zeke Peña has created a fantastical tale that suspends moments in time with his radiant art and celebrates the bonds between the sun, the desert, and its people.

 

Solitaria by Eliana Alvez Cruz | Translated by Benjamin Brooks | ADULT FICTION

Mabel has been staying in the Golden Plate—the most expensive building on the block, in an unnamed city in Brazil—for almost her entire life. Yet her presence there is merely tolerated: she inhabits a miniscule room with her mother, Eunice, who alongside Mabel provides round-the-clock attention and care for the wealthy family who lives there. As Mabel grows up, her dissatisfaction with the forced smallness of her life becomes difficult to bear, and she is driven to work toward new possibilities for herself.

Eunice does the best that she can—uneducated, and with a daughter and ailing mother both depending solely on her, her life is a series of limitations. She moves through the rooms of the penthouse suite in silent servitude, and though Mabel is ashamed of this invisibility act they've both perfected, the era of slavery is still fresh in the country's consciousness, and Eunice thinks it best not to dwell too hard on such things. But when tragedy strikes, and a little boy dies, Eunice must decide if she can face the indifference and injustices of the ruling class she has spent so long orbiting.

 

Someone's Gotta Give by Alisha Fernandez Miranda | ADULT FICTION

Lucia thought she had it all figured out-until life in London as a new mom and expat turned everything upside down. She's barely holding it together when she unexpectedly lands a glamorous job as a philanthropic adviser at London's poshest private bank. But is the world of the über-wealthy everything that it's cracked up to be?

At work, she's rubbing elbows with royals; at home, her teething one-year-old is up at all hours of the night, and her husband's growing connection to his ex-girlfriend is raising suspicions.

Can Lucia juggle Buckingham Palace visits, private island getaways, and late-night cocktails at secret clubs while keeping her family intact and staying true to herself?

 

ON SALE AUGUST 12

Marisol Acts the Part by Elle Gonzalez Rose | MIDDLE GRADE

Actress Marisol Polly-Rodriguez might be entering her flop era. After wrapping up a hit show, she’s neither booked nor busy. Not to mention, her former costar turned boyfriend, Miles, recently dumped her for being an “unserious” performer. Can you imagine?

To prove to Miles—and online trolls—that she takes her craft very seriously, Marisol lands a role on the same upcoming drama series he does. But with the eccentric director constantly rewriting her lines and a snobby castmate trying to upstage her, Marisol quickly realizes that her hope of nabbing an award nomination might be a pipe dream.

The only person she doesn’t have to put on a performance for is the show’s leading lady, Jamila. Marisol hasn’t been able to look away from her since their first audition. Falling for Jamila wasn’t part of Marisol’s plan, but even the most dedicated actors go off script sometimes, right?

 

My Abuela Is a Bruja by Mayra Cuevas | Illustrated by Lorena Alvarez Gómez | PICTURE BOOK

My abuela is a bruja.
There is magic in everything she does.

There is nothing more magical than a grandmother's love. But one lucky girl suspects her grandmother has actual magic. It's in the tun-tun-tun of the way she dances salsa, in the warmth of her hugs, and the delicious smell of her cooking. The granddaughter wonders: will I have magic of my own one day?

Follow the magic in this heartfelt picture book that features extensive backmatter that includes two special recipes from Mayra Cuevas and uplifiting illustrations from Lorena Alvarez Gómez.

 

The New Lesbian Pulp by Sarah Fonseca & Octavia Saenz | SHORT STORIES
esbian pulp fiction thrived in the oppressive 1950s, telling subversive stories of lonely sapphic women who find connection, passion, and revenge. In The New Lesbian Pulp, editors Sarah Fonseca and Octavia Saenz revive the genre for today, layering nuance into classic tropes while dialing up the melodrama, romantic peril, and collateral damage.

In these pages--which pair revived classics from Lorraine Hansberry and Alice Dunbar Nelson with new stories from Sarah Schulman, Grace Byron, Shamim Sharif, and more--vigilante lesbians gather roadkill for revenge, a woman and her former high school bully hook up and commit murder, Brooklyn witches cruise kink parties for human sacrifice, and a sinister kidnapping goes horribly wrong (or horribly right).

Here, gathered just for you, are some of today's best lesbian pulp stories. Don't be afraid. Pick them up.

 

Vera La Valiente Is Scared by Ana Siqueira | Illustrated by Teresa Martinez | PICTURE BOOK

Meet Vera the Brave--La Valiente! She dives like a dolphin, climbs like a mountain goat, and defends her amigos like un león. But she trembles when she hears her teacher say, "We're going to Rocking Roller Coasters!" Oh no! Vera tries to convince the teacher her plan is not the best, but Ms. Rodríguez does not change her mind about the field trip. Now if Vera can't face her fears, everyone will discover she's not that brave after all! But what if being brave is much more than she expected?

Vera La Valiente Is Scared redefines what it means to be brave. It's okay to show your feelings and fears! And maybe, with some help, you can even face some of them.

 

Tia Sofia and the Giant Tortilla by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz | Illustrated by Carlos Vélez Aguilera | PICTURE BOOK

special magic with the power to be a cape, a placemat, a scarf, a blanket, and even more importantly--a way to bring back the memory of someone special.

Meet Tia Sofia -- the "cool aunt" who creates wild art and loves dancing in her cozy California bungalow. One day, while babysitting her niece and nephew, things get out of control while preparing fresh tortillas in her colorful kitchen.

Distracted by dancing with her niece and nephew in the kitchen, Tía Sofía makes a giant tortilla so big that Luna sees an opportunity for an adventure. Exhausted by a day of laughing, coloring, ghosts, and broomsticks, Luna and Sol finally enjoy lunch with their favorite aunt and her little dog, Tamayo.

This sweet semi-bilingual story includes a seek-and-find of animals commonly found in traditional Mexican folk art and includes a recipe for Tía Sofía's flour tortillas!

 

On Earth as It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia | Translated by Padma Viswanathan | ADULT FICTION

On land where enslaved people were once tortured and murdered, the state built a penal colony in the wilderness, where inmates could be rehabilitated, but never escape. Now, decades later, and having only succeeded in trapping men, not changing them for the better, its operations are winding down. But in the prison's waning days, a new horror is unleashed: every full-moon night, the inmates are released, the warden is armed with rifles, and the hunt begins. Every man plans his escape, not knowing if his end will come at the hands of a familiar face, or from the unknown dangers beyond the prison walls. Ana Paula Maia has once again delivered a bracing vision of our potential for violence, and our collective failure to account for the consequences of our social and political action, or inaction. No crime is committed out of view for this novelist, and her raw, brutal power enlists us all as witness.

 

The Día de Los Muertos Story: Celebrating the Never-Ending Bonds of Family by Andrea Jáuregui de la Torre | Illustrated by Laura González | PICTURE BOOK

Through detailed stories told by Little Andrea's beloved abuela, The Dia de Los Muertos Story reveals to young readers the origins of Dia de Los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, what it means to Mexican families, and how it has grown and expanded to other parts of the world, specifically north into the United States.

This enchanting picture book follows Little Andrea as she discovers how what began as ceremonies practiced by the ancient Aztecs has evolved into a holiday recognized far beyond the borders of Mexico. As the story unfolds, Little Andrea explores significant moments in history and historical figures that demonstrate the endurance of the holiday through the ages.

 

The Darién Gap: A Reporter's Journey Through the Deadly Crossroads of the Americas by Belén Fernández | NONFICTION

The narrow Darién Gap, the only land bridge connecting South and Central America, encompasses a spectacularly hostile jungle, covered in steep mountains, dense rainforests, and flood-prone marshes. Known in Spanish as el infierno verde, or "the green hell," it is one of the most inhospitable places in the world. Its terrain is too treacherous for roads, yet hundreds of thousands of refuge seekers contend with its horrors every year in the hopes of reaching the United States, still some three thousand miles away. And of the countless who set out for the border, an untold number never arrive.

In this book, journalist Belén Fernández visits the Darién Gap to report on the dehumanizing and deadly stretch of land that has become a mass graveyard for migrants. Fernández's travels bring her into contact with refuge seekers, people smugglers, law enforcement officials, and many more whose stories bring life to a place overwhelmingly associated with death. Combining history, on-the-ground reporting, travelogue, memoir, and searing politico-economic analysis, she shines light on a largely made-in-the-USA crisis that has come to define our modern era.

 

ON SALE AUGUST 19

From Cocinas to Lucha Libre Ringsides: A Latinx Comics Anthology by Frederick Luis Aldama & Angela M Sánchez | NONFICTION

In this comics anthology full of humor and heart, writers and artists from across the US pay tribute to the ways food and sports endure as touchstones in the Latin American diaspora. In the vein of Frederick Luis Aldama's bestselling anthology Tales from la Vida, creators offer slice-of-life comics in an array of styles to capture common threads that bind this dizzyingly diverse community. From a simple quesadilla eaten hot on the way to school, to a Puerto Rican grandmother's offering of guineitos en escabeche, to a homesick Chicano punk's reverse-engineered tamales, food is a gift from elders to children, a marker of continuity and togetherness amid a dominant culture that may dismiss its flavors. Sports, too, provide a path to friendship and connection across national and language barriers, anchoring fans and participants in a sense of identity and place, whether through the perseverance of the Mayan game pok ta' pok, the unifying surge of lucha libre or soccer fandom, or a father and daughter's shared love of horse racing.

 

The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy by Donna Barba Higuera |Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo | CHILDREN’S

It's a monster's ancient duty to inflict unimaginable horrors on misbehaving kids.

But when a young cucuy who's anxious to prove himself is sent to the human world to terrorize his first child, the naughty niño isn't scared by glowing eyes, sharp talons, or even disgusting breath. Instead, he's preoccupied with worries about his first day at a new school. Can the little cucuy prove himself as a fierce boogeyman? As he soon learns from his human, maybe some things are scarier than creatures under the bed . . . and maybe even a monster could use a friend.

 

Of the Sun: A Poem for the Land's First Peoples by Xelena González | Illustrated by Emily Kewageshig | PICTURE BOOK

Indigenous. Native. On this land, you may roam.
Child of the sun, on this land, you are home.

Of the Sun is an uplifting and mighty poem that wraps the Indigenous children of the Americas in reassuring words filled with hope for a brighter future and reminders of their bond and importance to the land. Each page fills them with pride and awe of their cultural heritage and invites them to unite and inspire change in the world.

Paired with powerful art reflecting cultures of various Indigenous Nations and Tribes, the poem offers all readers a sense of the history and majesty of the land we live on and how we can better care for ourselves and the world when we recognize our connection to the land and to each other.

 

Wanda Hears the Stars: A Blind Astronomer Listens to the Universe by Amy S. Hansen & Wanda Díaz Merced | Illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza | CHILDREN’S

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Wanda Díaz Merced wanted to learn everything she could about the stars. But in college she started losing her sight. How could she study what she couldn't see?

Wanda found a way. She learned to hear the stars using sonification, which converts data into sounds. Listening to those chimes and drumbeats, she made new discoveries about the universe.

Today Wanda is a leading advocate for inclusive science. She and her friend Amy S. Hansen collaborated on this book to inspire children to follow their curiosity no matter the challenges. As Wanda urges, "Never give up!" 

 

Popo the Xolo by Paloma Angelina Lopez| Illustrated by Abraham Matias | PICTURE BOOK

Nana is surrounded by family and takes joy in her many grandchildren. She's also tired and feels pain. Soon she begins her transition from life into death, accompanied by her beloved Xolo dog, Popo.

Together they go on Nana’s journey, and by the end of the story, Nana's family celebrates the many years of love they shared with her. And a grandchild will now care for Popo.

An unforgettable picture book that's grounded in the importance of the 9 levels of Mictlān and the role Xolo (show-low) dogs play in Indigenous cultural understandings of present-day Mexico.

Popo the Xolo is available in both English and Spanish language editions.

 

The Possession of Alba Díaz by Isabel Cañas | HORROR

in 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.  

Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice the growing tension between them every time she enters the room…and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood gets stronger. 

In the fight for her life, Alba and Elías become entangled with the occult, the Church, long-kept secrets, and each other… not knowing that one of these things will spell their doom.

 

ON SALE AUGUST 26

Perla and the Pirate by Isabel Allende | Illustrated by Sandy Rodríguez | PICTURE BOOK

Perla is a mighty dog who has two superpowers—making people love her and roaring like a lion.

When she finds out her human brother, Nico Rico, got lost on the way home from school, she knows she has to step in! But what will Perla do?

In a charming and poignant story, Isabel Allende continues her series about the bond between a child and a beloved pet.

 

Hello, Tobi! by Andrea Cáceres | PICTURE BOOK

Every day, Tobi goes for walks with his family. At the park, he likes to say hello to everyone—small families with big dogs, big families with small dogs, tall families with tall dogs, short families with short dogs. There are families who look alike and families where everyone is different; families who are quiet, some who yell or sing loudly, and some who like to play together or create. Even when there are so many people and dogs at the park that Tobi can’t tell which dog belongs to which family, he still loves them all! But there’s always one family he loves the best . . . With welcoming, childlike illustrations and a breezy text, Andrea Cáceres invites us on a walk through the park that celebrates all kinds of families, with an endearing pup whose world is a friendly place indeed. Hello, Tobi!

 

Leyendas/Legends: 60 Latine People Who Changed the World by Mónica Mancillas | Illustrated by Isadora Zeferino | CHILDREN’S

Discover the stories of sixty inspiring figures—including celebrities and icons like Frida Kahlo, Roberto Clemente, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sonia Sotomayor, Shakira, Walter Mercado, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Jharrel Jerome—in this beautifully illustrated, celebratory collection showcasing the multitude of talent within the Latine community.

Each extraordinary person has a unique story—from artists who have shaped pop culture to athletes who have won championships to activists who have changed laws and so many more—Vand this empowering book shows that anyone can make a difference in the world if they set to their mind to it!

 

Gabriela and His Grace by Liana De la Rosa | ADULT FICTION

As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can’t escape her father’s expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband—a compromise she’s unwilling to make.

For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family’s estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.

When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her…but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?

 

Rise Up or Die!: The Struggle Against the Genocide of Black People in Brazil by Andreia Beatriz Silva Dos Santos & Hamilton Borges Dos Santos | Translated by João H Costa Vargas | NONFICTION

Rise Up or Die! describes the origins, main concepts, distinct phases, and visions of the future of one of the most innovative, daring, and militant Black organizations in Brazil. Firmly rooted in that country's long tradition of resistance and rebellion against a nation that depends on the continued hyper-exploitation, dehumanization, abandonment, and social and physical death of Black people, the organization invented what it refers to as "bad manners in Black politics." If bad manners mean a refusal to abide by expectations of decorum, analysis, collective organization—and indeed the Brazilian genocidal model of racial democracy—then Rise Up certainly fits the description. The organization invented a new political vocabulary, led to the formation of an autonomous Black School in Salvador (the Winnie Mandela School), and constantly attracts people from the most marginalized Black spaces of the largest Black nation in the world, second only to Nigeria.

Drawing on a constantly replenished matrix of Black radical traditions, the activists of Rise Up or Die relentlessly pursue invention as the necessary alternative to a social formation that simply hates Black people.

 

Lost on Doll Island by Cassandra Ramos-Gomez | MIDDLE GRADE

Diego feels trapped. He’s confined in an arm cast, stuck with his tía and tío for a week in Mexico City, and smothered with the sickening fear that he’s the one who really caused his parents’ divorce. But most of all, he’s trapped in his own secret. Because ever since he got to Mexico City, he’s started having strange dreams of a doll calling his name.

Then Diego learns of La Isla de Muñecas, an island full of legendary magic that can make children’s wishes come true. If Diego can harness the power there, maybe he could fix everything that has gone wrong in his life.

So, with the help of two new friends, Diego takes a boat to the legendary island. From the moment the kids step ashore, nothing is as it seems—with dolls disappearing and reappearing in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, Diego is more trapped than ever before, and as the night goes on, he’s not sure he can escape.

 

Restoration by Ave Barrera | Translated by Ellen Jones & Robin Myers | ADULT FICTION

Propelled by female desire, shaped by the violence of the male gaze, and inspired by the endless vitality of old stories remade anew, Restoration takes on Bluebeard, Salvador Elizondo, Juan Rulfo, Angela Carter, Octavio Paz, Mariana Enriquez, and Amparo Dávila to produce a novel of obsession, reclamation, and romance gone very, very wrong.Jasmina has been hired by her maybe-boyfriend to restore his family home, a grubby, abandoned time capsule where a great artist once lived. As she moves from room to room - scrubbing, scraping, plastering over cracks - the stories inhabiting them awaken, and the lives of the women who came before her begin to overlap with her own. Who is the woman in the photograph? And what secrets linger in that last locked room?Restoration is a ghost story with porous borders, between Jasmina and these forgotten women, between the novel and us. And the questions Barrera asks may be about what's behind our own barred door.

Book Review: Everything She Never Knew by Annette Chavez Macías

Everything She Never Knew by Annette Chavez Macías is about life after betrayal. Readers follow along as Claudia rebuilds herself as infidelity causes her marriage and a childhood friendship to crumble around her. The book motivates you to reflect on the relationship to yourself and others with all too real characters and emotions that pull at your heartstrings.  

Through the dual timeline of the present and the past written in the form of diary entries, readers see that Claudia and Rachel were inseparable childhood best friends. However, the cracks of this friendship are obvious to all, except for Claudia. Why is that? Claudia had gone through many adversities as a child, with an absent mother who frequently ran off with different men and a grandmother who passed away too soon. Rachel had gone through her own respective challenges in life with family, education, and more. These two girls found light in the other and clung on to each other for more than 20 years. At a glance, they were a perfect example of childhood best friends that stuck with each other through anything. With their deep history, these cracks in Claudia’s mind just simply couldn’t exist.   

[Chavez Macías] doesn’t just write addictive dramas, she writes thought-provoking emotional tales of women finding the love, strength, and support system needed to push through life’s difficulties.

In order to fully understand why Claudia couldn’t see the red flags, you have to wonder, “what did this friendship mean to these two women?” first. Claudia always had time and room for love for Rachel. Rachel protected Claudia in a way that no one else was doing. All of these still couldn’t prevent the cracks from forming. In her endless well of love, Claudia lost herself. She was always running to Rachel’s side while disregarding her own wants and needs. Rachel, once a protector, slowly became Claudia’s bully and took advantage of her unwavering love and kindness. In their confrontation, Claudia finally saw through the lies, insults, and betrayal and realized this friendship meant everything to her but was a means to an end for Rachel to get whatever she wanted, no matter the cost. 

Annette Chavez Macías illustrates that sometimes we lose ourselves in our love for other people that we forget to show ourselves that same respect. She doesn’t just write addictive dramas, she writes thought-provoking emotional tales of women finding the love, strength, and support system needed to push through life’s difficulties. What makes her writing remarkable is that readers can relate to and find solace in the perseverance and vulnerabilities of these women. 

Macías also incorporates a plethora of Mexican American history, heritage, identity, and more in her stories and throughout various characters. Each person is attuned to their heritage in different ways, making them relatable to every kind of reader. This cultural enrichment helps the reader feel a deeper connection to the character, which enhances the reading experience of her compelling storytelling. Her well-rounded writing leaves the reader with a positive, long-lasting impression.


Annette Chavez Macias writes stories about love, family and following your dreams. She is proud of her Mexican-American heritage, culture and traditions. All of which can be found within the pages of her books. For those readers wanting even more love stories and guaranteed happily ever afters, Annette also writes romance under the pen name Sabrina Sol. A Southern California native, Annette lives just outside Los Angeles with her husband, three children and an English Bulldog named Reina.

 

Melissa Gonzalez (she/her) loves boba, horror movies, and reading. You can spot her in the fiction, horror/mystery/thriller, and fantasy sections of bookstores. Though she is short, she feels as tall as her TBR pile. You can find Melissa on her book Instagram: @floralchapters

Most Anticipated July 2025 Releases

The selection of newly released books is oh so plentiful this month! Here are our most anticipated picks for July—from a summer romance ala Only Murders in the Building to some amazing translations, well be checking out these titles! Which one will you add to your TBR?

 

Archive of Unknown Universes by Ruben Reyes Jr. | ADULT FICTION

Cambridge, 2018. Ana and Luis’s relationship is on the rocks, despite their many similarities, including their mothers who both fled El Salvador during the war. In her search for answers, and against her best judgement, Ana uses The Defractor, an experimental device that allows users to peek into alternate versions of their lives. What she sees leads her and Luis on a quest through Havana and San Salvador to uncover the family histories they are desperate to know, eager to learn if what might have been could fix what is.

Havana, 1978. The Salvadoran war is brewing, and Neto, a young revolutionary with a knack for forging government papers, meets Rafael at a meeting for the People's Revolutionary Army. The two form an intense and forbidden love, shedding their fake names and revealing themselves to each other inside the covert world of their activism. When their work separates them, they begin to exchange weekly letters, but soon, as the devastating war rages on, forces beyond their control threaten to pull them apart forever.

Ruben Reyes Jr.’s debut novel is an epic, genre-bending journey through inverted worlds—one where war ends with a peace treaty, and one where it ends with a decisive victory by the Salvadoran government. What unfolds is a stunning story of displacement and belonging, of loss and love. It’s both a daring imagining of what might have been and a powerful reckoning of our past.

 

Putafeminista: A Manifesto of Sex Worker Feminism by Monique Prada | Translated by Amanda de Lisio | NONFICTION

As long as feminism has existed as a movement in Brazil, sex workers have taken to the streets in solidarity--despite the fact that mainstream feminist discourse positions sex work, and the "putas" who enact it, as detrimental to women's rights. In Putafeminista, activist and sex worker Monique Prada calls for feminists to retire this hypocrisy and embrace putafeminism: a working class women's movement that rejects whorephobia and its classist, colonial dimensions.

Drawing on her firsthand experiences with sex work and movement building, Prada argues for the validity of sex work as feminist labor and tracks the innovations introduced by Brazilian sex workers to feminist internet discourse, street actions, and governmental advocacy. For readers seeking the glimmers of tomorrow's feminism, Prada places that future with putafeminists, naming the brothel a "final frontier" for all women to gather, reform, and revolt.

 

A Father Is Born by Andrés Neuman | Translated by Robin Myers | ADULT FICTION

"I am delighted that we are together, my son, becoming what we will both be."

A man awaits his son's birth. Captivated, he follows the mother's pregnancy, imagining the child that will transform his house, his language, his relationship, and his family history. For a year, he annotates the memorable first steps leading the three of them into these new existential situations: being a father, a mother, a son; three different characters in a universal story, told in newly born words. A situation further complicated when the child begins speaking and articulating his world.

A Father Is Born is a lyrical tale that resonates both on intimate and collective levels. Its understanding of fatherhood faces masculinity with the miracle of life and its incessant rereading of the present. In a time that redefines traditionally attributed roles, A Father Is Born accepts Anne Waldman's invitation: "Tell the man to give up tumult for the while / To wonder at the sight of baby's beauty." But it is also, and above all, a love statement.

 

My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero | ADULT FICTION

After her sister Nena’s sudden death, Xiomara, an Afro-Latina singer and actress born and raised in Washington Heights, is numb. With her sister gone, Xiomara, painfully close to thirty, is living in a tiny apartment with her ultra-Catholic Puerto Rican mother, and having the same shitty sex with the same shitty men that she’s been entertaining for years. Behind on rent despite two minimum-wage jobs, one of which involves singing show tunes while serving pancakes to tourists at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, Xiomara is bitingly cynical, especially in her grief, and barely treading water.

But when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity falls into her lap—the chance to audition for Manny Santos, the most charismatic director of the moment—Xiomara sees a second chance to pursue the dream she thought she’d lost. Meanwhile, something about Santi, a new co-worker at the print shop where she spends half of her days photocopying other performers’ headshots, starts to tug at the threads of her apathy. Nothing is simple, and soon Xiomara finds herself interacting with the ugliest sides of the industry and the powerful men who control it. Sometimes the closer you are to your dreams, the further away you become from yourself, and as Xiomara grapples with this hard truth, she is forced to ask herself if she has what it takes to build a new shiny life without losing the truth of her old one.

With hopeful spirit and unapologetic energy, My Train Leaves at Three is a coming-of-age story about the balancing act between moving on and moving forward.

 

Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez | ADULT FICTION

After her legal career comes to a sudden and humiliating end, Liliane Lyon books a restorative summer rental at The Icon, a quintessential Art Deco building in Miami Beach, where her only plan is to bask in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. But soon she's enchanted by the colorful community, including university professor Benedicto Romero--resident tortured poet, whose sole intention for sabbatical is to indulge in brooding introspection.

When they discover a shared passion for romance novels, Lily and Ben are soon spending hours reading together by the pool, the spark between them unwittingly giving the other residents the impression that they're experts in matters of the heart...no matter that IRL their disastrous love lives bear little resemblance to the stories they're reading.

But while Ben and Lily can pinpoint a trope a mile away and give excellent advice to others, they can't make sense of the sizzling chemistry between them, and the suggestion of a professional podcast suddenly forces them to consider the long-term. So what if it means working even closer together! So what if their banter makes Lily's head spin! It's the summer of taking chances, but a word to the wise: Miami isn't the place for growth and rebirth. It's the place to get messy.

 

The Tilting House by Ivonne Lamazares | ADULT FICTION

In the summer of 1993, Yuri, a teenage orphan, is living with her strict, religious aunt Ruth in a Havana suburb when Mariela, a thirty-four-year-old artist, arrives from the United States with a shocking revelation. She claims to be Yuri's sister, insisting that she and Yuri share a mother, and that Ruth essentially kidnapped her when she sent her into exile against her will through Operation Pedro Pan. Forced to grow up in orphanages, Mariela spent the past three decades in the United States and has returned to Cuba to reclaim her roots, make art, and perhaps seek vengeance on Ruth. Yuri is both fascinated and repulsed by the young, glamorous, and aggrieved Mariela. When Ruth is jailed for unknown charges, Yuri falls further into Mariela’s mercurial orbit.

Spanning two countries and three decades, The Tilting House explores identity and family loyalty, the effects of losing one’s mother and motherland, the scars of political and historical upheaval, and an immigrant’s complex quest both to return “home” and to be free from the past. Through her long journey, Yuri comes to understand that the past cannot be fully recovered, or fully escaped, even as she approaches the possibility of compassion for Mariela, for Ruth, for others, and for herself.

 

The Dance and the Fire by Daniel Saldaña París | Translated by Christina MacSweeney | ADULT FICTION

After years apart, three high school friends return to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where an intense love triangle once left an indelible mark on their adolescence. The city, surrounded by a ring of claustrophobic wildfires, brings out the past and confronts them with their present: they must once again face the entanglement of friendship and desire, the seemingly distant discovery of sexuality, complex parental relationships, and the daunting task of artistic fulfillment. 

In the background, two forces of chaos and destruction are a constant presence. As fires ravage the physical landscape, one of the friends begins choreographing an ecstatic dance inspired by the German expressionist Mary Wigman and medieval Danse Macabre. What starts as a coping mechanism for the anxieties of youth and climate catastrophe becomes an overpowering, all-consuming hysteria. Mysterious powers are awakened, the boundary between reality and myth begins to blur, and the friends find themselves immersed in an increasingly turbulent and uncertain universe.

July 2025 Latinx Releases

On Sale July 1

Archive of Unknown Universes by Ruben Reyes Jr. | ADULT FICTION

Cambridge, 2018. Ana and Luis’s relationship is on the rocks, despite their many similarities, including their mothers who both fled El Salvador during the war. In her search for answers, and against her best judgement, Ana uses The Defractor, an experimental device that allows users to peek into alternate versions of their lives. What she sees leads her and Luis on a quest through Havana and San Salvador to uncover the family histories they are desperate to know, eager to learn if what might have been could fix what is.

Havana, 1978. The Salvadoran war is brewing, and Neto, a young revolutionary with a knack for forging government papers, meets Rafael at a meeting for the People's Revolutionary Army. The two form an intense and forbidden love, shedding their fake names and revealing themselves to each other inside the covert world of their activism. When their work separates them, they begin to exchange weekly letters, but soon, as the devastating war rages on, forces beyond their control threaten to pull them apart forever.

 

Cry for Me, Argentina: My Life as a Failed Child Star by Tamara Yajia | NONFICTION

From the day she was born, Tamara Yajia entered the world on a wave of absurdity. She was the newest member of a family no one would call normal, from her grandfather the salami obsessed poppers salesman, to her mother, the OnlyFans model. Not only will her family try anything once, like moving to the United States and opening a food stand named Sexy Chicken; they'll try anything multiple times, like moving back to Argentina, then back to the United States, all while Tamara manages to achieve some success as a preteen child actress after a jaw-dropping performance where she strips down to a garter belt in front of a crowd of rabbis.

The road doesn't get easier for a twelve-year-old Argentinian Jew trying to make it big in Orange County. The disappointment of giving up her childhood career as a performer makes for a rather tumultuous coming of age. But through grit, hustle, and a series of creative endeavors like joining a girl band, and performing her own one-woman show, Cumming of Age, Tam has made it through, and she's ready to spill some shit-figuratively and literally.

 

Watch Out for Falling Iguanas by Edwidge Danticat | llustrated by Rachel Moss | PICTURE BOOK

On a rare chilly day in Miami, Florida, young Leila sets off for school bundled up in her bright red jacket. But this isn't just any cold day--her grandmother, Grandma Issa, gives her an unusual warning: "Watch out for falling iguanas."

As Leila navigates her morning, she can't stop thinking about Grandma's strange words. From remembering dodging coconuts and seeing her parents' car being held up by chickens crossing the road to admiring roaming peacocks, Leila's day is full of curious encounters. But nothing prepares her for the moment she sees an iguana drop from a tree.

Join Leila, her close friends, and her teacher Ms. Benoit on an unexpected adventure as they discover why these tropical creatures fall from trees during cold snaps. With charming illustrations by acclaimed Jamaican artist Rachel Moss and a truly heartwarming story, Watch Out for Falling Iguanas is a delightful tale about family, friendship, and the surprises nature can bring.

 

On Sale July 8

 

Island Creatures by Margarita Engle | YOUNG ADULT

Every day, Vida reads to the creatures at the wildlife rescue center and dreams of her childhood in Cuba, where she and her best friend Adán adventured through the island rescuing animals from harm. Unbeknownst to her, Adán has also moved to Florida and is feeling trapped in his new home, buffeted by the stormy fights between his abuelo and papi. When a chance encounter with a captive fox leads to their reunion, Vida and Adán are able to find refuge from the cruelty that surrounds them in their soaring, rekindled romance.

Their love reaches new heights as they work together at the zoo that rescues rare species, but soon they realize that this peace is only temporary. Much like the wildlife they want to protect, Vida and Adán are caught in a cycle of distrust and heartlessness. As old family grudges and painful memories come to light, can they and their families learn to heal and forgive each other for a brighter, kinder future?

 

Putafeminista: A Manifesto of Sex Worker Feminism by Monique Prada | Translated by Amanda de Lisio | NONFICTION

As long as feminism has existed as a movement in Brazil, sex workers have taken to the streets in solidarity—despite the fact that mainstream feminist discourse positions sex work, and the "putas" who enact it, as detrimental to women's rights. In Putafeminista, activist and sex worker Monique Prada calls for feminists to retire this hypocrisy and embrace putafeminism: a working class women's movement that rejects whorephobia and its classist, colonial dimensions.

Drawing on her firsthand experiences with sex work and movement building, Prada argues for the validity of sex work as feminist labor and tracks the innovations introduced by Brazilian sex workers to feminist internet discourse, street actions, and governmental advocacy. For readers seeking the glimmers of tomorrow's feminism, Prada places that future with putafeminists, naming the brothel a "final frontier" for all women to gather, reform, and revolt.

 

A Father Is Born by Andrés Neuman | Translated by Robin Myers | ADULT FICTION

"I am delighted that we are together, my son, becoming what we will both be."

A man awaits his son's birth. Captivated, he follows the mother's pregnancy, imagining the child that will transform his house, his language, his relationship, and his family history. For a year, he annotates the memorable first steps leading the three of them into these new existential situations: being a father, a mother, a son; three different characters in a universal story, told in newly born words. A situation further complicated when the child begins speaking and articulating his world.

A Father Is Born is a lyrical tale that resonates both on intimate and collective levels. Its understanding of fatherhood faces masculinity with the miracle of life and its incessant rereading of the present. In a time that redefines traditionally attributed roles, A Father Is Born accepts Anne Waldman's invitation: "Tell the man to give up tumult for the while / To wonder at the sight of baby's beauty." But it is also, and above all, a love statement.

 

On Sale July 15

 

The Bewitching by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | ADULT FICTION

“Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches”: That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva—stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that’s why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay’s most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay’s manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

 

Chilco by Daniela Catrileo | Translated by Jacob Edelstein | ADULT FICTION

Chilco is the name of Pascale’s home island. It is also the Mapudungun word for fuchsia: a word that evokes tropical lushness, wetness, the deep greenness of the forest. Pascale's partner, Marina, grew up in the vertical slums of Capital City, a place scarred by centuries of colonialism and now the ravages of feckless developers. Every day the couple fear a sinkhole will open up and take with it another poor neighborhood, another raft of desperate refugees from the hinterlands: the indigenous, the poor, who are toiling for an all-consuming machine that is devouring the earth from beneath their feet.

When they finally flee the collapsing city to live in Chilco, are they escaping from the crushing weight of centuries of colonial repression that have eroded indigenous memories, language, and culture, or are they merely stepping into a twisted, lush new version of it? From her first days in this place where she’s supposed to feel safe and at home, Marina can’t avoid the feeling that everything is decaying around her—there is a smell of putrefaction in the air that no one except her can detect; there are seismic rifts that the political cruelties of the times have opened up in her own relationship with Pascale; and she is haunted by insistent memories of her past.

 

My Train Leaves at Three by Natalie Guerrero | ADULT FICTION

After her sister Nena’s sudden death, Xiomara, an Afro-Latina singer and actress born and raised in Washington Heights, is numb. With her sister gone, Xiomara, painfully close to thirty, is living in a tiny apartment with her ultra-Catholic Puerto Rican mother, and having the same shitty sex with the same shitty men that she’s been entertaining for years. Behind on rent despite two minimum-wage jobs, one of which involves singing show tunes while serving pancakes to tourists at Ellen’s Stardust Diner, Xiomara is bitingly cynical, especially in her grief, and barely treading water.

But when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity falls into her lap—the chance to audition for Manny Santos, the most charismatic director of the moment—Xiomara sees a second chance to pursue the dream she thought she’d lost. Meanwhile, something about Santi, a new co-worker at the print shop where she spends half of her days photocopying other performers’ headshots, starts to tug at the threads of her apathy. Nothing is simple, and soon Xiomara finds herself interacting with the ugliest sides of the industry and the powerful men who control it. Sometimes the closer you are to your dreams, the further away you become from yourself, and as Xiomara grapples with this hard truth, she is forced to ask herself if she has what it takes to build a new shiny life without losing the truth of her old one.

 

I Dig / Yo cavo by Joe Cepeda | PICTURE BOOK

When two brothers at the beach find a shovel, they use it to discover all sorts of fun in the sun.

Look.
I dig.
I see a crab.
I see stars.

This story about exploring and discovery is perfect for the toddler who loves digging through the sandbox in search of treasure. Very simple, easy-to-read text appears in English and Spanish, side by side, and accompanies Joe Cepeda’s bold, energetic artwork.

 

Pancho Conejo Y El Coyote: La Fábula de Un Migrante by Duncan Tonatiuh | PICTURE BOOK

(Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote Spanish Edition)

Papa Rabbit left two years ago to travel far away north to find work in the great carrot and lettuce fields to earn money for his family. When Papa does not return home on the designated day, Pancho sets out to find him.

He packs Papa's favorite meal—mole, rice and beans, a heap of still-warm tortillas, and a jug full of fresh aguamiel—and heads north. Along the way, Pancho crosses a river, climbs a fence, and passes through a tunnel guarded by uniformed, bribe-taking snakes. He soon meets a coyote, who offers to help Pancho in exchange for some of Papa's favorite foods. They travel together until the food is gone and the coyote decides he is still hungry . . . for Pancho!

With tenderness and honesty, Tonatiuh brings to light the trials and tribulations facing families who seek to make better lives for themselves and their children by illegally crossing borders.

 

Only Lovers in the Building by Nadine Gonzalez | ADULT FICTION

After her legal career comes to a sudden and humiliating end, Liliane Lyon books a restorative summer rental at The Icon, a quintessential Art Deco building in Miami Beach, where her only plan is to bask in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. But soon she's enchanted by the colorful community, including university professor Benedicto Romero—resident tortured poet, whose sole intention for sabbatical is to indulge in brooding introspection.

When they discover a shared passion for romance novels, Lily and Ben are soon spending hours reading together by the pool, the spark between them unwittingly giving the other residents the impression that they're experts in matters of the heart...no matter that IRL their disastrous love lives bear little resemblance to the stories they're reading.

But while Ben and Lily can pinpoint a trope a mile away and give excellent advice to others, they can't make sense of the sizzling chemistry between them, and the suggestion of a professional podcast suddenly forces them to consider the long-term. So what if it means working even closer together! So what if their banter makes Lily's head spin! It's the summer of taking chances, but a word to the wise: Miami isn't the place for growth and rebirth. It's the place to get messy.

 

Echoes and Embers: Speculative Stories by Pedro Iniguez | ADULT FICTION

From Bram Stoker Award finalist Pedro Iniguez, Echoes and Embers: Speculative Stories weaves fantasy and science fiction, Latinx themes, and traditional pulp stylings. This book collects 21 tales of outsiders, explorers, renegades, and dreamers as they navigate the mysteries and perils of the vast sandbox that is the universe.

Some of the stories you'll read: A boy and his grandmother witness the spectacle of a magical lucha libre match; amidst the Robot Apocalypse, an expectant mother's only hope for survival may just be a robot; a convict finds himself torn asunder and reassembled into a facsimile as he is teleported to a distant battlefield; plagued by ghosts, a young girl finds the source of her hauntings may be tied to time travel; after the Earth is destroyed, three astronauts stranded on Mars may hold the key to humanity's future.

From magical realism to military science fiction, Lovecraftian cyberpunk yarns to swashbuckling tales in space, this collection spans the frontiers of the imagination and the vastness of the cosmos.

 

On Sale July 22

Mayra by Nicky Gonzalez | ADULT FICTION

It’s been years since Ingrid has heard from her childhood best friend, Mayra, a fearless rebel who fled their hometown of Hialeah, a Cuban neighborhood just west of Miami, for college in the Northeast. But when Mayra calls out of the blue to invite Ingrid to a weekend getaway at a house in the Everglades, she impulsively accepts.

From the moment Ingrid sets out, danger looms: The directions are difficult, she’s out of reach of cell service, and as she drives deeper into the Everglades, the wet maw of the swamp threatens to swallow her whole. But once Ingrid arrives, Mayra is, in many ways, just as she remembers—with her sharp tongue and effortless, seductive beauty, still thumbing her nose at the world.

Before they can fully settle into the familiar intimacy of each other’s company, their reunion is spoiled by the reemergence of past disagreements and the unexpected presence of Mayra’s new boyfriend, Benji. The trio spend their hours eating lavish meals and exploring the labyrinthine house, which holds as much mystery as the swamp itself. Indoors and on the grounds, time itself seems to expand, and Ingrid begins to lose a sense of the outside world, and herself.

 

So What If I'm a Puta: Diaries of Transness, Sex Work, Desire by Amara Moira | Edited by Amanda de Lisio | Translated by Bruna Dantas Lobato | NONFICTION

So What If I'm a Puta, originally published on author Amara Moira's popular blog of the same name, consists of 44 crônicas that wryly portray her experiences as a trans sex worker in Brazil. In a brazen, funny, and at times heartbreaking voice, Moira explores the political and personal textures of her encounters with the men who buy sex from her, and the complex reality of her labor of a sort of love.

Woven through Moira's essays are reflections on transition, safe sex, desire, whorephobia, consent—in the grim context of Brazil's record rates of violence against trans women. Ultimately, Moira writes to "give a voice to us prostitutes" and center trans sex workers in Brazil's putafeminist movement, modeling a feminism that envisions inclusivity, safety, self-determination, and joy for us all.

 

The Tilting House by Ivonne Lamazares | ADULT FICTION

In the summer of 1993, Yuri, a teenage orphan, is living with her strict, religious aunt Ruth in a Havana suburb when Mariela, a thirty-four-year-old artist, arrives from the United States with a shocking revelation. She claims to be Yuri's sister, insisting that she and Yuri share a mother, and that Ruth essentially kidnapped her when she sent her into exile against her will through Operation Pedro Pan. Forced to grow up in orphanages, Mariela spent the past three decades in the United States and has returned to Cuba to reclaim her roots, make art, and perhaps seek vengeance on Ruth. Yuri is both fascinated and repulsed by the young, glamorous, and aggrieved Mariela. When Ruth is jailed for unknown charges, Yuri falls further into Mariela’s mercurial orbit.

 

Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan | ADULT FICTION

At the edge of the Salton Sea, in the blistering borderlands, something is out hunting. . .

Malamar Veracruz has never left the dust-choked town of El Valle. Here, Mal has done her best to build a good life: She's raised two children, worked hard, and tried to forget the painful, unexplained disappearance of her sister, Elena. When another local girl goes missing, Mal plunges into a fresh yet familiar nightmare. As a desperate Mal hunts for answers, her search becomes increasingly tangled with inscrutable visions of a horse-headed woman, a local legend who Mal feels compelled to follow. Mal's perspective is joined by the voices of her two daughters, all three of whom must work to uncover the truth about the missing girls in their community before it's too late.

 

Diego Fuego the Firefighting Dragon by Allison Rozo & Rafael Rozo |Illustrated by Vanessa Morales | PICTURE BOOK

Diego Fuego lives on the southernmost tip of South America in Tierra del Fuego with his dragon family. Even though the rest of the dragons can powerfully roar fire, Diego is allergic to smoke and can't create even the tiniest flame. His allergies lead to sneezes…and those sneezes produce ice flurries instead of flames! When a fire grows out of control, Diego soon finds that this weakness can actually be his superpower.

Diego Fuego the Firefighting Dragon is a heartwarming tale that celebrates individuality, courage, and the power of embracing one's true self.

 

On Sale July 29

The Dance and the Fire by Daniel Saldaña París | Translated by Christina MacSweeney | ADULT FICTION

After years apart, three high school friends return to Cuernavaca, Mexico, where an intense love triangle once left an indelible mark on their adolescence. The city, surrounded by a ring of claustrophobic wildfires, brings out the past and confronts them with their present: they must once again face the entanglement of friendship and desire, the seemingly distant discovery of sexuality, complex parental relationships, and the daunting task of artistic fulfillment. 

In the background, two forces of chaos and destruction are a constant presence. As fires ravage the physical landscape, one of the friends begins choreographing an ecstatic dance inspired by the German expressionist Mary Wigman and medieval Danse Macabre. What starts as a coping mechanism for the anxieties of youth and climate catastrophe becomes an overpowering, all-consuming hysteria. Mysterious powers are awakened, the boundary between reality and myth begins to blur, and the friends find themselves immersed in an increasingly turbulent and uncertain universe.

 

Beasts of Carnaval by Rosália Rodrigo | ADULT FICTION

Within the shores of Isla Bestia, guests from around the world discover a utopia of ever-changing performances, sumptuous feasts and beautiful monsters. Many enter, but few ever leave—the wine is simply too sweet, the music too fine and the revelry endless.

Sofía, a freedwoman from a nearby colonized island, cares little for this revelry. Born an enslaved mestiza on a tobacco plantation, she has neither wealth nor title, only a scholarly pragmatism and a hunger for answers. She travels to el Carnaval de Bestias in search of her twin brother, who disappeared five years ago.

There's a world of wonder waiting for her on the shores of this legendary island, one wherein conquerors profit from Sofia's ancestral lands and her people's labor. But surrounded by her former enslavers, she finds something familiar in the performances—whispers of the island's native tongue, music and stories from her Taike'ri ancestors...a culture long hidden in the shadows, thrust into the light.

As the nights pass, her mind begins unraveling, drowning in the unnatural, almost sentient thrall of Carnaval. And the sense that someone is watching her grows. To find her brother and break free, Sofia must peel back the glamorous curtain and face those behind Carnaval, before she too loses herself to the island...

Defending Libraries, Defending Freedom: Latino Representation in Publishing Coalition Responds to the Firing of Dr. Carla Hayden

On behalf of the Latino Representation in Publishing Coalition (LRPC), we express our

profound outrage at the current administration’s attack on libraries, including the firing of

Dr. Carla Hayden from her role as Librarian of Congress.

Dr. Hayden has been a transformative leader and a steadfast advocate for unity and access to

knowledge. Appointed in 2016, she made history as the first woman and the first African

American to serve as the Librarian of Congress in the institution’s 200-year plus history.

As the nation’s library, the Library of Congress plays a vital role in preserving and reflecting the

full spectrum of American stories, including those from historically and intentionally

marginalized communities. As head Librarian, Dr. Hayden was responsible for implementing

regulations and protecting the Library of Congress’ archives, which includes preserving diverse

publications, films, and narratives important to the history and culture of the United States.

Throughout Dr. Hayden’s five decades dedicated to libraries and the public, she prioritized and

ensured that every individual had access to knowledge, culture, and powerful stories. Her firing,

delivered in a two-sentence email from the Trump administration, is not only disrespectful

to Dr. Hayden’s legacy, but also represents a broader disregard for the values of service and

democracy.

Regarding her removal in a recent interview with CBS News, Dr. Hayden said the following:

“It's part of a larger seeming effort to diminish opportunities for the general public to have free

access to information and inspiration...”

Todd Blanche, the President’s appointee of choice, is the current U.S. Deputy Attorney General

and one of the defense attorneys in President Trump’s New York trials. He has no prior

librarian experience. The President cannot unilaterally appoint the Librarian of Congress

because the Senate needs to approve the nomination. This is a clear attempt to gain more power,

especially because the Library of Congress provides confidential research to members of

Congress. LRPC opposes Blanche’s appointment and demands that the power of appointment

remain with the Legislative branch.

Unfortunately, Dr. Hayden is not the only one in the Library of Congress who was unjustly

removed from their position. U.S. Copyright Office Director Shira Perlmutter was removed in

early May, but is now suing the Trump administration for unconstitutionally firing her. This

remains an ongoing issue, as a district judge blocked Perlmutter’s temporary emergency bid to

stop the firing on May 28, 2025.

This attack on the Library of Congress and its effective leadership poses a serious infringement

on the American public’s rights in the pursuit of knowledge, empowerment, and intellectual

integrity.

On June 28, Dr. Hayden will be in conversation with bestselling author Kwame Alexander at the

ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia. After Hayden’s firing, Alexander helped

organize a rally at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library branch in Washington, D.C., at which he

said, “The firing of our distinguished, esteemed librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden made it

clear to us that the freedom to read, the freedom to learn, the freedom to express ourselves is

under attack.” We look forward to their conversation on the current state of libraries.

Libraries have served as instrumental to the Latinx community, not only in the lending of books

in multiple formats, which is hugely important in itself, but also in offering educational programs

for children and adults, spaces for communities to meet, technology assistance, and numerous

other services. None of us would be where we are today without strong library systems. Libraries

ensure that information and books are available to all. They are a “cornerstone of democracy,” as

Dr. Hayden reminds us, and LRPC will support libraries and librarians at every turn.

The Best Books of the Year (So Far) According to Latinx in Publishing

It’s June, which means it’s time for LxP to share our favorite reads of the year, so far! Spanning adult, children’s, fiction, and nonfiction, these are a few titles we recommend you crack open asap.

 

AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE BY C.I. JEREZ | ADULT FICTION

“This is an amazing debut for C.I. Jerez. It’s emotional, gripping, and engaging from the start. Combat Medic Sergeant Catalina (Lina) LaSalle-Rivera returns from Iraq a hero but struggling with PTSD and the horrors of war.  The single mom moves home to Puerto Rico in hopes of a better life for her and her son, Teo, but family dynamics prove hard and not as supportive as they could be.  Lina must find the strength and courage to face her demons head on before she can heal and find peace inside herself.”

Maria L. Ferrer, Events Director

 

DETAINED BY D. ESPERANZA AND GERARDO IVÁN MORALES ACCENT | MEMOIR

“As soon as I saw the synopsis for DETAINED, I immediately put it on my reading list: ‘The first-ever memoir of a child’s experience in detention on the US/Mexico border under President Trump’s infamous family separation policy.’ It is critical now, more than ever, to read the first-hand experiences of children and adults detained at the border. Please read this book and share it with a friend, share it with a young adult in your life. It’s a must-read.”

Ruddy Lopez, Secretary

 

GUATEMALAN RHAPSODY BY JARED LEMUS | ADULT FICTION

“I fear this one I judged quickly by its cover and title—and with good reason: seeing a quetzal displayed so prominently like it does on the Guatemalan national flag made this one of my most anticipated books of the year. Lucky for us, Lemus’ writing is as impressive in this strong debut as this magnificent bird—I encourage you all to go pick it up.”

Andrea Morales, Writers Mentorship Co-Director

 

A HERO’S GUIDE TO SUMMER VACATION BY PABLO CARTAYA | MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

“I loved going on this epic road trip with 13-year-old Gonzalo and his grumpy fantasy author abuelo across the country for a book tour! With themes of loss, family secrets, and storytelling, this charming intergenerational middle grade novel has something for everyone and makes a great summer read!”

Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel, Board Member

 

BROTHER BRONTË BY FERNANDO A. FLORES | ADULT FICTION

“Flores’s latest is a mind trip of a novel, a near-future, surreal adventure set in a bleak, eerily familiar Texan landscape that follows two young women on a mission to reclaim their town and to save books, literally. I cherished this time with Neftalí and Proserpina, the rebel tías, and with Flores’s striking, imaginative language. This is a wildly original dystopia you don’t want to miss.”

Toni Kirkpatrick, Chair

Most Anticipated June 2025 Releases

2025 has brought us some wonderful books—June's newest releases are no exception! Here are some of the titles we are most excited to get our hands on this month.

 

We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara | Translated by Robin Myers | ADULT FICTION

Deep in the wilds of the New World, Antonio de Erauso begins to write a letter to his aunt, the prioress of the Basque convent he escaped as a young girl. Since fleeing a dead-end life as a nun, he's become Antonio and undertaken monumental adventures: he has been a mule driver, shopkeeper, soldier, cabin boy, and conquistador; he has wielded his sword and slashed with his dagger. Now, caring for two Guaraní girls he rescued from enslavement, and hounded by the army he deserted, this protean protagonist contemplates one more metamorphosis, which just might save the new world from extinction...

Based on the life of Antonio de Erauso, a real figure of the Spanish conquest, We Are Green and Trembling is a queer baroque satire and a historical novel that blends elements of the picaresque with surreal storytelling. Its rich and wildly imaginative language forms a searing criticism of conquest and colonialism, religious tyranny, and the treatment of women and indigenous people. It is a masterful subversion of Latin American history with a trans character at its center, finding in the rainforest a magical, surreal space where transformation is not only possible but necessary.

 

The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez by Jasminne Paulino | YOUNG ADULT

Seventh grader Alex's favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos of rocket launches with his Papi and spending hours on the NASA website reading about astronauts and planets. He even dreams of going to space one day himself, and knows he'll have to study hard in order to get there.

But Alex is in his grade's SC (self-contained) classroom, which means doing the same dull worksheets every day and reading books his sister read back in the third grade. Worst of all, being in SC means nobody thinks he's ready to join Ms. Rosef's mainstream science class—the class Alex knows will be the first step on his path to NASA.

When his teacher says "not yet" for the millionth time, Alex decides it's time to make a change. Now he's ready to try everything he can to get the people in his life—his teachers, his parents, and the kids at school—to understand that he, Alex Ramirez, is capable of the extraordinary.

 

Dan in Green Gables: A Modern Reimagining of Anne of Green Gables by Rey Terciero | Illustrated by Claudia Aguirre | GRAPHIC NOVEL

Despite a life on the road with his free-spirited mother, fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart-Álvarez has always wanted to settle down. He just didn’t think it’d be like this: with his mother abandoning him in rural Tennessee with two strangers—his gentle grandmother and conservative, rough-around-the-edges grandfather. Here, he is forced to adjust to working the farm, entering high school, and hardest yet—reckoning with his queerness in a severe Southern Baptist community.

But even as Dan grows closer to his mawmaw, befriends fellow outsiders at school, and tries to make a new life for himself in Green Gables, he has to discover whether he can contend with intolerance and adapt to change without losing himself in the process.

 

The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman's Reckoning with America's Inhumane Math by Antero Garcia & Alix Dick | NONFICTION

An inhumane math pervades this country: even as our government extracts labor and often taxes from undocumented workers, it excludes these same workers from its social safety net. As a result, these essential workers struggle to get their own basic needs met, from healthcare to education, from freedom of association to the ability to drive to work without looking for ICE in the rearview mirror.

When Alix Dick's family found themselves in the crosshairs of cartel violence in Sinaloa, Mexico, she and her siblings were forced to flee to the U.S. Many of the scenes that she shares are difficult and unforgettable: escaping from a relationship in which her partner threatened to report her to immigration; getting root canals done in an underground dental clinic. But there are moments of triumph, too: founding her own nonprofit; working on films that tell important stories; and working with her co-author Dr. Garcia to tell her story in a framework that lays bare the realities of structural oppression.

 

If We Survive This by Racquel Marie | YOUNG ADULT

Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike "rabids," she and her older brother, Cain, are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their Los Angeles suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up—their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.

The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, hidden truths, new allies, and painful memories of the whole family’s final time making this trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind.

 

All Roads Lead to Rome by Yamile Saied Méndez | ADULT FICTION

All Stevie Choi ever wanted was a cozy life in suburbia—a loving husband, adorable kids, a dog. That simple dream shattered into a million pieces when she was only seventeen. She’s spent the years since trying to outrun the pain and make something of herself, if only to prove to her estranged family that she’s happy and successful—even though she’s secretly yearning for another chance at love. If only she believed she deserved it . . .

So, Stevie drowns herself in her job, and in the low season, “dates” new countries, leaving her Utah home-base to circle the globe, from Paris to Cairo to Cabo San Lucas, curating a gorgeous Instagram feed—while spending every New Year alone. Then one frigid January day in Rome she meets Cristian. He would be her perfect match—if they weren’t separated by continents and obligations. Unable to say goodbye, they agree that if they’re both single at seventy, they’ll marry each other if only to have a fun companion to travel with. . . . But through the years, their friendship grows into something more, and suddenly it’s up to Stevie to choose happiness…

Sparkling with hope, All Roads Lead to Rome soulfully examines all the ways a tender heart can be broken—and how faith in the future—and in oneself—can make it whole again . . .

Latinx Books to Read this Pride Month

Happy Pride Month! 🏳‍🌈 We have a great list of book recommendations by Latinx members of the LGBTQIA+ community for all ages to enjoy and celebrate Pride now and all year round!

 

CHILDREN’S

'Twas the Night Before Pride by Joanna McClintick | Illustrated by Juana Medina

This joyful picture-book homage to a day of community and inclusion—and to the joys of anticipation—is also a comprehensive history. With bright, buoyant illustrations and lyrical, age-appropriate rhyme modeled on “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” it tackles difficult content such as the Stonewall Riots and the AIDS marches.

On the night before Pride, families everywhere are preparing to partake. As one family packs snacks and makes signs, an older sibling shares the importance of the march with the newest member of the family. Reflecting on the day, the siblings agree that the best thing about Pride is getting to be yourself.

Debut author Joanna McClintick and Pura Belpré Award–winning author-illustrator Juana Medina create a new classic that pays homage to the beauty of families of all compositions—and of all-inclusive love.

 

They She He Me Free to Be! by Maya Gonzalez & Matthew Sg

How do you daily confirm and celebrate gender fluidity when the 'he' and 'she' binary is so prevalent in EVERYTHING, everywhere, all the time!?

Pronouns serve as a familiar starting point for kids and grown-ups to expand ideas about gender and celebrate personal expression with fun imagery that provides a place to meet and play.

Award winning children's book author and artist Maya Gonzalez is joined by her partner, Matthew, in their first children's book together.

With virtually no reflection for different gender presentations in children's books available, together they created a book to do just that. They She He Me, Free to Be shows many gender presentations under each pronoun and invites even more. A go-to place to help keep the conversations alive, break down assumptions of who is "she" or "he" and expand beyond the binary to include "they" and more.

The back offers a playful narrative about pronouns, inviting kids to know themselves inside and out, claim the pronouns that express the spirit of who they are and respect that in others. Also included is some discussion for grown-ups on how to hold a supportive space for kids (and for themselves).

 

Julian Is A Mermaid by Jessica Love

While riding the subway home from the pool with his abuela one day, Julián notices three women spectacularly dressed up. Their hair billows in brilliant hues, their dresses end in fishtails, and their joy fills the train car. When Julián gets home, daydreaming of the magic he’s seen, all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes — and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

Mesmerizing and full of heart, Jessica Love’s author-illustrator debut is a jubilant picture of self-love and a radiant celebration of individuality.

 

Mis Primera Palabras / Baby's First Words by Christiane Engel

Learn over 100 early vocabulary words with a toothy toddler and her two dads! Plus, the search for the silly woolly mammoth on each page will keep little eyes glued to the pages. Designed to support babies' natural pattern of language development, this first words book for the modern world reflects the earliest words that children learn to say. This bilingual Spanish and English edition is just right for families looking to introduce new vocabulary to their little one!

 

MIDDLE GRADE

It's All Or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatrix Arango

No one knows hard work and dedication like Valentina Camacho. And Vale’s thing is fencing. She’s the top athlete at her fencing gym. Or she was . . . until the accident.

After months away, Vale is finally cleared to fence again, but it’s much harder than before. Her body doesn’t move the way it used to, and worst of all is the new number one: Myrka. When she sweeps Vale aside with her perfect form and easy smile, Vale just can’t accept that. But the harder Vale fights to catch up, the more she realizes her injury isn’t the only thing holding her back. If she can’t leave her accident in the past, then what does she have to look forward to?

In this moving novel from the Newbery Honor-winning author of Iveliz Explains It All, one girl finds her way back to her life’s passion and discovers that the sum of a person's achievements doesn’t amount to the whole of them.

 

Northranger by Rey Terciero | Illustrated by Bre Indigo

Cade has always loved to escape into the world of a good horror movie. After all, horror movies are scary—but to Cade, a closeted queer Latino teen growing up in rural Texas—real life can be way scarier.

When Cade is sent to spend the summer working as a ranch hand to help earn extra money for his family, he is horrified. Cade hates everything about the ranch, from the early mornings to the mountains of horse poop he has to clean up. The only silver lining is the company of the two teens who live there—in particular, the ruggedly handsome and enigmatic Henry.

But as unexpected sparks begin to fly between Cade and Henry, things get…complicated. Henry is reluctant to share the details of his mother’s death, and Cade begins to wonder what else he might be hiding. Inspired by the gothic romance of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and perfect for fans of Heartstopper and Bloom comes a modern love story so romantic it’s scary.

 

Each of Us a Desert by Mark Oshiro

Xochitl is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village's stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enigmatic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.

Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.

One night, Xo's wish is granted—in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town's murderous conqueror. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match... if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.

 

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender

Caroline Murphy is a Hurricane Child.

Being born during a hurricane is unlucky, and 12-year-old Caroline has had her share of bad luck lately. She's hated and bullied by everyone in her small school on St. Thomas of the US Virgin Islands, a spirit only she can see won't stop following her, and — worst of all —Caroline's mother left home one day and never came back.

But when a new student named Kalinda arrives, Caroline's luck begins to turn around. Kalinda, a solemn girl from Barbados with a special smile for everyone, becomes Caroline's first and only friend — and the person for whom Caroline has begun to develop a crush.

Now, Caroline must find the strength to confront her feelings for Kalinda, brave the spirit stalking her through the islands, and face the reason her mother abandoned her. Together, Caroline and Kalinda must set out in a hurricane to find Caroline's missing mother — before Caroline loses her forever.

 

Both Can Be True by Jules Machias

Ash is no stranger to feeling like an outcast. For someone who cycles through genders, it’s a daily struggle to feel in control of how people perceive you. Some days Ash is undoubtedly girl, but other times, 100 percent guy. Daniel lacks control too—of his emotions. He’s been told he’s overly sensitive more times than he can count. He can’t help the way he is, and he sure wishes someone would accept him for it.

So when Daniel’s big heart leads him to rescue a dog that’s about to be euthanized, he’s relieved to find Ash willing to help. The two bond over their four-legged secret. When they start catching feelings for each other, however, things go from cute to complicated. Daniel thinks Ash is all girl . . . what happens when he finds out there’s more to Ash’s story?

With so much on the line—truth, identity, acceptance, and the life of an adorable pup named Chewbarka—will Ash and Daniel forever feel at war with themselves because they don’t fit into the world’s binaries? Or will their friendship help them embrace the beauty of living in between?

 

Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa by Julian Randall

Twelve-year-old Pilar Violeta “Purp” Ramirez’s world is changing, and she doesn’t care for it one bit. Her Chicago neighborhood is gentrifying and her chores have doubled since her sister, Lorena, left for college. The only constant is Abuela and Mami’s code of silence around her cousin Natasha—who vanished in the Dominican Republic fifty years ago during the Trujillo dictatorship.

When Pilar hears that Lorena’s professor studies such disappearances, she hops on the next train to dig deeper into her family's mystery. After snooping around the professor's empty office, she discovers a folder with her cousin’s name on it . . . and gets sucked into the blank page within.

She lands on Zafa, an island swarming with coconut-shaped demons, butterfly shapeshifters, and a sinister magical prison where her cousin is being held captive. Pilar will have to go toe-to-toe with the fearsome Dominican boogeyman, El Cuco, if she has any hope of freeing Natasha and getting back home.

 

YOUNG ADULT

Futbolista by Jonny Garza Villa

Gabriel Piña knows who he is: a college goalkeeper, a future Liga MX or MLS star, and definitely straight. He's starting his freshman year with a lot of eyes on him and even more potential, but he's got this. Nothing will have him straying off the path to greatness.

That is, until his philosophy classmate Vale volunteers to tutor him. Vale, the same guy who Gabi, in a moment of history repeating itself, might've kissed very briefly—and only once—just to help him out at a party. Vale, the smart, supportive, compassionate new friend with beautiful brown eyes and a smile that keeps Gabi, for completely inexplicable reasons, constantly in a daydream.

As a friendship blooms and the two spend more and more time together, Gabi finally begins to recognize something about himself: maybe he's not as straight as he thought he was. But a larger and darker realization lingers. Someone like Gabi—a brown, Mexican futbolista with dreams of playing for El Tri--can't also be bisexual. He's seen the way his teammates and community react to queerness in their sport. It would be the exact type of straying off path that destroys his future.

Or, maybe Gabi could be brave enough to embrace all those parts of himself and forge his own path, one that includes a boyfriend and the beautiful game.

 

If We Survive This by Racquel Marie

Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike "rabids," she and her older brother, Cain, are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their Los Angeles suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up—their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.

The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, hidden truths, new allies, and painful memories of the whole family’s final time making this trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind.

 

Lucha of the Night Forest by Tehlor Kay Mejia

A scorned god.
A mysterious acolyte.
A forgetting drug.
A dangerous forest.

One girl caught between the freedom she always wanted and a sister she can't bear to leave behind.

Under the cover of the Night Forest, will Lucha be able to step into her own power...or will she be consumed by it?

This gorgeous and fast-paced fantasy novel from acclaimed author Tehlor Kay Mejia is brimming with adventure, peril, romance, and family bonds—and asks what it means for a teen girl to become fully herself.

 

This Is Why They Hate Us by Aaron H. Aceves

Enrique “Quique” Luna has one goal this summer—get over his crush on Saleem Kanazi by pursuing his other romantic prospects. Never mind that he’s only out to his best friend, Fabiola. Never mind that he has absolutely zero game. And definitely forget the fact that good and kind and, not to mention, beautiful Saleem is leaving LA for the summer to reunite with a girl his parents are trying to set him up with.

Luckily, Quique’s prospects are each intriguing in their own ways. There’s stoner-jock Tyler Montana, who might be just as interested in Fabiola as he is in Quique; straitlaced senior class president, Ziggy Jackson; and Manny Zuniga, who keeps looking at Quique like he’s carne asada fresh off the grill. With all these choices, Quique is sure to forget about Saleem in no time.

But as the summer heats up and his deep-seated fears and anxieties boil over, Quique soon realizes that getting over one guy by getting under a bunch of others may not have been the best laid plan and living his truth can come at a high cost.

 

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

Yadriel has summoned a ghost, and now he can't get rid of him.

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his true gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo. With the help of his cousin and best friend Maritza, he performs the ritual himself, and then sets out to find the ghost of his murdered cousin and set it free.

However, the ghost he summons is actually Julian Diaz, the school's resident bad boy, and Julian is not about to go quietly into death. He's determined to find out what happened and tie off some loose ends before he leaves. Left with no choice, Yadriel agrees to help Julian, so that they can both get what they want. But the longer Yadriel spends with Julian, the less he wants to let him leave.

 

The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

It's about time roommates Alejandro and Kenny get married. Or at least, that's what all their close friends and family think when they announce their engagement. The kicker? The two are faking their whole relationship so Alejandro can get a green card. But if Han was going to marry anyone, it would be his ride or die since second grade.

Han has never been able to put down roots, and the only one who truly breaks through his walls is Kenny. Sweet, sensitive Kenny is newly single, and what better distraction from his soul-sucking relationship than proposing marriage to Han? Kenny can't think of anything more fun than spending his life with his best friend, even if it's just for a piece of paper. But as Kenny keeps up the charade, he's soon struggling to resist their sizzling chemistry.

The line between fact and fiction begins to blur the closer they get to their wedding date. With all eyes on Han and Kenny—including a meddling ex and immigration officers—will these two bros make it down the altar for real?

 

ADULT

Bad Girls by Camila Sosa Villada

In Sarmiento Park, the green heart of Córdoba, a group of trans sex workers make their nightly rounds. When a cry comes from the dark, their leader, the 178-year-old Auntie Encarna, wades into the brambles to investigate and discovers a baby half dead from the cold. She quickly rallies the pack to save him, and they adopt the child into their fascinating surrogate family as they have so many other outcasts, including Camila.

Sheltered in Auntie Encarna’s fabled pink house, they find a partial escape from the everyday threats of disease and violence, at the hands of clients, cops, and boyfriends. Telling their stories—of a mute young woman who transforms into a bird, of a Headless Man who fled his country’s wars—as well as her own journey from a toxic home in a small, poor town, Camila traces the life of this vibrant community throughout the 90s.

Imbuing reality with the magic of a dark fairy tale, Bad Girls offers an intimate, nuanced portrait of trans coming-of-age that captures a universal sense of the strangeness of our bodies. It grips and entertains us while also challenging ideas about love, sexuality, gender, and identity.

 

Five Hundred Years of Lgbtqia+ History in Western Nicaragua by Victoria González-Rivera

This groundbreaking book reframes five hundred years of western Nicaraguan history by giving gender and sexuality the attention they deserve. Victoria González-Rivera decenters nationalist narratives of triumphant mestizaje and argues that western Nicaragua's LGBTQIA+ history is a profoundly Indigenous one.

In this expansive history, González-Rivera documents connections between Indigeneity, local commerce, and femininity (cis and trans), demonstrating the long history of LGBTQIA+ Nicaraguans. She sheds light on historical events, such as Andres Caballero's 1536 burning at the stake for sodomy. González-Rivera discusses how elite efforts after independence to "modernize" open-air markets led to increased surveillance of LGBTQIA+ working-class individuals. She also examines the 1960s and the Somoza dictatorship, when another wave of persecution emerged, targeting working-­class gay men and trans women, leading to a more stringent anti-sodomy law.

The centuries prior to the post-1990 political movement for greater LGBTQIA+ rights demonstrate that, far from being marginal, LGBTQIA+ Nicaraguans have been active in every area of society for hundreds of years.

 

But Not Too Bold by Hache Pueyo

The old keeper of the keys is dead, and the creature who ate her is the volatile Lady of the Capricious House⁠—Anatema, an enormous humanoid spider with a taste for laudanum and human brides.

Dália, the old keeper’s protégée, must take up her duties, locking and unlocking the little drawers in which Anatema keeps her memories. And if she can unravel the crime that led to her predecessor's execution, Dália might just be able to survive long enough to grow into her new role.

But there’s a gaping hole in Dália’s plan that she refuses to see: Anatema cannot resist a beautiful woman, and she eventually devours every single bride that crosses her path.

 

¡Hola Papi! How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer

The first time someone called John Paul (JP) Brammer “Papi” was on the gay hookup app Grindr. At first, it was flattering; JP took this as white-guy speak for “hey, handsome.” But then it happened again and again…and again, leaving JP wondering: Who the hell is Papi?

Soon, this racialized moniker became the inspiration for his now wildly popular advice column “¡Hola Papi!,” launching his career as the Cheryl Strayed for young queer people everywhere—and some straight people too. JP had his doubts at first—what advice could he really offer while he himself stumbled through his early twenties? Sometimes the best advice comes from looking within, which is what JP does in his column and book—and readers have flocked to him for honest, heartfelt wisdom, and more than a few laughs.

In this hilarious, tenderhearted book, JP shares his story of growing up biracial and in the closet in America’s heartland, while attempting to answer some of life’s most challenging questions: How do I let go of the past? How do I become the person I want to be? Is there such a thing as being too gay? Should I hook up with my grade school bully now that he’s out of the closet? Questions we’ve all asked ourselves, surely.

 

So Many Stars: An Oral History of Trans, Nonbinary, Genderqueer, and Two-Spirit People of Color by Caro de Robertis

So Many Stars knits together the voices of trans, nonbinary, genderqueer, and two-spirit elders of color as they share authentic, intimate accounts of how they created space for themselves and their communities in the world. This singular project collects the testimonies of twenty elders, each a glimmering thread in a luminous tapestry, preserving their words for future generations--who can more fully exist in the world today because of these very trailblazers.

De Robertis creates a collective coming-of-age story based on hundreds of hours of interviews, offering rare snapshots of ordinary life: kids growing up, navigating family issues and finding community, coming out and changing how they identify over the years, building movements and weathering the AIDS crisis, and sharing wisdom for future generations. Often narrating experiences that took place before they had the array of language that exists today to self-identify beyond the gender binary, this generation lived through remarkable changes in American culture, shaped American culture, and yet rarely takes center stage in the history books. Their stories feel particularly urgent in the current political moment, but also remind readers that their experiences are not new, and that young trans and nonbinary people today belong to a long lineage.

 

Loca by Alejandro Heredia

It’s 1999, and best friends Sal and Charo are striving to hold on to their dreams in a New York determined to grind them down. Sal is a book-loving science nerd trying to grow beyond his dead-end job in a new city, but he’s held back by tragic memories from his past in Santo Domingo. Free-spirited Charo is surprised to find herself a mother at twenty-five, partnered with a controlling man, working at the same supermarket for years, her world shrunk to the very domesticity she thought she’d escaped in her old country. When Sal finds love at a gay club one night, both his and Charo’s worlds unexpectedly open up to a vibrant social circle that pushes them to reckon with what they owe to their own selves, pasts, futures, and, always, each other.

Loca follows one daring year in the lives of young people living at the edge of their own patience and desires. With expansive grace, it reveals both the grueling conditions that force people to migrate and the possibility of friendship as home when family, nations, and identity groups fall short.

June 2025 Latinx Releases

On Sale June 3

Dan in Green Gables: A Modern Reimagining of Anne of Green Gables by Rey Terciero | Illustrated by Claudia Aguirre | GRAPHIC NOVEL

Despite a life on the road with his free-spirited mother, fifteen-year-old Dan Stewart-Álvarez has always wanted to settle down. He just didn’t think it’d be like this: with his mother abandoning him in rural Tennessee with two strangers—his gentle grandmother and conservative, rough-around-the-edges grandfather. Here, he is forced to adjust to working the farm, entering high school, and hardest yet—reckoning with his queerness in a severe Southern Baptist community.

But even as Dan grows closer to his mawmaw, befriends fellow outsiders at school, and tries to make a new life for himself in Green Gables, he has to discover whether he can contend with intolerance and adapt to change without losing himself in the process.

From award-winning author Rey Terciero and Eisner Award nominee and illustrator Claudia Aguirre comes a new retelling of Anne of Green Gables about unconventional families, queer identity, and finding the meaning of home in the most unlikely of places.

 

Paradise Once by Olive Senior | ADULT FICTION

Paradise Once is a sweeping historical novel that brings to life the resiliency of the indigenous Taíno people of the Caribbean, whose culture was virtually destroyed within two generations of their "discovery" by Christopher Columbus in 1492.

In 1513 in Cuba, an entire village is wiped out by Spanish forces for no discernible reason. Had the villagers offended their spiritual guides--the cemíes--as one faction claimed, by incorporating foreign practices?

Four youthful survivors escape the massacre--three indigenous and one African runaway. They start off on separate perilous paths, not knowing they have been chosen by the cemíes to carry out a sacred mission--to ensure the survival of a Sacred Bundle that will enable a Taíno revival in future generations. But first, an epic spiritual battle must be played out.

In this love song to the Caribbean, Olive Senior authentically evokes the physical and spiritual worlds of its First Peoples and the survivors—indigenous and African—who will become the resistance fighters known in history as Cimarrones or Maroons.

 

The Extraordinary Orbit of Alex Ramirez by Jasminne Paulino | YOUNG ADULT

Seventh grader Alex's favorite things to do are watching YouTube videos of rocket launches with his Papi and spending hours on the NASA website reading about astronauts and planets. He even dreams of going to space one day himself, and knows he'll have to study hard in order to get there.

But Alex is in his grade's SC (self-contained) classroom, which means doing the same dull worksheets every day and reading books his sister read back in the third grade. Worst of all, being in SC means nobody thinks he's ready to join Ms. Rosef's mainstream science class—the class Alex knows will be the first step on his path to NASA.

When his teacher says "not yet" for the millionth time, Alex decides it's time to make a change. Now he's ready to try everything he can to get the people in his life—his teachers, his parents, and the kids at school—to understand that he, Alex Ramirez, is capable of the extraordinary.

 

We Are Green and Trembling by Gabriela Cabezón Cámara | Translated by Robin Myers | ADULT FICTION

Deep in the wilds of the New World, Antonio de Erauso begins to write a letter to his aunt, the prioress of the Basque convent he escaped as a young girl. Since fleeing a dead-end life as a nun, he's become Antonio and undertaken monumental adventures: he has been a mule driver, shopkeeper, soldier, cabin boy, and conquistador; he has wielded his sword and slashed with his dagger. Now, caring for two Guaraní girls he rescued from enslavement, and hounded by the army he deserted, this protean protagonist contemplates one more metamorphosis, which just might save the new world from extinction...

Based on the life of Antonio de Erauso, a real figure of the Spanish conquest, We Are Green and Trembling is a queer baroque satire and a historical novel that blends elements of the picaresque with surreal storytelling. Its rich and wildly imaginative language forms a searing criticism of conquest and colonialism, religious tyranny, and the treatment of women and indigenous people. It is a masterful subversion of Latin American history with a trans character at its center, finding in the rainforest a magical, surreal space where transformation is not only possible but necessary.

 

On Sale June 10

Latina Superheroes (Volume 1) by Kayden Phoenix | GRAPHIC NOVEL

Jalisco, a spirited girl from the outskirts of Guadalajara, finds her life shattered when her mother mysteriously disappears. Brushed off by authorities, Jalisco's quest for truth leads her to the Adelitas, a clandestine group fighting against the sinister forces behind the femicides plaguing their community. Determined to uncover the fate of her beloved mother, Jalisco embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, guided by the unwavering strength of sisterhood.

Santa is from Wexo, a town on the Texan/Mexican border. The upcoming elections are threatening to put a corrupt politician in power: Ilena Chavez-Estevez AKA ICE. Santa joins the other candidate's campaign and fights. Racial tensions begin to rise within the town. And when citizens of Wexo begin to disappear one by one, Santa must raid the detention camps and take down ICE.

Join Jalisco and Santa on their riveting journeys of courage, resilience, and justice in these two stories from Latina Superheroes, the groundbreaking new young adult full-color graphic novel series.

 

Otra Cucarachita Martina: Basado en un cuento folclórico caribeño by Yanitzia Canetti | Illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson | CHILDREN’S

Acompaña a Cucarachita Martina, famosa en el folclore cubano y caribeño, por su belleza e ingenio, mientras supera a sus pretendientes con retos astutos.

Ahora Martina

se ve animada

con su libro favorito

en su silla colorada.

 

The Potency of Ungovernable Impulses by Malka Older | YOUNG ADULT

The next entry in the multi-award-nominated cozy space-opera mystery series The Investigations of Mossa and Pleiti!

When a former classmate begs Pleiti for help on behalf of her cousin—who’s up for a prestigious academic position at a rival Jovian university but has been accused of plagiarism on the eve of her defense—Pleiti agrees to investigate the matter.

Even if she has to do it without Mossa, her partner in more ways than one. Even if she’s still reeling from Mossa’s sudden isolation and bewildering rejection.

Yet what appears to be a case of an attempted reputational smearing devolves into something decidedly more dangerous—and possibly deadly.

 

On Sale June 17

The Cost of Being Undocumented: One Woman's Reckoning with America's Inhumane Math by Antero Garcia & Alix Dick | NONFICTION

An inhumane math pervades this country: even as our government extracts labor and often taxes from undocumented workers, it excludes these same workers from its social safety net. As a result, these essential workers struggle to get their own basic needs met, from healthcare to education, from freedom of association to the ability to drive to work without looking for ICE in the rearview mirror.

When Alix Dick's family found themselves in the crosshairs of cartel violence in Sinaloa, Mexico, she and her siblings were forced to flee to the U.S. Many of the scenes that she shares are difficult and unforgettable: escaping from a relationship in which her partner threatened to report her to immigration; getting root canals done in an underground dental clinic. But there are moments of triumph, too: founding her own nonprofit; working on films that tell important stories; and working with her co-author Dr. Garcia to tell her story in a framework that lays bare the realities of structural oppression.

As Alix and Antero tally the costs of undocumented life, they present a final bill of what is owed to the immigrant community. In this way, their book flips the traditional narrative about the economics of immigration on its head.

 

The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery by Clarence A. Haynes | ADULT FICTION

To be a client of Gwendolyn Montgomery—New York's most powerful publicist, at Sublime Creative—is to be infused with a certain oomph, a mysterious glamour. She seems to have created the ideal life with her handsome new boyfriend, the perfect match. But Gwendolyn has a legion of long-buried secrets that could unravel everything.

After a grisly, bizarre incident at the Brooklyn Museum, Gwendolyn begins to realize that something nefarious is happening tied directly to her past, right as Fonsi Harewood comes back into her world. Fonsi is a queer Latinx psychic from the South Bronx who's caught up in a love triangle with a ghost and his mortal ex. He's able to communicate with the dead, and he comes with a dire warning for Gwendolyn, that the barrier between humans and spirits is weakening.

Gwendolyn would prefer not to have anything to do with ghostly drama. Yet in order to get to the bottom of the spookiness derailing her life and threatening the world, she must face the demons she'd long left behind. The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery is a sensuous, funny, mystical adventure that will leave you spellbound as you keep the pages turning.

 

You've Awoken Her by Ann Davila Cardinal | YOUNG ADULT

Gabi should be thrilled to be visiting his best friend for the summer. But with its mansions, country clubs, and Ruth’s terrible new boyfriend, Frost Thurston, the Hamptons is the last place he wants to be. And then Gabi witnesses a woman being dragged under the ocean by what looks like a tentacle . . .

When no one—not the police or anyone else—seems to care, Gabi starts to wonder if maybe the beachside town’s bad vibes are more real than he thought. As the number of “accidental” deaths begins to climb, the Thurston family name keeps rising to the top. And what’s worse is that all the signs point to something lurking beneath the water—something with a hunger for blood.

Can Gabi figure out how the two are intertwined and put an end to the string of deaths . . . before becoming the water’s next victim?

 

If We Survive This by Racquel Marie | YOUNG ADULT

Flora Braddock Paz is not the girl who survives. A colorful creative who spends as much time fearing death as she does trying to hide that fear from her loved ones, she’s always considered herself weak. But half a year into the global outbreak of a rabies mutation that transforms people into violent, zombielike "rabids," she and her older brother, Cain, are still alive. With their mom dead, their dad missing, and their Los Angeles suburb left desolate, they form a new plan: venture out to the secluded Northern California cabin they vacationed in growing up—their best chance at a safe haven and maybe even seeing their dad again.

The dangers of the world have changed, but so has Flora. Still, their journey up the state is complicated by encounters with familiar faces, hidden truths, new allies, and painful memories of the whole family’s final time making this trip the previous year. And for Flora, one thing inevitably remains: No matter how far you run, death is never far behind.

 

Elena Camps/Elena va a acampar: A Dual Edition Flip Book by Juana Medina | CHILDREN’S

The big box has arrived, and Elena is so excited! Tent parts fly everywhere as she empties the contents and dives right in. This job will be done in no time! GA-BUNK! Oops! Elena forgot the poles! Now it’s under control . . . GA-BAM! A little tug here might help . . . GA-BOING! Now Elena is stomping mad! What’s that her bird buddy’s saying? Something about that folded paper that came with the tent? In a charmingly comic follow-up to Elena Rides, the determined elephant shows young fans that some things are hard—and some tents cow the best of campers—but with patience you can conquer them, if you slow down and try, try again.

This dual-language edition contains the story in both English and Spanish: read it from the Elena Camps side for the English text, then flip the book over to the Elena va a acampar side to read it in Spanish.

 

Not a Dog by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez | Illustrated by Laura Gonzalez | CHILDREN’S

A Mexican prairie dog may look like a dog, but it is certainly not a dog. This adorable mammal is actually part of the rodent family.

Not a Dog explores the life cycle of the Mexican prairie dog, the species' contribution to a healthy ecosystem, and the ways farming has destroyed their habitat and made them an endangered species.  

Perfect for preschoolers and pre-readers, this charming and informative read-aloud introduces curious kids to one unique animal that is NOT a dog!

 

On Sale June 24

AJ Torres and the Treasure of Captain Grayshark by José Pablo Iriarte | MIDDLE GRADE

When AJ and Jayden discover a gold coin washed up on the shore of Miami after a hurricane, they think it might be the answer to all of their problems.They suspect the dingy old coin may be part of the long lost treasure of Captain Grayshark, whose loot was valued in the millions. That much money could help the Torres’s sinking family business and more importantly, allow Jayden to stay in Miami with his mom, instead of moving miles away from his best friend. The boys set out on a quest, along with resident ghost expert, Andrea Wade, to unearth the pirate’s treasure on a nearby haunted island.

But the pursuit of treasure might prove more perilous than they could ever imagine—with treacherous waters and a crew of angry ghost pirates waiting for them on Scream Island . . .

 

Wildcats: Volume 1 by Crystal Velasquez | Illustrated by Eva Cabrera | GRAPHIC NOVEL

As Mina struggles to navigate the cliques of her new school she is taken under the wing of Miss Benitez, a mysterious but kind history teacher. She tells Mina and three other girls—Lin, Ana, and Shani—that their families gifted the priceless objects housed in the school's museum. Ms. Benitez thinks it's important that the girls understand their ancestry.

It turns out that Ms. Benitez is the curator of the museum, and it sits on top of a mysterious temple, the ancient meeting place of a dangerous group called the Brotherhood of Chaos. When one of the priceless objects is shattered, the girls find out exactly why their heritage is so important: it gives them the power to turn into wildcats. Now, in the form of a jaguar, a tiger, a puma, and a lion, they must work together to fight the chaos spirits that were unleashed when the object was shattered...and uncover the terrifying plans of those who want to resurrect the Brotherhood of Chaos.

Wildcats is full of adventure, heart, and friendship. This full-color graphic novel is ripe for fans of mythology, superheroes, and, of course, cats!

 

Red Flag Warning: Mutual Aid and Survival in California's Fire Country Edited by Dani Burlison & Margaret Elysia Garcia | NONFICTION

When warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds combine they produce an increased risk of fire danger called a "red flag warning"--a common event in Northern California. Through essays and interviews, Red Flag Warning sheds light on how wildfire impacts our communities and offers wisdom on living with fire from Indigenous Californians, community organizers, mental health care workers, environmentalists, fire analysts, sustainable loggers, parents, and more.

The collection explores the ways these fires take root and impact rural and urban Northern California, it examines our relationships to place and community and to understand the importance of mutual aid, organizing, community care, land stewardship, and resilience.

Red Flag Warning covers the stories not frequently found in the often disaster-porn obsessed media and exposes what is lost in the news written by parachute journalists. Readers are invited to examine what fire can and does mean to them, what it means for us to reimagine the world, to prepare for the worst, and to examine flames through different lenses. Contributors include Manjula Martin, Hiya Swanhuyser, Zeke Lunder, Lasara Firefox Allen, Margo Robbins, Kailea Loften, Redbird Willie, and more.

 

Ten Sleep by Nicholas Belardes | ADULT FICTION

When Greta Molina’s old friend Tiller offered her the job, a ten-day cattle drive across the Wyoming prairie from the ranching town of Ten Sleep, it sounded like a well-paid break. Three hundred and twenty cows and calves, two guys her age she’s known since college, and a few long days on an ATV will give her time to sort out the mess in her head. The canyon along the trail has a history, sure, but nature has a tendency toward violence. Greta can accept that, even if it makes her insides squirm.

What Greta doesn’t know is the legacy of murder and rot that runs deep into the rocks of this land. As each night passes on the prairie, the trio faces mounting supernatural dangers: a ghost train of the damned, wild animals walking alongside dead ones—and evidence of a gigantic creature in the skies, one that’s supposedly been extinct for eons. And Tiller may be hiding even darker secrets the further they go. Safety is only ten sleeps away, but Greta soon realizes that may be too long for all of them to survive.

 

The World We Saw Burning by Renato Cisneros | Translated by Fionn Petch | ADULT FICTION

Matías Roeder, a young man with an Italian father, German mother, and a sense of stagnation he is desperate to escape from, hops a boat from Peru to New York with vague plans but a firm intention to never go home again. This familiar story of migration--the odd jobs, the romances, the Bowery bars--goes sideways when Japan bombs Pearl Harbor and he joins the US Air Force as part of a bombing crew.

Matías is now Matthew, in the belly of a B-17, remade by the vertigo and rawness of aerial warfare. But the past comes roaring back when he trains his sights on his beloved grandfather's hometown of Hamburg. Matías's reckoning unfolds in the interstices of other stories, swapped by two more Peruvians - a journalist and a cabdriver - stuck in a present-day Madrid traffic jam, whose lives in Lima are now as distant as World War II was to their homeland.

The World We Saw Burning is both a striking account of war and a reflection on identity and uprootedness in a time when everything seems on the verge of exploding or disappearing forever.

 

All Roads Lead to Rome by Yamile Saied Méndez | ADULT FICTION

All Stevie Choi ever wanted was a cozy life in suburbia—a loving husband, adorable kids, a dog. That simple dream shattered into a million pieces when she was only seventeen. She’s spent the years since trying to outrun the pain and make something of herself, if only to prove to her estranged family that she’s happy and successful—even though she’s secretly yearning for another chance at love. If only she believed she deserved it . . .

So, Stevie drowns herself in her job, and in the low season, “dates” new countries, leaving her Utah home-base to circle the globe, from Paris to Cairo to Cabo San Lucas, curating a gorgeous Instagram feed—while spending every New Year alone. Then one frigid January day in Rome she meets Cristian. He would be her perfect match—if they weren’t separated by continents and obligations. Unable to say goodbye, they agree that if they’re both single at seventy, they’ll marry each other if only to have a fun companion to travel with. . . . But through the years, their friendship grows into something more, and suddenly it’s up to Stevie to choose happiness…