APRIL 2021 LATINX RELEASES
ON-SALE MARCH 26TH, 2021
WHITE SPACE | Adult Nonfiction
by Jennifer De Leon (University of Massachusetts Press)
Sometime in her twenties, Jennifer De Leon asked herself, “What would you do if you just gave yourself permission?” While her parents had fled Guatemala over three decades earlier when the country was in the grips of genocide and civil war, she hadn’t been back since she was a child. She gave herself permission to return—to relearn the Spanish that she had forgotten, unpack her family’s history, and begin to make her own way.
Alternately honest, funny, and visceral, this powerful collection follows De Leon as she comes of age as a Guatemalan-American woman and learns to navigate the space between two worlds. Never rich or white enough for her posh college, she finds herself equally adrift in her first weeks in her parents’ home country. During the years to follow, she would return to Guatemala again and again, meet ex-guerrillera and genocide survivors, get married in the old cobblestoned capital of Antigua, and teach her newborn son about his roots.
ON-SALE MARCH 30TH, 2021
EAT THE MOUTH THAT FEEDS YOU | Fiction
by Carribean Fragoza (City Lights Publishers)
In visceral, embodied prose, Fragoza's imperfect characters are drawn with a sympathetic tenderness as they struggle against circumstances and conditions designed to defeat them. A young woman returns home from college, only to pick up exactly where she left off: a smart girl in a rundown town with no future. A mother reflects on the pain and pleasures of being inexorably consumed by her small daughter, whose penchant for ingesting grandma's letters has extended to taking bites of her actual flesh. A brother and sister watch anxiously as their distraught mother takes an ax to their old furniture, and then to the backyard fence, until finally she attacks the family’s beloved lime tree.
Victories are excavated from the rubble of personal hardship, and women's wisdom is brutally forged from the violence of history that continues to unfold on both sides of the US-Mexico border.
ON-SALE APRIL 1ST, 2021
TO CARNIVAL!: A CELEBRATION IN ST. LUCIA | Picture Book
by Baptiste Paul; Illustrated by Jana Glatt (Barefoot Books)
The sights, sounds and tastes of vibrant Saint Lucia come to life in this cumulative #OwnVoices tale of a girl’s journey to Carnival. When a series of unexpected delays disrupts her journey to the big parade, Melba must adjust both her expectations and her route to the festivities. Who will she meet and what will she learn along the way?
ON-SALE APRIL 6TH, 2021
ANITA AND THE DRAGONS | Picture Book
by Hannah Carmona; illustrated by Anna Cunha (Lerner/Lantana Publishing)
Anita watches the dragons high above her as she hops from one cement roof to another in her village in the Dominican Republic. But being the valiant princesa she is, she never lets them scare her. Then one day, Anita must face her fears and begin life in a new country. Will she be brave enough to enter the belly of the beast and take flight to new adventures?
FEARLESS | Middle Grade
by Mandy Gonzalez (S&S/Aladdin)
The Ethel Merman Theater is cursed. No one is sure how or why, but the evidence speaks for itself. Show after show has flopped and the theater is about to close. Enter twelve-year-old Monica Garcia, who has been cast to star in a Broadway musical revival of The Goonies, the theater’s last chance to produce a hit before it shutters its doors for good.
The kids in the cast each have their own reasons for wanting to make the show a success, and all eyes in the theater world are on them. Will this show finally break the curse of the Ethel? The kids aren’t quite sure if the curse is even real, but when their first performance doesn’t quite go as planned, it certainly feels that way.
Then they realize the ghost light—the light that is always kept on at every theater in order to appease the ghosts—wasn’t lit! When the kids rush to flick the switch back on, they find themselves locked in the theater—but that’s the least of their problems when the ghost of the Ethel makes her debut appearance!
Can the cast overcome their fears and reverse the ghost’s curse before opening night so they can save the show—and their dreams?
LIFE’S TOO SHORT | Adult Fiction
by Abby Jimenez (Hachette/Grand Central Publishing)
When Vanessa Price quit her job to pursue her dream of traveling the globe, she wasn't expecting to gain millions of YouTube followers who shared her joy of seizing every moment. For her, living each day to its fullest isn't just a motto. Her mother and sister never saw the age of 30, and Vanessa doesn't want to take anything for granted. But after her half sister suddenly leaves Vanessa in custody of her baby daughter, life goes from "daily adventure" to "next-level bad" (now with bonus baby vomit in hair). The last person Vanessa expects to show up offering help is the hot lawyer next door, Adrian Copeland. After all, she barely knows him. No one warned her that he was the Secret Baby Tamer or that she'd be spending a whole lot of time with him and his geriatric Chihuahua. Now she's feeling things she's vowed not to feel. Because the only thing worse than falling for Adrian is finding a little hope for a future she may never see.
MERCI SUÁREZ CAN’T DANCE | Middle Grade
by Meg Medina (Candlewick)
Seventh grade is going to be a real trial for Merci Suárez. For science she’s got no-nonsense Mr. Ellis, who expects her to be a smart as her brother, Roli. She’s been assigned to co-manage the tiny school store with Wilson Bellevue, a boy she barely knows, but whom she might actually like. And she’s tangling again with classmate Edna Santos, who is bossier and more obnoxious than ever now that she is in charge of the annual Heart Ball.
One thing is for sure, though: Merci Suárez can’t dance—not at the Heart Ball or anywhere else. Dancing makes her almost as queasy as love does, especially now that Tía Inés, her merengue-teaching aunt, has a new man in her life. Unfortunately, Merci can’t seem to avoid love or dance for very long. She used to talk about everything with her grandfather, Lolo, but with his Alzheimer’s getting worse each day, whom can she trust to help her make sense of all the new things happening in her life? The Suárez family is back in a touching, funny story about growing up and discovering love’s many forms, including how we learn to love and believe in ourselves.
MY BROKEN LANGUAGE: A MEMOIR |Adult Nonfiction
by Quiara Alegría Hudes (Penguin Random House/One World)
Quiara Alegría Hudes was the sharp-eyed girl on the stairs while her family danced in her grandmother’s tight North Philly kitchen. She was awed by her aunts and uncles and cousins, but haunted by the secrets of the family and the unspoken, untold stories of the barrio—even as she tried to find her own voice in the sea of language around her, written and spoken, English and Spanish, bodies and books, Western art and sacred altars. Her family became her private pantheon, a gathering circle of powerful orisha-like women with tragic real-world wounds, and she vowed to tell their stories—but first she’d have to get off the stairs and join the dance. She’d have to find her language.
Weaving together Hudes’s love of books with the stories of her family, the lessons of North Philly with those of Yale, this is an inspired exploration of home, memory, and belonging—narrated by an obsessed girl who fought to become an artist so she could capture the world she loved in all its wild and delicate beauty.
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN BITTER AND SWEET |YA Contemporary
by Laekan Zea Kemp (Hachette/Little, Brown And Company)
Penelope Prado has always dreamed of opening her own pastelería next to her father's restaurant, Nacho's Tacos. But her mom and dad have different plans—leaving Pen to choose between disappointing her traditional Mexican American parents or following her own path. When she confesses a secret she's been keeping, her world is sent into a tailspin. But then she meets a cute new hire at Nacho's who sees through her hard exterior and asks the questions she's been too afraid to ask herself.
Xander Amaro has been searching for home since he was a little boy. For him, a job at Nacho's is an opportunity for just that—a chance at a normal life, to settle in at his abuelo's, and to find the father who left him behind. But when both the restaurant and Xander's immigrant status are threatened, he will do whatever it takes to protect his newfound family and himself.
Together, Pen and Xander must navigate first love and discovering where they belong in order to save the place they all call home.
This stunning and poignant novel from debut author Laekan Zea Kemp explores identity, found families and the power of food, all nestled within a courageous and intensely loyal Chicanx community.
WE MOVE TOGETHER |Picture Book
by Kelly Fritsch & Anne McGuire; illustrated by Eduardo Trejos (AK Press)
A bold and colorful exploration of all the ways that people navigate through the spaces around them and a celebration of the relationships we build along the way. We Move Together follows a mixed-ability group of kids as they creatively negotiate everyday barriers and find joy and connection in disability culture and community. A perfect tool for families, schools, and libraries to facilitate conversations about disability, accessibility, social justice and community building. Includes a kid-friendly glossary (for ages 6–9)
YOUR MAMA |Picture Book
by NoNieqa Ramos; illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara (HMH/Versify)
A sweet twist on the age-old “yo mama” joke, celebrating fierce moms everywhere with playful lyricism and gorgeous illustrations. Perfect for Mother’s Day.
Yo’ mama so sweet, she could be a bakery. She dresses so fine, she could have a clothing line. And, even when you mess up, she’s so forgiving, she lets you keep on living. Heartwarming and richly imagined, Your Mama twists an old joke into a point of pride that honors the love, hard work, and dedication of mamas everywhere.
OCULTA: NOCTURNA #2 | YA Fantasy
by Maya Motayne (Balzer + Bray/Harperteen)
After joining forces to save Castallan from an ancient magical evil, Alfie and Finn haven’t seen each other in months. Alfie is finally stepping up to his role as heir and preparing for an International Peace Summit, while Finn is traveling and reveling in her newfound freedom from Ignacio.
That is, until she’s unexpectedly installed as the new leader of one of Castallan’s powerful crime syndicates.
Just when Finn finds herself back in San Cristobal, Alfie’s plans are also derailed. The mysterious organization responsible for his brother’s murder has resurfaced—and their newest target is the summit. And when these events converge, Finn and Alfie are once again forced to work together to follow the assassins’ trail and preserve Castallan’s hopes for peace with Englass.
But will they be able to stop these sinister foes before a new war threatens their kingdom?
ON-SALE APRIL 13TH, 2021
48 GRASSHOPPER ESTATES | Picture Book
by Sara de Wall; illustrated by Erika Medina (Annick Press)
A little girl uses imagination and inventiveness to spread friendship through her community. But will she find a friend of her own?
Whether it’s a supersonic sandwich maker or a twelve-tailed dragon, Sicily Bridges can make almost anything from materials she finds around her apartment complex. But when it comes to making friends, Sicily has yet to find the perfect fit. With a diverse cast of characters brought to life by illustrator Erika Medina, Sara de Waal’s whimsical debut emphasizes the power of imagination and finding companionship where you least expect it.
ALIEN NATION | Picture Book
by Sandro Bassi (Levine Querido)
A wordless wonder of a picture book, reminiscent of David Wiesner and Chris Van Allsburg. An unforgettable subway ride in an alien world filled with truths of our own.
CECE RIOS AND THE DESERT OF SOULS | Middle Grade Fantasy
by Kaela Rivera (HarperCollins)
Living in the remote town of Tierra del Sol is dangerous, especially in the criatura months, when powerful spirits roam the desert and threaten humankind. But Cecelia Rios has always believed there was more to the criaturas, much to her family’s disapproval. After all, only brujas—humans who capture and control criaturas—consort with the spirits, and brujeria is a terrible crime.
When her older sister, Juana, is kidnapped by El Sombrerón, a powerful dark criatura, Cece is determined to bring Juana back. To get into Devil’s Alley, though, she’ll have to become a bruja herself—while hiding her quest from her parents, her town, and the other brujas. Thankfully, the legendary criatura Coyote has a soft spot for humans and agrees to help her on her journey.
With him at her side, Cece sets out to reunite her family—and maybe even change what it means to be a bruja along the way.
THE MARY SHELLEY CLUB | Young Adult Thriller
by Goldy Moldavsky (Henry Holt & Company)
When it comes to horror movies, the rules are clear:
x Avoid abandoned buildings, warehouses, and cabins at all times.
x Stay together: don't split up, not even just to "check something out."
x If there's a murderer on the loose, do not make out with anyone.
If only surviving in real life were this easy...
New girl Rachel Chavez turns to horror movies for comfort, preferring stabby serial killers and homicidal dolls to the bored rich kids of Manhattan Prep...and to certain memories she'd preferred to keep buried.
Then Rachel is recruited by the Mary Shelley Club, a mysterious society of students who orchestrate Fear Tests, elaborate pranks inspired by urban legends and movie tropes. At first, Rachel embraces the power that comes with reckless pranking. But as the Fear Tests escalate, the competition turns deadly, and it's clear Rachel is playing a game she can't afford to lose.
TAG TEAM: EL TORO AND FRIENDS | Picture Book
by Raúl the Third; illustrated by Raúl the Third (Versify)
After last night's match, the stadium is a mess! There is so much work to be done and Mexican wrestling star El Toro feels overwhelmed. Enter . . . La Oink Oink!
With the collaborative spirit they have in the ring, El Toro and La Oink Oink tackle the cleaning up together. La Oink Oink sweeps and El Toro picks up the trash. La Oink Oink washes the dishes, and El Toro dries them. Together, an insurmountable mountain of chores becomes a series of fun tasks for these two wrestling friends!
With unique and detailed illustrations, and easy Spanish and English vocabulary words, sports fans and comic book fans alike will fall in love with El Toro, La Oink Oink, and their tag-team adventures in this fun early reader.
TRAINING DAY: EL TORO AND FRIENDS | Picture Book
by Raúl the Third; illustrated by Raúl the Third (Versify)
Little Lobo introduced readers to his wrestling hero El Toro in Vamos! Let’s go to the Market!. Now El Toro is off on his own adventures in this early reader series!
Task #1: Getting out of bed.
Usually that’s not so hard, but being the champion luchador isn’t easy. Today, El Toro is feeling uninspired. But his coach, Kooky Dooky, knows that practice makes better and it’s important for El Toro to stay in shape and keep training!
These eye-popping illustrations will appeal to comic book fans and encourage visual literacy, with an easy-to-follow mix of Spanish and English vocabulary words.
Readers will cheer as El Toro’s spirits are lifted with a little help from his community and he trains hard to win his next big wrestling match against The Wall!
WE LAUGH ALIKE/ JUNTOS NOS REÍMOS | Picture Book
by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez (Charlesbridge)
A brand new barrier-breaking and friendship-affirming bilingual picture book from award-winning author Carmen T. Bernier-Grand (Diego: Bigger than Life). Three kids are playing at the park when three more arrive. The groups can't understand each other because one trio speaks only English and the other only Spanish. But they can express similar thoughts in their own languages. Aquí interactúan el inglés y el español. Can they find a way to play? Of course they can! By watching each other, both groups learn that they are more alike than different and end up discovering new words and making new friends in this adventure propelled by clever integrated Spanish dialogue.
ON-SALE APRIL 15TH, 2021
MIGRANT PSALMS: POEMS | Adult Poetry
by Darrel Alejandro Holnes (Northwestern University Press)
Migrant Psalms prays for a way to make sense of immigration to the United States—now that we realize the American Dream was always an impossible one. Both reverent and daring, this verse interrogates religion, race, class, family, and sexuality. Written as a call to action, the collection pulls together prayer, popular culture, and technology to tell a twenty-first-century migrant story.
Migrant Psalms gives us a rare look inside a Panamanian experience of migration, describing the harsh realities of mothers, children, and teens who entered the United States—or tried to do so. Holnes’s poems find the universal through specificity; their exploration of expatriation, assimilation, and naturalization transcends the author’s personal experience to speak to what it means to be “other” anywhere.
The collection begins with “Kyrie,” a coming-to-America chronicle that spans three years in Texas, modeled after the liturgical Christian prayer Kyrie Eleison (Lord, have mercy). Other poems experiment with macaronic language and form to parallel shifts in the speaker’s status from immigrant to citizen, ending with “The 21st Century Poem,” which probes what’s “real” in today’s New York City. Through the speaker’s quest to become an American, this collection asks: Who are we becoming as individuals, as a society, as a nation, as a world? And is faith enough to enact change? Or is it just the first step?
ON-SALE APRIL 20th, 2021
CARTAS DE CUBA (LETTERS FROM CUBA SPANISH VERSION) | Middle Grade Historical
by Ruth Behar (Penguin Random House/Vintage Español)
La situación se está poniendo terrible para los judíos en Polonia en vísperas de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. El padre de Esther ha huido a Cuba y ella es la primera en seguir sus pasos y reencontrarse con él en la isla. Vivir separada de su querida hermana es desgarrador, por lo que Esther promete escribirle cartas contándole todo lo que le suceda hasta el día en que se vuelvan a reunir. Y lo hace, manteniendo un registro tanto de lo bueno – la bondad del pueblo cubano y su descubrimiento de un valioso talento oculto – como de lo malo: el hecho de que las garras del nazismo se han arraigado incluso en Cuba. Las evocadoras cartas de Esther están llenas de su aprecio por la vida y revelan a una niña ingeniosa y decidida, con una habilidad única para unir a las personas, mientras se esfuerza por sacar al resto de su familia de Polonia antes de que sea demasiado tarde.
Basada en la historia familiar de Ruth Behar, esta impresionante historia celebra la resiliencia del espíritu humano en los tiempos más desafiantes.
English Description:
The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good—the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent—and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba. Esther's evocative letters are full of her appreciation for life and reveal a resourceful, determined girl with a rare ability to bring people together, all the while striving to get the rest of their family out of Poland before it's too late.
Based on Ruth Behar's family history, this compelling story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the most challenging times.
NO SOMOS DE AQUÍ (WE ARE NOT FROM HERE SPANISH VERSION) | Young Adult
by Jenny Torres Sanchez (Penguin Random House/Vintage Español)
Pulga lleva sus sueños consigo. Chico carga el dolor de perder a su madre. Pequeña tiene su orgullo. Estos tres adolescentes se tienen el uno al otro y no se hacen ilusiones sobre la ciudad donde crecieron. A pesar del amor de su familia, las amenazas los acechan en cada esquina, y cuando son demasiado reales como para ignorarlas, el trio sabe que no tiene más opción que huir: de su país, de sus familias, y de su querido hogar.
En su travesía desde Guatemala hacia Estados Unidos a través de México, siguen la ruta de La Bestia, el peligroso tren de carga que los conducirá a una vida mejor, si tienen suficiente suerte como para sobrevivir el viaje. Sin nada mas que una mochila a sus espaldas, y la desesperación que hace palpitar sus corazones, Pulga, Chico y Pequeña saben que no hay vuelta atrás, sin importar los peligros desconocidos que les esperan.
En este impresionante retrato de tres vidas injustamente destrozadas, basado en hechos reales, Jenny Torres-Sanchez resalta el sacrificio de los migrantes en la frontera sur a través de una narración vivida y conmovedora.
ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
Pulga has his dreams.
Chico has his grief.
Pequeña has her pride.
And these three teens have one another. But none of them have illusions about the town they've grown up in and the dangers that surround them. Even with the love of family, threats lurk around every corner. And when those threats become all too real, the trio knows they have no choice but to run: from their country, from their families, from their beloved home.
Crossing from Guatemala through Mexico, they follow the route of La Bestia, the perilous train system that might deliver them to a better life—if they are lucky enough to survive the journey. With nothing but the bags on their backs and desperation drumming through their hearts, Pulga, Chico, and Pequeña know there is no turning back, despite the unknown that awaits them. And the darkness that seems to follow wherever they go.
In this striking portrait of lives torn apart, the plight of migrants at the U.S. southern border is brought to light through poignant, vivid storytelling. Inspired by current events, We Are Not From Here is an epic journey of danger, resilience, heartache, and hope.
TEN LITTLE BIRDS/ DIEZ PAJARITOS |Picture Book
by Andrés Salguero; illustrated by Sara Palacios (Scholastic en Espanol)
Count to 10 and back again with Latin Grammy Award-winning children's musical duo 123 Andrés in this bilingual board book!
The popular song from 123 Andrés' Latin Grammy Award-winning album is cleverly and beautifully brought to life in this bright, bouncy board book! Each of the 10 birds is given a fun and silly personality, and children will love to follow along as each flies away -- and escapes a lurking kitty!
123 Andrés are gifted lyricists and storytellers, and this bilingual board book perfectly captures their energy and charm. Pura Belpré Illustration Honor recipient Sara Palacios's gorgeous illustrations elevate the text and make this book a must-have for any home or school library!
ON-SALE APRIL 27th, 2021
13th STREET #5: TUSSLE WITH THE TOOTING TARANTULAS |Middle Grade
by David Bowles; illustrated by Shane Clester
Cousins Malia, Ivan, and Dante are visiting their aunt Lucy for the summer. But on their way to Gulf City’s water park, they get lost on 13th Street. Only it’s not a street at all. It’s a strange world filled with dangerous beasts! Will the cousins find their way back to Aunt Lucy’s?
Each story in this hilarious and scary new series from award-winning author David Bowles is designed to set independent readers up for success—with short, fast-paced chapters, art on every page, and progress bars at the end of each chapter!
ANCHORED HEARTS|Adult Fiction, Romance
by Priscilla Oliveras (Kensington)
Award-winning photographer Alejandro Miranda hasn't been home to Key West in years--not since he left to explore broader horizons with his papi's warning echoing in his ears. He wouldn't be heading there now if it wasn't for an injury requiring months of recuperation. The drama of a prodigal son returning to his familia is bad enough, but coming home to the island paradise also means coming face to face with the girl he left behind--the one who was supposed to be by his side all along...
Anamaría Navarro was shattered when Alejandro took off without her. Traveling the world was their plan, not just his. But after her father's heart attack, there was no way she could leave--not even for the man she loved. Now ensconced in the family trade as a firefighter and paramedic, with a side hustle as a personal trainer, Anamaría is dismayed that just the sight of Alejandro is enough to rekindle the flame she's worked years to put out. And as motherly meddling pushes them together, the heat of their attraction only climbs higher. Can they learn to trust again, before the Key West sun sets on their chance at happiness?
THE BEAUTIFUL ONES |Adult Fantasy, Horror
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Tor Books)
They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.
When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.
But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins.
The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.
CHICA, WHY NOT?: HOW TO LIVE WITH INTENTION AND MANIFEST A LIFE THAT LOVES YOU BACK |Adult Nonfiction
by Sandra Hinojosa Ludwig (Hay House)
For those who feel stuck in life, who don't see a way forward, who don't believe they deserve to claim their dreams, Sandra Hinojosa Ludwig has one question: Chica, Why Not? With this book, you will find all the tools you need to accept that the life of your dreams is not only within reach, it is your right.
Sandra grew up in Mexico, where she experienced violence, frustration, and sadness as everyday settings. After unsuccessfully chasing happiness in a corporate career, she found deeper meaning in spirituality and now helps others to realize their dreams while still being true to themselves and their roots.
In this book, she guides you through her six-step program for manifesting the life you want, addressing career, family, love, wealth, and health. She gently breaks down the most common fears and excuses people make that hold them back, inviting you to practice self-compassion as you overcome your own fears and limiting beliefs as well as outside pressures-including familial and cultural expectations familiar to some in the Latino community.
SPIRIT UNTAMED: THE MOVIE NOVEL|Middle Grade
by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Lucky Prescott never really knew her late mother, Milagro Navarro, a fearless horse-riding stunt performer. Like her mother, Lucky isn’t exactly a fan of rules and restrictions. When her aunt Cora moves them from their East Coast city to live in Miradero with Lucky’s father, Lucky is decidedly unimpressed with the sleepy little town. She has a change of heart when she meets Spirit, a wild Mustang who shares her independent streak, and befriends two local horseback riders, Abigail Stone and Pru Granger. When a heartless horse wrangler plots to capture Spirit and his herd and auction them off to a life of captivity and hard labor, Lucky enlists her new friends and bravely embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to rescue the horse who has given her freedom, a sense of purpose, and who has helped Lucky discover a connection to her mother’s legacy.
ON-SALE APRIL 30th, 2021
THINGS TO PACK ON THE WAY TO EVERYWHERE | Poetry
by Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta (Get Fresh Books)
Things to Pack on the Way to Everywhere, by Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta, is a blueprint for Afro-Latinx adventurers who want to keep their sanity in a world that does not value the history or contributions of Black/Latinx women. The author shares moments of despair, anger, elation, joy, and love, as she pieces together her history and ancestry, while finding catharsis through Black punk revolutionaries like Poly Styrene and the Chicago House movement. Follow her journey toward empowerment while fighting sexism and neoliberalism in the medical industry, academia, and in a world-wide pandemic. Watch as she decides that we all have time for self-care and dance, even as the world descends into chaos.
CHOLA SALVATION|Adult Fiction, literary
by Estella González (Arte Público Press)
In the title story of this collection, Isabela is minding her family’s restaurant, drinking her dad’s beer, when Frida Kahlo and the Virgen de Guadalupe walk in. Even though they’re dressed like cholas, the girl immediately recognizes Frida’s uni-brow and La Virgen’s crown. They want to give her advice about the quinceañera her parents are forcing on her. In fact, their lecture (don’t get pregnant, go to school, be proud of your indigenous roots) helps Isabela to escape her parents’ physical and sexual abuse. But can she really run away from the self-hatred they’ve created?
These inter-related stories, mostly set in East Los Angeles, uncover the lives of a conflicted Mexican-American community. In “Sábado Gigante,” Bernardo drinks himself into a stupor every Saturday night. “Aquí no es mi tierra,” he cries, as he tries to ease the sorrow of a life lived far from home. Meanwhile, his son Gustavo struggles with his emerging gay identity and Maritza, the oldest daughter, is expected to cook and clean for her brother, even though they live in East LA, not Guadalajara or Chihuahua. In “Powder Puff,” Mireya spends hours every day applying her make-up, making sure to rub the foundation all the way down her neck so it looks like her natural color. But no matter how much she rubs and rubs, her skin is no lighter.
Estella Gonzalez vividly captures her native East LA in these affecting stories about a marginalized people dealing with racism, machismo and poverty. In painful and sometimes humorous scenes, young people try to escape the traditional expectations of their family. Other characters struggle with anger and resentment, often finding innovative ways to exact revenge for slights both real and imagined. Throughout, music—traditional and contemporary—accompanies them in the search for love and acceptance.
