Graduation season is upon us, and there is no better gift (in our opinion) than a good book. Continue reading for books that make great graduation gifts for elementary, high school, and college graduates.
Elementary Graduates
What Will You Be? by Yamile Saied Méndez | Illustrated by Kip Alizadeh
What Will You Be? is a lyrical picture book about the common question: What will you be when you grow up? In it, a young girl dreams about all the endless possibilities, sparking a sense of wonder, curiosity, and growth. With her abuela’s loving guidance, she learns her potential is limitless.
The Spark in You by Andrea Pippins
There is a spark in you!
The spark in you shines when you smile. It sparkles when you dance. It glimmers and shimmers, zings, and pops! Your spark is festive and joyous and burns brightest when you are authentically being you.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Carnival, a little girl uses all her creative energy to get ready for the big parade. Through the eyes of this vibrant character, the story celebrates the beautiful magic that makes each of us special.
Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina
Merci Suárez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different.
For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy.
Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what's going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school.
This coming-of-age story exploring the confusion and constant change that defines middle school is perfect for introducing elementary graduates to the changes they might experience and showing them they will not be alone in their journey.
Patchwork by Matt de la Peña | Illustrated by Corinna Luyken
Patchwork explores the endless possibilities of each child: A young dancer may grow into a computer coder; a basketball player might become a poet; a class clown may one day serve as an inspiring teacher; and today’s quiet empath might be tomorrow’s great leader.
HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
Rubi Ramos's Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra
Graduation is only a few months away, and Rubi Ramos’s “recipe for success” to get into prestigious Alma University is already off track.
When Alma waitlists Rubi’s application, Rubi will need to be distraction-free to make the grade and keep her parents—who have wanted this for her for years—from finding out. Which means falling for her cute surfer-slash-math tutor, Ryan, definitely won’t work. And neither will breaking her mother’s ban on baking.
But some recipes are begging to be tampered with.
When the First Annual Bake Off comes to town, Rubi’s passion for baking goes from subtle simmer to full boil. Add to the mix her crush on Ryan may be turning into a full-fledged relationship and Rubi’s life is suddenly so different from what it was. She’s not sure if she has what it takes to win the Bake Off, or where the relationship with Ryan is going, but there’s only one way to find out—even if it means going against her parents’ priorities.
As Rubi differentiates between the responsibility of unfulfilled dreams she holds and finding the path she’s meant for, high school graduates will feel understood and inspired to pursue their dreams.
Gaby's Latin American Kitchen: 70 Kid-Tested and Kid-Approved Recipes for Young Chefs by Gaby Melian
Have you ever tried empanadas? Made cheesy arepas for your family? Or shared homemade, sprinkle-covered chocolate brigadeiros with your friends? Travel the world of Latin America with 70 recipes developed and written by professional chef Gaby Melian. A Spanish glossary, fun personal stories, and a peek into Gaby's own kitchen make this book a delicious win for all young chefs and their families! The cookbook contains a variety of recipes from breakfast to dessert including arepas con queso, ensalada de frutas, panqueques con dulce de leche, and empanadas de pollo.
Although the book is geared toward kids, the book is perfect for all beginners, such as soon-to-be college students living away from home for the first time!
College graduates
The Latinx Guide to Graduate School by Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales and Magdalena L. Barrera
Providing a roadmap for surviving and thriving in advanced-degree programs, The Latinx Guide to Graduate School is the perfect gift for the graduate considering or heading to graduate school.
The authors document the unwritten rules of graduate education that impact Latinx students, demystifying and clarifying the essential requirements for navigating graduate school that Latinx students may not know because they are often the first in their families to walk that path. Topics range from identifying the purpose of graduate research, finding the right program, and putting together a strong application to developing a graduate student identity, cultivating professional and personal relationships, and mapping out a post-graduate school career.
Brand With Purpose: Find Your Passion, Stay True to Your Story, and Accelerate Your Career by Ivan Estrada
In Brand With Purpose, Ivan Estrada shares critical lessons about personal growth and self-discovery―from his early precocious entrepreneurial endeavors as a seven-year-old selling his drawings door to door for $2 to his rise as an inspirational business leader and highly ranked real estate broker. A book for young entrepreneurs, creative thinkers, and ambitious dreamers, Brand With Purpose is filled with tools and expert advice on growing your career and business, with enlightening case studies and inspirational wisdom from successful entrepreneurs and trailblazers. Reflecting on his personal journey of growing up Latino, LGBTQ, and working middle class, Ivan is a prime example that hard work and perseverance on a foundation of self-confidence is the way to success.
With guided self-reflection, this book is perfect for graduates finding their true passion and starting their professional careers.
Budgeting For Dummies by Athena Valentine Lent
Graduating college often comes with greater financial responsibilities, and there is no better way to tackle these than by budgeting.
Budgeting For Dummies shows you how to create a plan that fits your lifestyle, manages everyday needs, and builds your savings. Author Athena Valentine, founder of the Money Smart Latina blog, offers step-by-step details for creating and following a budget without feeling like you’re depriving yourself and your family of all the things that make life worth living. This book shows you how to figure out where your money comes from and where it goes so you can live the life you want and work toward your financial goals. Find out how to establish an emergency fund, eliminate debt, improve your credit score, and stick to your budget through economic ups and downs.
Elizabeth Cervantes is a proud Mexican book lover. She has a bachelor’s in Multimedia Journalism from the University of Texas at El Paso and is currently working on obtaining her master’s in Publishing at Pace University. When she is not studying and reading for her classes, you can find her crying, swooning, or locking her doors while reading children’s books, romance novels, and mysteries/thrillers.
