WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 7, 2021 19
BY MAYA LAIDLER
EDITORIAL@QNS.COM
@QNS
As kids grow up and learn more
about the world around them,
learning about their heritage
is a big part of growing into their
own identity and connecting with
their community. Celebrating Hispanic
heritage teaches kids that
their culture is something to take
pride in and commemorate as a part
of who they are. Celebrate National
Hispanic Heritage Month this year,
with educational kids books that
will have your kids learn about
Hispanic heritage in a fun engaging
way.
‘THE LIFE OF – LA VIDA
DE SELENA,’ BY ARIANA
STEIN
Age: Newborn-4
Teach your kid about one of the
most iconic Latina music singers
of our time, Selena Quintanilla!
This simplified bilingual book will
convey her inspiring biography in
an easy-to-understand and relatable
way. They will learn about her
favorite food,pizza,and who she
cherished the most in the world, her
family and fans.
EDUCATION
‘CHICANO JRS MEXICAN
ADVENTURE,’ BY RAÚL
JIMÉNEZ
Age: 3-18
Chicano is a young boy visiting Mexico
for the fi rst time to see his family. Follow
his adventure, his cultural shock,
and escapades in traveling! This bilingual
children’s book can help your kid
study language while learning about
Mexican culture through the eyes of
a Mexican-American kid. The book is
bright, colorful, and eye-catching!
‘DREAMERS,’ BY YUYI
MORALES
Age: 4-8
With lyrical text, brief autobiographical
essays, and detailed illustrations,
this picture book memoir looks at the
gift s migrants bring as they move to a
new country. It is a story of the things
you always hold on to no matter where
you go: your resilience, your dreams,
your hopes, and your history. A Spanish
language version, called Soñadores, is
also available.
‘JUST ASK! BE DIFFERENT,
BE BRAVE, BE YOU,’ BY
SONIA SOTOMAYOR
Age: 4-8
Sonia Sotomayor, the fi rst Hispanic
Supreme Court judge, writes a book
encouraging kids to ask questions and
embrace their own uniqueness. The
story follows her childhood story of being
diagnosed with diabetes and other
kids with diff erent struggles as they all
work to build a community garden.
‘ALMA AND HOW SHE
GOT HER NAME,’ BY JUAN
MARTINEZ -NEAL
Age: 4-8
When learning how to write
her name, Alma Sofia Esperanza
José Pura Candela discovers just
how many stories of her ancestors
are packed into it and learns just how
perfect her name is for her. This book
does a great job of explaining to kids
theuniqueness of names and will be
sure to leave them asking similar
questions about their own names.
‘PEPE AND THE PARADE:
A CELEBRATION OF
HISPANIC HERITAGE,’ BY
TRACEY KYLE
Age: 4-8
Join Pepe goes to the Hispanic Day
Parade with many of his friends for
a grand celebration of culture and
identity. With so many cultures such
asMexican, Dominican, Panamanian,
Colombian, Honduran, Nicaraguan,
Chilean, Puerto Rican, Salvadoran,
Guatemalan, and Cuban represented
at the parade, kids can see their own
traditions and arts illustrated in a
funcelebration of their heritage.
‘WAITING FOR
BIBLIOBURRO,’ BY
MONICA BROWN
Age: 5-8
Ana, a Colombian girl who loves
reading but only has access to a few
books in her small village meets
a traveling librarian. With more
books than she can dream of, she is
even encouraged to create her own!
This story incorporates a few Spanish
words which make it great for a
read-aloud and teaches the universal
value of reading.
‘HOW TIA LOLA CAME TO
STAY,’ BY JULIA ALVAREZ
Age: 9-12
Miguel meets his quirky charismatic
Tiá Lola who arrives from
the Dominican Republic to help his
Mami aft er his parent’s divorce. His
tiá seems to weave a magical spell
of love that Miguel and his family
desperately needed. Miguel learns
to love his eccentric tiá and appreciate
his experience of living in two
cultures.
Photo via Getty Images
Best kids books to celebrate national Hispanic Heritage Month
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