“I KNOW THE RIVER LOVES ME / YO SÉ QUE EL RÍO ME AMA”

by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Amazon Recommended Grade Level: 1 – 2

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

ISBN-13: 978-0892392360

“I am here to visit one of my best friends in the world—the river—I know the river loves me because I can hear her calling me as soon as I am close.” Whenever Maya visits the river, the river jumps up to greet her. It cools her down when the summer sun is too hot, and holds her up when she dives in. It keeps her company in the winter. The river takes care of Maya, and Maya takes care of the river. This story of love and respect for nature helps readers learn about their environment and themselves. “Listen. . . Can you hear the river calling you? Rushing and bubbling, splashing or still, the river has so much to teach us.”

“MOONY LUNA / LUNA, LUNITA LUNERA”

by Jorge Argueta

Amazon Recommended Grade Level: 2 – 3

Publisher: Children’s Book Press (an imprint of Lee & Low Books)

ISBN-13: 978-0892393060

“Tomorrow I’m going to school for the very first time. My heart skips just like a little frog.” Five-year-old Luna isn’t sure she wants to go school. For all she knows, there might be monsters “with scary voices” there. But when her loving parents assure her that she’ll have a wonderful time, she agrees to give school a try. Her mom even reads her a story before bed to help her feel less nervous. The next day, an understanding teacher and a group of friendly kids make Luna very glad she made the right decision. But what about the monsters?

“THE WIND CALLED MY NAME”

by Mary Louise Sanchez

Amazon Recommended Grade Level: 4 – 6

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

ISBN-13: 978-1620147801

During the Great Depression, 10-year-old Margarita Sandoval feels sometimes as if the wind might blow her away. Then she has to leave her familia, including her Abuelita, in New Mexico to move to Wyoming. When Margarita meets Caroline, she’s excited to have a friend her own age, but it often seems like Caroline, like many other people in town, doesn’t understand or appreciate her Hispanic heritage. And the Sandovals discover that Abuelita might lose her home unless they can pay off her tax bill. Can Margarita keep her friend, help her family and find a place in Wyoming for good?

“ALICIA AFTERIMAGE”

by Lulu Delacre

Amazon Recommended Grade Level: 7 – 9

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

ISBN-13: 978-1620145784

On the evening of September 24, 2004, 16-year-old Alicia María Betancourt was killed in a car accident. Popular, happy, fun-loving Alicia—daughter, sister, and friend to so many—gone in an instant. Wrestling with grief, anger, mortality and spirituality, Alicia’s loved ones struggle to create a lasting place in their hearts for someone who is no longer a physical presence. They share joyful and painful memories and discover the power of enduring friendship and love. In time, each person finds a way to heal while keeping Alicia’s vibrant spirit alive for those who knew her, and those who never will.

Higher Education

“IMMIGRANT-ORIGIN STUDENTS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE: NAVIGATING RISK AND REWARD IN HIGHER EDUCATION”

Edited by: Carola Suárez-Orozco and Olivia Osei-Twumasi

Publisher: Teachers College Press

ISBN-13: 978-0807761946

This volume concentrates specifically on the experiences, challenges and triumphs of immigrant-origin community college students. Drawing on data from the Research on Immigrants in Community College Study (RICC), chapters highlight the unique needs of these students, the role of classrooms and campus settings, out-of-class time spent on campus, the importance of relationships, expectations versus outcomes, and key recommendations for policy and practice. The text integrates an array of important topics, including developmental challenges, language learning, the undocumented student experience, microaggressions, counseling center use, and academic engagement. Finally, it looks at what community colleges can do to better help immigrant-origin students succeed.

“UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY EDUCATION OF HISPANIC CHILDREN”

by Eugene E. Garcia and Erminda H. Garcia

Publisher: Teachers College Press

ISBN-13: 978-0807753460

Young Hispanic children are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority population in the U.S. Educational skills and achievement lag significantly for this population, creating an unacceptable achievement gap at the beginning of kindergarten that grows by the end of third grade. What can we learn from the empirical literature, theory, programs and policies associated with language and early learning for young Hispanics? What are the home and school factors important to differences in early cognitive development and educational well-being? This book explores these questions with a focus on instructional interventions associated with reducing the achievement gap for young Hispanic children.

THE POLITICS OF LATINO EDUCATION”

Edited by: David L. Leal and Kenneth J. Meier

Publisher: Teachers College Press

ISBN-13: 978-0807751435

Education is one of the most important public policy issues facing Latinos in the United States today. Despite this the political dynamics behind Latino school achievement and failure are often misunderstood—and at times, overlooked altogether. “THE POLITICS OF LATINO EDUCATION” brings together 24 accomplished and influential voices with a wide range of perspectives in the fields of political science, public administration and education to examine the political factors that shape the Latino educational experience. This resource covers a wide range of topics important to improving education for Latinos, including standardized testing, immigration, bilingual education and the Latino education “pipeline.”

“ACHIEVING EQUITY FOR LATINO STUDENTS: EXPANDING THE PATHWAY TO HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY”

by Frances Contreras

Publisher: Teachers College Press

ISBN-13: 978-0807752104

"ACHIEVING EQUITY FOR LATINO STUDENTS” provides a critical discussion of the role that select K–12 educational policies have and continue to play in failing Latino students. The author draws upon institutional, national and statewide data, as well as interviews with students, teachers and college administrators, to explore the role that public policies play in educating Latino students. The book concludes with specific recommendations that aim to raise achievement, college transition rates and success among Latino students from preschool through college. Chapters cover high dropout rates, access to college-preparation resources, testing and accountability, financial aid, the DREAM Act, and affirmative action.