Quicklinks: Non-Fiction | CPL Resources | Books for Kids | Books for Teens
FICTION Titles available in both English and Spanish are noted.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao La breve y maravillosa vida de Óscar Wao by Junot Díaz Riverhead Books, 2007 Oscar is a hopeless, fantasy-reading, role-game-playing, overweight nerd with dreams of finding love and writing the next Tolkienesque masterpiece. It's not going so well, and it might have something to do with the fukú (ancient curse) on his family. In his Pulitzer prize–winning novel, Díaz uses his truly original, no-holds-barred voice to take us through the woes of Oscar and his family, spanning two countries and decades of history.
Brownsville: Stories by Oscar Casares Back Bay Books, 2003 Casares delivers a collection of nine stories set in the border town of Brownsville, Texas. Each story paints a portrait of the Mexican-American experience through rich, down-to-earth characters, whose everyday struggles may be unique to their setting and culture, but are universal in the humanity they portray.
Coffee Will Make You Black El café te hará negro by April Sinclair Hyperion, 1994 Sinclair's debut novel, set against the backdrop of the emerging Civil Rights movement, tells the story of Stevie, a young African-American girl coming of age on the South Side of Chicago. During a racially charged period in history, Stevie struggles to find her identity as she also copes with her transition from childhood to adolescence.
Dreaming in Cuban Soñar en Cubano by Cristina García Knopf, 1992 A finalist for the National Book Award, García's debut chronicles the story of three generations of a Cuban family, following them from Havana to Brooklyn across fifty years. Incorporating an array of writing styles, she captures the tumultuous and often magical history of one family traversing two countries and two cultures.
Drown Negocios by Junot Diaz Vintage Books, 1997 Set in New Jersey and the Dominican Republic, this collection of ten stories garnered much critical acclaim for Díaz. Many of the stories are linked by the voice of a young narrator whose life bears a resemblance to that of the author, most notably in "Fiesta, 1980" and "Negocios" in which themes of familial relationships, growing up in dual cultures, and immigrant struggles run deep.
How the García Girls Lost Their Accents De como las muchachas García perdieron el acento by Julia Alvarez Algonquin Books, 1991 Exiled from the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, the four García girls—Carla, Sandra, Yolanda and Sofia—find a new home in the Bronx. Not surprisingly, the move is an adjustment for the whole family, although the girls, eager to acclimate to their new life, fare better than their parents. Through episodic vignettes, the girls share their experiences, illuminating the challenges they face in reconciling their newly adopted American mindset with their Dominican culture.
The Joy Luck Club El Club de la Buena Estrella by Amy Tan Putnam, 1989 Jing-Mei "June" Woo takes her recently deceased mother's place at the Joy Luck Club, a weekly gathering of women who enjoy mahjong, dim sum and conversation. In alternating chapters, the members and their American-born daughters reveal their storied pasts, allowing both generations to connect as they share their experiences.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie Atlantic Monthly Press, 1993 While the lives portrayed in these linked stories set on a Spokane Indian reservation are often filled with sadness and despair, Alexie manages to inject humor and compassion into these tales. Narrated by several characters with distinct voices, the book explores the relationships within the reservation and those outside its confines, depicting the clash between not just two cultures, but between two generations.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Un árbol crece en Brooklyn by Betty Smith Harper, 1943 This classic novel introduced the world to Francie Nolan, a young girl coming of age during the early 1900s. Francie grows up in a run-down part of Brooklyn, but her intelligence and strength of character allow her to surpass her humble beginnings as she ventures away from her neighborhood to pursue a better life.
When Luba Leaves Home by Irene Zabytko Algonquin, 2003 Luba Vovkovych lives in Chicago's Ukranian Village, and while she longs to escape it and participate in a "real" American life, her family and friends need her. She tries to pull away from her immigrant neighborhood—which she thinks seems stuck in another time—by going to college and buying a car, but she finds it difficult to turn her back on her tight-knit community.
I Sailed with Magellan by Stuart Dybek Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003 Dybek once again returns to his hometown with eleven stories tied together by the voice of Perry Katzek, a young narrator who navigates the city's South Side through both childhood and adolescence. With his vivid descriptions and obvious love of the city, Dybek's Chicago becomes another living, breathing character in his most recent collection.
MORE BY SANDRA CISNEROS
Bad Boys, Mango Publications, 1980
Caramelo, Knopf, 2002 Caramelo, o, Puro cuento, Vintage, 2003
Hairs/Pelitos (juvenile; bilingual), illustrated by Terry Ybanez, Knopf, 1994
Loose Woman, Knopf, 1994
My Wicked, Wicked Ways, Third Woman Press, 1987
Vintage Cisneros, Vintage Books, 2004
Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories, Random House, 1991 El arroyo de la Llorona y otros cuentos, Vintage, 1996
NONFICTION Titles available in both English and Spanish are noted. For more titles available in Spanish only, see the recommended reading list in the Spanish version of this guide.
Chicago: City of Neighborhoods
City of Dreams: Latino Immigration to Chicago by Wilfredo Cruz University Press of America, 2007
Division Street: America by Studs Terkel Pantheon Books, 1967
Never a City So Real: a Walk in Chicago by Alex Kotlowitz Crown Journeys, 2004
Streetwise Chicago: a History of Chicago Street Names by Don Hayner and Tom McNamee Loyola University Press, 1988
My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King Latin King: Mi Vida Sangrienta by Reymundo Sánchez Chicago Review Press, 2000
Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy Nieve en La Habana: Confesiones de un Cubanito by Carlos Eire The Free Press, 2003
Immigrant Experience
The Devil's Highway: a True Story by Luis Alberto Urrea Little, Brown, 2004
Harvest of Empire: a History of Latinos in America by Juan Gonzalez Viking, 2000
Translation Nation: Defining a New American Identity in the Spanish-speaking United States by Héctor Tobar Riverhead Books, 2005
Burro Genius: A Memoir Burro Genio by Victor Villaseñor Rayo, 2005
Dying to Cross: The Worst Immigrant Tragedy in American History Morir en el Intento: la Peor Tragedia de Inmigrantes en la Historia de los Estados Unidos by Jorge Ramos Rayo/Harper Collins, 2005
Adolescence
Once Upon a Quinceañera: Coming of Age in the USA by Julia Alvarez Viking, 2007
Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls Reviviendo a Ofelia o, Cómo Salvar a la Niña Adolescente by Mary Pipher Putnam, 1994
When I Was Puerto Rican Cuando Era Puertorriqueña by Esmeralda Santiago Addison-Wesley, 1993
The Power of Writing
Bad Boy: a Memoir by Walter Dean Myers HarperCollins Publishers, 2001
The Freedom Writers Diary: How a Group of Extraordinary Teens Used Writing to Change Themselves and the World Around Them by The Freedom Writers with Erin Gruwell Doubleday, 1999
Writing Women's Lives: an Anthology of Autobiographical Narratives by Twentieth Century American Women Writers edited by Susan Cahill HarperPerennial, 1994 Back to Top
CPL RESOURCES The below resources are available in English only. For resources available in Spanish, please see the recommended reading list in the Spanish version of this guide.
Connect to these articles from home, school, or work with a Chicago Public Library card.
For More Information on…
Sandra Cisneros’ process and influence: "Talking in Our Pajamas: A Conversation with Sandra Cisneros on Finding Your Voice, Fear of Highways, Tacos, Travel, and the Need for Peace in the World" By Ruth Behar Michigan Quarterly Review, v. 47, i. 3 (2008)
"Interview: Writer Sandra Cisneros Discusses the Cultural Origins of her Work" Morning Edition, May 3, 2004
Latina Feminist takes on The House on Mango Street: "'Writing Will Keep You Free': Allusions to and Recreations of the Fairy Tale Heroine in The House on Mango Street"
By Kelly Wissman
Children’s Literature in Education, v. 38, n. 1 (2007)
"The 'Dual'-ing Images of La Malinche and La Virgen de Guadalupe in Cisneros' The House on Mango Street"
By Leslis Petty
Melus, v. 25, i. 2 (2000)
Immigration to Chicago: "Immigration to Chicago"
By John Powell
Encyclopedia of North American Immigration
Facts on File, 2005 Back to Top
FURTHER READING - BOOKS FOR KIDS Titles available in both English and Spanish are noted.
Becoming Naomi León, Scholatic, 2004 Yo, Naomi León, Scholastic en Español, 2005 by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ages 10-13 Threatened by the unexpected return of her dysfunctional mother, Naomi Soledad León Outlaw sets out for Mexico with her brother and great-grandmother to locate her father, an Oaxacan woodcarver from whom she has inherited her artistic talent.
Elena’s Serendade, Atheneum, 2004 Elenita, Lectorum, 2006 by Campbell Geeslin, illustrated by Ana Juan Ages 7-10 Longing to follow in the footsteps of her family’s artistic traditions, Elena creates music with her pipe and the images in the songs appear as beautiful glass figurines.
Family Pictures/Cuadros de Familias, Children’s Book Press, 2005 by Carmen Lomas Garza, introduction by Sandra Cisneros In My Family/En mi familia, Children’s Book Press, 2000 By Carmen Lomas Garza Ages 7-10 Both of these books are teeming with life and provide snapshots of the author’s life growing up in a very loving Mexican-American family.
Hairs/Pelitos, Dragonfly, 1997 by Sandra Cisneros, illustrated by Terry Ybanez Ages 3-6 This very special vignette from The House on Mango Street is tenderly illustrated to create a loving read-aloud experience.
Neighborhood Odes, Harcourt, 2005 by Gary Soto, illustrated by David Diaz Canto familiar, Harcourt, 2007 by Gary Soto, illustrated by Annika Nelson Ages 9 and up These evocative poems capture the joy and energy of growing up in a community.
Poems to Dream Together/Poemas para Soñar Juntos, Lee & Low, 2005 by Francisco X. Alarcón, illustrated by Paula Barragán Ages 9-12 This is a vibrant collection of nineteen bilingual poems all celebrating family, community and the world around us.
The Smell of Old Lady Perfume, Cinco Puntos, 2008 by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez Ages 9-12 Chela can’t wait to start sixth grade, but nothing goes the way she had imagined, especially when her beloved father has a stroke and her grandmother comes to stay.
Snapshots from the Wedding, Putnam, 1997 by Gary Soto, illustrated by Stephanie Garcia Ages 4-8 You’re invited to share the excitement of the big day with Maya, a flower girl at a family wedding, complete with mariachi music, pollo con mole, and naughty cousins.
The Storyteller’s Candle/La velita de los cuentos, Children’s Book Press, 2008 by Lucía M. González, illustrated by Lulu Delacre Ages 6-9 This is the inspiring true story of how one special librarian many years ago, Pura Belpré, showed all the children in her community that “la biblioteca es para todos.”
The Tequila Worm, Random House/Wendy Lamb, 2005 by Viola Canales Ages 9-13 From the barrio to a fancy school in the big city, Sofia stays true to her family and Mexican-American culture, while having fun all along. Back to Top
FURTHER READING – BOOKS FOR TEENS
Baseball in April and Other Stories, Harcourt, 2000 Béisbol en Abril y otros cuentos, Alfaguara, 2007 by Gary Soto Ages 12 and up Guys and girls and growing up is what these true-to-life tales are all about.
Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Hispanic in the United States, Holt, 1994 Edited by Lori Carlson, introduction by Oscar Hijuelos Ages 13 and up Sandra Cisneros and many other writers contributed to this hot collection.
Esperanza Rising, Scholastic, 2000 Esperanza Renace, Scholastic en Español, 2002 by Pam Muñoz Ryan Ages 12-14 This story of Esperanza’s journey from Mexico to a new life in the United States is a winner of the Pura Belpré Medal for the book that “best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience.”
Estrella’s Quinceañera, Simon & Schuster, 2006 by Malin Alegria Ages 12 and up As her family prepares for the big day, Estrella must move back and forth between cultures, and between her damas and Speedy, the guy she really likes.
Finding Miracles, Knopf, 2004 En busca de milagros, Laurel Leaf, 2006 by Julia Alvarez Ages 12 and up Milly's high school life is changed forever, and for the better, when Pablo arrives from a troubled country that she discovers to be part of her own history.
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida, HarperCollins, 1996 by Victor Martinez Ages 12 and up Life is tough in Manuel Hernandez’s family and neighborhood, but it won’t stop him as he tries to become a man.
Taking Sides, Harcourt, 2003 Tomando Partido, Alfaguara, 2007 by Gary Soto Ages 12-14 Sometimes the basketball court is the only place where Lincoln Mendoza feels he belongs.
Wáchale!: Poetry and Prose About Growing Up Latino in America, Cricket, 2001 edited by Ilan Stavans Ages 14-18 Twenty-nine Latino writers have contributed experiences to relate to, learn from, and be inspired by.
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