Celebrate Latinx Hertiage Month starting on September 15th with some incredible children stories from these #ownvoices authors. September 15th is the anniversary of independence of several Latin American countries who declared independence in 1821. "This celebration has become a vital opportunity to dispel ignorance, prejudice and fear through education about multiculturalism and the history of the countless contributions of Latinx communitites"-Milagros Chirinos, Human Rights Campaign. These are some of our staff's favorite picks, but please feel free ask us about more books and titles that we can provide to futher celebrate the many Latinx communities from around the world.

In El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! by Donna Barba Higuera, Ramón is too nervous for his first day of school to go to bed. His monster, El Cucuy (el ku-koo-ee), who lives in the cactus pot, can’t get to sleep either. Together, they work through their anxieties about living in a new home in a healthy, affirming way. It’s great to see a book where their feelings are validated and respected, but also they work toward overcoming their fears of new beginnings. Great for kids who recently moved to a new home or are starting their first day of school!

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré is the beautiful story of the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. Belpré was the first mainstream author to have Lainx story books published in the United States. She was also a librarian, puppeteer, and advocate for social change. Learn about the incredible life story of the woman who changed the world by planting literary seeds across American libraries. 2021 is the 25th anniversary of the Pura Belpré Literary Award and I would highly recommend the 2021 winners and nominees, such as Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisnernos, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera, and ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat by Raúl Gonzalez for your bookshelf.

“If Dominican were a color, it would be the sunset in the sky, blazing red and burning bright. If Dominican were a color, it’d be the roar of the ocean in the deep of the night, With the moon beaming down rays of sheer delight.” If Dominican Were a Color by Sili Recio is a beautiful poem about the different colors of the Dominican Republic. The pages paint a story of self-love and acceptance that celebrates the author's hertiage. The author's note gives personal insight to the racism and colorism Recio faced as a child and gives comfort to those who have felt the same.