Inspirational Books Featuring Latina Mighty Girls

According to statistics, only a small percent of children’s books star Latina characters, and these statistics clearly show no equity for Latina girls. With such a low number of books, it’s challenging for parents to find a lecture that features diverse characters and meets their kids’ interests and reading levels. However, we’ve witnessed significant progress lately with more children’s books featuring Latina characters published. The following list of books could help parents find a reading featuring a Latinx girl as the protagonist if they want to provide their children with a lecture that inspires them to be proud of their heritage. It’s not exhaustive, but it’s a place to get them started if they want to add more books featuring Latina girls on their children’s bookshelf. We picked them because all stories spotlight different personalities and present stories that help children learn more about the rich traditions of Hispanic people and their diverse contributions to the worldwide culture. 

Sonia Sotomayor: A Judge Grows in the Bronx

If you’re looking for a lecture to motivate your kids to pursue their dreams, this might be the perfect choice because it presents Sonia Sotomayor, who has always dreamt of being a lawyer. This bilingual picture book follows a young girl from the Bronx who has a big dream and overcomes all obstacles she faces to pursue it. This lecture will inspire your children to learn, take care of their health, and find the necessary bravery and willpower inside them to handle challenges. The vibrant artwork from the book brings Sonia to life and makes it easier for children to follow her story. Jonah Winter, the author, provides plenty of extra details about Sonia’s life and career to enable children to understand her journey. 

Into the Tall, Tall Grass

The story Loriel Ryon wrote is recommended for children aged 10-13 as it presents a complex fantasy world and implies that children have a certain level of knowledge to understand it. The book follows 12-year-old Yolanda, who tries to handle her past losses and challenging present. Her mother died many years ago, her father is fighting in Afghanistan, and her twin sister seems to have stolen her best friend. Her world falls apart when her grandmother, Wela, falls into an unexplained sleep, and the girl doesn’t know what to do. She also lacks her family’s gift of communicating with nature and feels alone because of it. However, her life changes when strange grass starts growing behind their house, and Wela wakes to ask Yolanda to get her to the last pecan tree on the property. Yolanda learns that she cannot accomplish her task without help from her sister and friends. During the journey, she discovers she has unique gifts, and only because she doesn’t share the same powers as her family doesn’t mean she is less special. 

If your children love Alice in Wonderland and have a collection of items inspired by fantasy books, they’ll adore Into the Tall, Tall Grass. Suppose your kids are fans of fantasy stories; they most likely love to shop the items from Loungefly in Europe and the UK because the most beloved children’s stories inspire them. You probably remember the times when you were a child and wanted to grab hold of everything related to your favourite stories. 

Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble

Leonora, the main character from this book written by Anna Meriano, deals with a struggle that most children her age do; her parents tell her that she is too young to help them around. The story captures her in a time when her family, which runs the best bakery in Rose Hill, Texas, is getting ready for the famous celebration Dia de Los Muertos. She doesn’t understand why she cannot help them prepare and is quite sad that she is left out. But one day, she sneaks into the bakery and finds out why they refused to let her assist them; her mother, aunt, and older sisters are brujas (witches of Mexican ancestry) and use magic for baking the delicious treats. She doesn’t understand why they chose to hide their powers from her because she believes she is old enough to learn magic, so when her best friend deals with issues, she decides to use the family recipe book to solve them. But because she doesn’t speak Spanish, she cannot decipher the recipes, and things go awry. The book shows that family is there to support you even when you make a mistake and teaches children valuable life lessons. 

My Name Is Maria Isabel

Here is another book that teaches children to stay true to who they are. Maria’s name (the main character in the book) is too long, Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez, as her parents decided to name her after her both grandmothers, grandfather, and father, and when she moves schools, her teacher decides to call her Mary because there were other Marias in the classroom, and she didn’t want to make any confusions. But Maria is unhappy with the decision because she knows that her name is special and reminds her of her family and roots. Fortunately, the entire class receives an assignment to discuss their greatest wishes, and Maria grasps the opportunity to share with her teacher and colleagues that she is Maria Isabel and will always be. 

Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist

Sylvia Acevedo grew up in a Mexican-American community that expected all girls to grow up to marry and stay with their children at home. But she has always had an adventurous soul and decided to join the Brownies, a Girl Scouts group promoting science’s love. This moment changed her life because she discovered new role models that encouraged her to become a confident and independent woman. So she pursued her dream of becoming a rocket scientist for NASA and helping other Latinx girls to follow their dreams. This lecture celebrates the transformative impact the right group of people could have on a girl’s life. 

Whether you want to add to your children’s bookshelf books that give them a glimpse into the Hispanic culture or fiction that pictures Latina heroines, the above recommendations are perfect. 

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