As the blazing hot Summer cools off, we’re preparing to kick off the Fall season with National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15), which celebrates the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
This month holds special significance for me, as my family origins are rooted in Spain and both of my grandfathers were born in Mexico, immigrating to the US by way of the military. I’m excited to share these Six Picks, which spotlight some of the history, culture, and diversity of voices across the Hispanic and Latinx diaspora.
For more recommendations, check out our curated Hispanic Heritage, Latinx Voices list.
Middle Grade
The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America by Jaime Hernandez (TOON Books/Astra)
An anthology collecting three modernized Latin American folktales, The Dragon Slayer is a fun read from start to finish. The title story focuses on a young woman, cast out of her family home by jealous sisters, who finds a magic wand. The wand advises the girl to seek work at a nearby village, where she becomes a kitchen maid and falls for the prince. She is advised by the wand on how to slay a local dragon, leading the King to grant her wish of marrying the prince. While this sounds straightforward and even stereotypical, the girl is continuously clever, hardworking, and ethical — a refreshing mix for a folktale protagonist. That she saves the kingdom and the prince’s life elevates her from a boring damsel!
The second story, Martina Martinez and Perez the Mouse, also features a female character who saves the day, while the final story, Tup and the Ants, highlights the value of intelligence. Each tale is also abrupt in an oddly refreshing way: Time isn’t wasted on things like convincing characters of facts the readers already know to be true, and the plots move forward swiftly with every new panel.
Despite the upbeat notes each story ends on, none shy away from the characteristically horrific events that often take place in classic fairy tales: birds rip off their beaks in solidarity for a mourning woman; dragons have their seven tongues ripped out; and people tell lies that result in deadly consequences. Each story offers fresh updates to tired tropes and conveys important lessons middle grade readers will relate to without being heavy-handed.
Best-known for his ongoing work on the critically acclaimed Love and Rockets, Jaime Hernandez is an award-winning artist many times over. It’s fun to see his creativity at work on stories for younger readers. The book includes valuable backmatter that dives into the origins, varying interpretations, and meanings behind each of the folktales, and there is also a bibliography for further exploration.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Middle School, Children’s Public Library, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Quince: The Definitive Bilingual (Español) Ed by Kit Steinkellner, Sebastian Kadlecik, and Emma Steinkellner (Fanbase Press)
Lupita “Lupe” is a teenager living an almost painfully dull life: She feels unnoticed at home and at school, and her main after-school activity is watching fangirl shows featuring all-white characters with whom Lupe doesn’t relate. When she explodes a bathroom with unexpected powers just before her quinceañera, however, Lupe realizes her life just became much more exciting!
Unfortunately, having superhero powers is not all it’s cracked up to be, and they will only last for the year between her 15th and 16th birthdays. Coached by her beloved grandmother, Lupe’s life becomes a series of late nights saving civilians and long exhausting days at school. While her grades slip and she’s still ignored, her alter-ego “Q” is blowing up on social media. Meanwhile, a bullied boy named Garrett also gets superpowers from experimenting on himself, proclaims himself an “antihero”, and plans to murder students to punish them for bullying him. Despite Lupe trying to convince him otherwise — after all, murdering innocent people does not make you an antihero! — she must defeat him in order to save the students.
Can Lupe stop him when she is already stretched so thin?
Quince is particularly notable for how authentic and relatably normal Lupe is. Nothing is ever perfect, whether she is getting no attention or too much. Her family dynamic is as special as it is recognizable: overlooked by her parents and obsessed over by her little sister, Lupe can’t help but find her beloved family “annoying.” Her bond with her grandmother is the glue that holds so many things together for Lupe, from family dynamics to navigating life as a superhero. Despite the discussion around things like murder threats and teen depression, the tone remains light-hearted, keeping it age-appropriate for middle grade readers and a good choice for classroom discussions that older readers will also enjoy.
Sebastian Kadlecik includes an origin story for Quince, explaining that it represents his culture in a positive way by showing an unflinchingly loving and supportive Latinx family. His second motive was to make a superhero story that other young Latinas could relate to by keeping Lupe’s character grounded and including topics like mental health and social anxiety. Quince is Eisner Award-nominated and the deluxe edition is packed with bonus content including academic essays, an art gallery, the creator’s heartfelt letter to readers, plus the entire story translated in Spanish.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Elementary, Middle School, Children’s Public Library, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Teens & Young Adults
Puerto Rico Strong edited by Marco Lopez, Desiree Rodriguez, Hazel Newlevant, Derek Ruiz, and Neil Schwartz (Oni Press)
Puerto Rico Strong is an anthology collecting works from a broad range of talented Puerto Rican creators in response to the devastation caused by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Despite the shared connection, each story is wildly different from the next in terms of artwork, overall style, and tone. Some are basically short poems, like the opener, “Here” introducing the devastation of hurricanes and the resilience of the Puerto Rican people. Another entry, “Pasitos Grandes”, is presented in a futuristic style with neon colors that tell the history of Puerto Rico from the perspective of children learning about it in the year 2062. It ends with a reminder to the children, and the reader, to carry culture and history with them wherever they may go.
The stories were curated by the editors who were inspired to action after helplessly watching the hurricanes devastate Puerto Rico. The stories highlight, over and over, the inequities of a world that forgot about the devastation while many Puerto Ricans suffered without basic needs such as electricity and clean water.
As weather-related disasters ramp up on a global scale and are not always responded to with equal attention, Puerto Rico Strong brings these inequalities to light for readers from a variety of perspectives. With stories ranging from ancestral tribes to futuristic Puerto Rican superheroes, readers will be eager to discuss their favorites. Backmatter includes quotes from the contributors, fully bringing home the devastating reality the hurricanes represent.
NOTE: While reading the collection with students or in a book club, take advantage of our Personal Narrative Activity for Puerto Rico Strong to encourage a deeper understanding of Puerto Rican culture and how specific events can play an important role in their own lives.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): Middle School, High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account by Ernesto Saade (Lerner)
Having immigrated from El Salvador a decade ago, Carlos is ready to finally relive the trauma of his coming to America story. His mother decided to make the trip after years of single parenting, working double shifts for low wages to provide for Carlos, finally taking their toll. Originally, Carlos planned to stay home but in the end didn’t want to leave his mother alone in the journey. What followed was a blur of being shot at, having to bribe police and guerrillas, debilitating knee pain from days locked in confined quarters, continual uncertainty, lingering threats of sexual assault, and more.
At one point in their hellish journey, Carlos and his mother encounter a group of immigrants with stories even worse than their own. They make it to Texas only to be separated from this group and held for ransom by a violent group of smugglers. Will Carlos and his mother be set free, or will they end up disappearing for good?
Just Another Story is framed by the much more comfortable tale of Carlos and his cousin road-tripping to a reunion with their stateside family. Despite initially having FBI assistance in getting temporary visas, many years have passed and Carlos and his mother still don’t have their green cards. Their immigration status prohibits them from leaving the country and they each ache to visit their homeland and the family they left behind. This is an effective way to get readers thinking about the many perils some people face when entering the United States, and the intense and lengthy process to achieve permanent citizenship. It’s clearly not something that is or should be taken lightly, and is a great jumping off point for older teens to think critically and in an informed manner about immigration.
Writer-illustrator Ernesto Saade is an El Salvador-born architect turned cartoonist. He’s a talented storyteller, portraying harrowing events in an unflinching manner without gratuitous violence, and the suspense and tension of terrifying moments builds without him ever overplaying them. Between the important subject matter and successful delivery, it’s no wonder Just Another Story was selected as one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Young Adult Titles of 2024.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Latina Superheroes (Volume 1): Jalisco & Santa by Kayden Phoenix, Amanda Julina Gonzalez, Hannah Diaz, Eva Cabrera (Andrews McMeel)
A young woman, known as Jalisco due to where she hails from, and her mother are living on the outskirts of Guadalajara and barely scraping by. One day, she and her mother are partaking in one of the small joys they have left, dancing, when Jalisco looks up to find her mother is gone. The authorities tell her to go home and that she is lucky she was not also taken. Unwilling to accept that she will never see her mother again, Jalisco’s quest for truth leads her to the Adelitas, a group of women fighting against the rampant disappearances and murders of hundreds of other women across the country. Determined to uncover the fate of her beloved mother, Jalisco embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, guided by the unwavering strength of sisterhood.
Santa is a teenager from Wexo, a small town on the border of Texas and Mexico. She struggles financially while trying to hold down a job and earn extra cash competing in local arm wrestling matches. Meanwhile, the town’s upcoming elections are threatening to put a corrupt politician in power: Ilena Chavez-Estevez, aka “ICE.” ICE wants to restore equality, a concept which sounds great in theory, until she reveals her belief that “mongrels” should be sterilized and detained. She quickly gains momentum, stoking racial tensions in town, but when citizens of Wexo begin to disappear, Santa joins the rival political group in order to fight back. Some parts of the story play out like a luchador wrestling storyline, with fight training montages and over the top villainous behavior by ICE’s goons who are clad in masks and theatrical outfits.
The artwork in both stories is downright stunning, and takes some of the edge off the frequent violence that punctuates both stories. The violence is an unfortunate necessity when tackling serious topics such as femicide, racism, and immigration enforcement abuses. The plots are an interesting mix of fun and inspiring while tackling serious subjects. This collection can serve as an effective introduction for navigating difficult topics with older teens.
- Comics Plus Collection(s): High School, Teen Public Library, All-Access for Schools, Full Collection
Adult
Onion Skin by Edgar Camacho (IDW)
Rolando is struggling in a dead end job when he suffers a hand injury, causing his downward spiral to deepen as he becomes a recluse who barely bothers to care for himself or leave the house. When his friends convince him to socialize, he meets Nera, a beguiling young woman who lives for adventure. After a night of music and drinking, the two bond, leading to them deciding to fix up an old food truck for selling delicious dishes throughout Mexico. The story cuts to the future, where Nero and Rolando’s success with their food truck make them a target of a rival vendor, the Hellpigs. Will the two friends be able to escape the violent wrath of their competitors, or will they be destroyed like all previous enemies of the merciless Hellpigs?
This tale is told in a somewhat confusing, but not uninteresting, narrative style. It’s ultimately about the friendship between Nero and Ronaldo, each bringing out attributes in the other that bring some balance to their previously off-kilter existences: Ronaldo needed to get out of a soul-crushing job and take more risks, while Nera lacked stability and direction. Each found a more fulfilling career path and a robust new “flavor” to their lives, and their story is refreshing without being predictable.
Author-illustrator Edgar Camacho is a native of Metepec, Mexico, and credits his Mexican heritage as inspiration for his art. From action-packed escapes from the Hellpigs to quiet conversations between characters, the unique desert landscape is a constant that readers can feel straight through the pages.
- Comics Plus Collection: Full Collection
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Moni Barrette, MLIS is the Director, Collection Development for LibraryPass, as well as former President of American Library Association’s Graphic Novel & Comics Round Table, and co-founder of the nonprofit Creators, Assemble! Inc. As a former public library manager, Moni won the California Library Association PRExcellence Award (2018 & 2019) for library events aimed at underserved adult library users and has proven success using comics to increase library circulation. In 2025, she was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker. Moni is a frequent panelist at San Diego and New York Comic Con, San Diego Comic Fest and Wonder-Con, hosting industry networking events and providing instruction to educators and librarians..
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