Alarcón, Francisco X. Angels Ride Bikes (Los Ángeles Andan en Bicicleta). Alarcón summons the Los Angeles of his youth in this fine collection of poems that are rendered in both English and Spanish, and complemented by Gonzalez's merry painted photographs.

Alarcón, Francisco X. From the Bellybutton of the Moon ( Del Ombligo de la Luna). With the alternate title, Del Ombligo de la Luna y otros poemas de verano, this exuberant collection, in both English and Spanish, is illustrated in bold, brilliant swathes of color that recall Mexican folk art and textiles. Each poem sits near its twin, and it's fun, even for non-Spanish speakers, to compare the two versions and learn the words. Most are simple and celebratory: the sound of a dog's bark in the two languages; a favorite cow named Mariposa; the joys of an aunt's breakfast.

Ancona, George. Barrio, el Barrio de José. José Luís lives in the barrio, a Hispanic neighborhood located in the Mission District of San Francisco. Like other young boys, he enjoys playground games at recess much more than homework. On his way home from school, José admires the impressive and colorful murals on the buildings. These giant paintings depict the achievements of Latin heroes like Cesar Chavez and Rigoberta Menchu. In the spring, the barrio celebrates the Carnaval fiesta with an exciting parade. In the fall, barrio shops sell sugar skulls for the festive Day of the Dead. José is presented as a boy who observes his cultural heritage in an appealing environment not so different from the average American.

Ancona , George. Carnaval. For weeks the people of the Brazilian town of Olinda have been sewing costumes, painting masks, and creating giant puppets, all in preparation for carnaval. Like Mardi Gras in New Orleans , carnaval is a five-day festival of parades, dancing, and singing. But unlike Mardi Gras, Olinda 's carnaval still celebrates the traditions and folklore of the people and the shared cultures-indigenous, European, and African-that make up Brazil .

Baker, Liza. El Rey León. (en español). A richly illustrated retelling of Disney's new animated film follows the adventures of Simba, a young lion, as he grows to maturity, matches wits with the evil Scar, finds courage, and discovers true love.

 Beatty, Theresa M. Food and Recipes of Mexico. Mealtime in Mexico is as much about family and friends as it is about food. Businesses and schools throughout Mexico close at midday to allow for a leisurely two or three hour meal. While digesting the appetizing notion of such a long lunch, kids can sample recipes for some of Mexico 's trademark treats, such as nachos, enchiladas, and salsa.

Beatty, Theresa M. Food and Recipes of the Caribbean. Kids can sample a whole menu of exciting food preparations and celebrations in this exploration of the unusual cooking styles and flavors of the Caribbean islands. As they learn about jerk cooking and adobo marinade, young readers will also get a good taste of the rewards and challenges of island life.

Belafonte, Harry and Lord Burgess. Island in the Sun. Belafonte and Burgess's charmer of a calypso song is set to Ayliffe's lively, tropics-shimmering, cut-paper collage. Anyone familiar with the tune (or who can read music, as the score is included at both ends of the book) will be happy to endow a reading with the beat, but the story also works very nicely on its own. It is a love song for Jamaica , to the beauties of place and culture, to those elements of the island that bring a smile to peoples' faces.

Braybrooks, Ann. Pocahontas. (en español). The tale of Pocahontas is a legendary story of love's power to show us the path of peace. This official Marvel Comics adaptation of the upcoming Disney animated film resonates with humor, romance, and adventure, and is enhanced throughout with beautiful depictions of the Virginia wild lands. Color illustrations.

Calliope. The Ancient Maya. Most of the articles focus on Maya who lived hundreds of years ago. Introduces the beliefs and practices of the ancient Maya, as well as to several people who are actively involved in studying Maya ruins.

Calliope. The Incas of Peru. Explores the ideas and practices of the Incas.

Chambers, Verónica. Marisol and Magdalena: The Sound of Our Sisterhood. Separated from her best friend in Brooklyn , thirteen-year-old Marisol spends a year with her grandmother in Panama where she secretly searches for her real father.

Chin-Lee, Cynthia and Terri de la Peña. A is for the Americas. This alphabet guide to North, Central, and South America gives a good indication of the land's cultural and geographic sweep, from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego , including its 48 countries and dependencies and 11 large language groups.

Cowley, Joy. Big Moon Tortilla. Marta Enos has been working hard on her homework and is hungry for a taste of Grandmother's big moon tortillas, "the best in the world". But as she rushes out to the cookhouse, disasters happen. Her homework blows out the window and is ruined by dogs. She drops her glasses and breaks them. Grandmother comforts her broken-hearted granddaughter with the wisdom of an old healing song: "When we have problem, we must choose what we shall be". Marta chooses to fly high and laugh at her problems, like the eagle.

Lacourciere Kenny, Chantal and Linda Hendry. The Kids Can Press Spanish & English Phrase Book. Once kids have mastered vocabulary in a foreign language, the next step is to use the words in practical sentences. Full-color illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions help children learn more than 200 useful phrases and expressions. Double-page spreads focus on one event and feature a dozen or more bilingual phrases.

Lomas Garza, Carmen. Magic Windows. In a bilingual text, an artist explores her Mexican heritage by describing various subjects in her papel picado, cut-paper art. Appropriately enough, the Spanish translation contains some word choices that are colloquial only to Mexico , but the translated text is choppy at times, and a paragraph is missing on one page. Nevertheless, the book provides a unique, personal perspective on Mexican heritage.

Luenn, Nancy. A Gift for Abuelita--Celebrating the Day of the Dead. After her beloved grandmother dies, Rosita hopes to be reunited with Abuelita as she prepares a gift to give her when her family celebrates the Day of the Dead.

San Souci, Robert D. Cendrillon, a Caribbean Cinderella. A Caldecott Honor author/illustrator team brings us a unique Cinderella story, with a remarkable fairy godmother to tell the tale. Adapted from a traditional Creole story, this fresh retelling captures all the age-old romance and magic of Cinderella, melding it with the vivid beauty of the Caribbean and the musical language of the islands.

Slate, Joseph. The Secret Stars. On a cold Night of the Three Kings in New Mexico , two children, snuggling with their grandmother, worry about whether the kings will be able to come and bring them presents in such weather. In a lyrical dream sequence, Grandmother shows them secret stars that guide the kings. Rich, warm illustrations help create the magical mood of the story.

Soto, Gary. Big Bushy Mustache. It's almost Cinco de Mayo, and Ricky's class is going to put on a play to celebrate the festive Mexican holiday. When asked to choose his costume, Ricky picks a big, bushy mustache, just like his dad's. With humor and tenderness, Soto evokes a warm celebration of both the beloved tradition of Cinco de Mayo and the strong bonds of love between father and son. Full color.

Soto, Gary. Petty Crimes. In ten short stories, Soto (Buried Onions, 1997, etc.) presents a kaleidoscope of Mexican-American adolescents and the bullies they confront--bullies ranging from tough, menacing teens to life's unavoidable truths. The stories are as diverse as the characters, from cat-fighting girls to insecure boys. (for middle school and high school students)

Stalcup, Ann. Mayan Weaving: A Living Tradition. The bright colors and unique designs of Mayan woven cloth are captured in spectacular photos in this beautiful book. Students will learn the history of the Maya and see how artistic traditions have been maintained for thousands of years. An easy-to-do project allows the reader to get a sense of how intricate and rewarding weaving is.

Streissguth, Tom. Mexico. Explores Mexico 's location, landforms, and climate. A good introduction to Mexican culture.

Streissguth, Tom. A Ticket to Mexico. Mexico 's landscape, its people, and its culture.

Torres, Leyla. Liliana's Grandmothers. Liliana's grandmother Mima lives up the street, does yoga exercises, and likes crossword puzzles. Liliana's other grandmother, Mama Gabina, lives in South America , enjoys gardening, and likes to dance around the house. The meals they cook are different, the stories they tell are different, but one thing about them is the same: they both love their granddaughter. And Liliana adores them.

Torres, Leyla. Two Days in May. Mama gasps when Sonia points out five animals grazing on the new lettuce in her garden. What's to become of the creatures? A small crowd of neighbors--including two who aren't talking to each other--keep watch, determined to save the deer. Harriet Peck Taylor's heartwarming story is based on a real incident ( Chicago , 1996), in which people provided a safe haven for stray deer and bonded in the process.

Van Laan, Nancy. The Magic Bean Tree: A legend from Argentina. In the middle of the wide Argentine pampas, there once grew a magic tree. Above this tree slept a bird so evil it could stop the rain from falling. And not far from this tree lived a brave boy who one day set out to save his village and all the creatures from dying of thirst.

Van West, Patricia. El hombre de los cangrejos. When Neville sees the hermit crabs which he so gently collected being mistreated by the crab man at a Jamaican hotel, he no longer wants to supply them but would thereby forfeit his income.