I’ve been planning this list of the best Latin middle grade and chapter books for a while now. I enjoy Latin American culture and literature, especially when it comes to middle grades. In this list, I have tried to include chapter books and middle grade books by Latino authors. I have read several books on this list and many of these authors have other books that I may not have mentioned on this list, but I hope you can follow the breadcrumbs.
click on the book cover to go to the book’s amazon page. I have marked Kindle Unlimited titles with an asterisk (*) and indicated when a book is part of a series.
You are reading: Hispanic books for middle school
Chapter Books by Latino Authors (Recommended for Ages 6-9)
my family adventure* (sofia martinez series)
Published: February 1, 2015
little sofía martinez has a big personality and big plans, which makes every day memorable. Between her sisters and cousins, her family is the focus of her many adventures. From taking school pictures to doing chores, this 7-year-old knows how to make every moment count. Ella Sofía loves her family and loves her life. what could be better?
freddie ramos takes off (power series shoe)
Published: March 1, 2010
one day freddie ramos comes home from school and finds a strange box just for him. what’s inside? shoe power-shoes that change the life of freddie giving him super speed! But what will Freddie do with his speedy new abilities? Strange things are happening in the Starwood Park apartments where he lives, and his friends at school need his help. is freddie ramos ready to be a hero? In this imaginative new story from Jacqueline Jules, an ordinary boy from an inner city learns to use his newfound powers for good. illustrations by miguel benítez add a touch of comic book style to this chapter book adventure.
juana and lucas (series)
published:
Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the plucky young Colombian girl who stars in this hilarious, lavishly illustrated series. juana loves many things: drawing, living in bogotá, colombia, and especially her dog, lucas, everyone’s best friend. she doesn’t like wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems or learning English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense? Hilarious, energetic, and totally relatable, Juana will win the hearts of readers everywhere.
sarai and the meaning of amazing (series)
Published: September 11, 2018
sarai gonzález is impressive.
fourth grader sarai gonzalez can do anything. she can bake, dance, and run her own cupcake business. But when Sarai’s grandparents are forced to move, even Sarai doesn’t know what to do. she so she hatches an incredible plan with her younger sisters and her cousin to buy back the house. but the houses are more expensive than she ever thought, her sisters don’t listen to her and she is running out of time. Will sarai find a way to save the day?
Inspired by the life of viral video sensation and social activist Sarai Gonzalez with the help of award-winning children’s book author Monica Brown.
lola levine is not bad (series)
Published: November 3, 2015
Lola Levine likes to write in her journal, drink her mom’s latte, eat her dad’s matzah ball soup, and play soccer with her team, the orange smoothies. So what if she doesn’t always fit in?
Lola is fierce on the field, but when a soccer game during recess gets too competitive, she accidentally hurts her classmate Juan Gomez. now everyone calls her bad lola levine! Lola is feeling terrible, but with the help of her family, her super best friend Josh Blot, and a little “pencil power,” she just might be able to turn it all around.
In this first book in a series, young readers will be inspired by Lola’s big heart and creative spirit as she learns to navigate second grade in true Lola style.
related: more chapter books for beginning readers
best middle grade Latino books (by Latino authors, with Latino protagonists)
forest world
Published: August 29, 2017
edver is not happy about being sent to cuba to visit the father he barely knows. Why would he want to visit a place that no one in Miami mentions without a sigh? however, now that travel laws have changed and it’s much easier for divided families to reunite, his mother thinks it’s time to bond between father and son. Edver doesn’t know what this summer has in store for him, but he’s definitely looking forward to meeting a sister he never knew existed! Luza is a year older and she is excited to see her little brother, until she realizes how different her lives have been. Looking for anything they might have in common, they sneak onto the internet and accidentally catch the interest of a dangerous wildlife poacher. Edver has fought many villains in video games. Now, to save the Cuban jungle they love, he and Luza will have to find a way to conquer a true villain!
how to make friends with the sea
Published: March 31, 2020
Pablo is nostalgic.
She’s only twelve, but she’s lived in more countries than she can count. after his parents divorced, he and his mother moved from place to place for years, never settling anywhere long enough to call home. And along the way, Pablo has been accumulating more and more fears: of dirt, germs and, above all, the ocean.
They now live in the Philippines and his mother, a zoologist who works at a local wildlife refuge, is too busy saving animals to realize that Pablo might need saving too. Later, his mother takes in Chiqui, an orphan girl with a cleft lip, and Pablo discovers that being strong for Chiqui, his own fears don’t seem so scary.
You might even find the courage to face your greatest fear of all…and learn to befriend the sea.
related: more high school books on anxiety
split frenzy
Published: March 31, 2020
Efren Nava’s mom is his superwoman or superwoman, named after the delicious Mexican sopes that his mother usually prepares. Both Mom and Dad work hard all day to provide for the family, making sure that Efren and Ella’s younger brothers Max and mine feel safe and loved.
but efrén worries about his parents; Although he was born in the United States, his parents are undocumented. Her worst nightmare comes true one day when she loves not coming back from work and is deported across the border to Tijuana, Mexico.
Now more than ever, Efrén must channel his inner superboy to help care for and try to reunite his family.
stella diaz has something to say (series)
Published: January 16, 2018
stella diaz loves marine animals, especially her betta fish, pancho. but stella diaz is not a betta fish. Betta fish like to be alone, while Stella loves spending time with her mother, her brother, and her best friend, Jenny. The problem is that Jenny is in a different class this year and Stella is feeling very lonely.
when a new boy comes to stella’s class, she really wants to be his friend, but sometimes stella accidentally speaks spanish instead of english and mispronounces the words, which makes her blush. Plus, she has to speak in front of her entire class for a big presentation at school! But she better get over her fears soon, because she stella diaz has something to say! Stella Diaz Has Something to Say introduces an infectiously charming new character with relatable writing and adorable black-and-white art throughout. Simple Spanish vocabulary is also integrated within the text, providing a bilingual element.
the first rule of punk
Published: August 22, 2017
There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school; you can’t fix it with duct tape like you would your chuck taylor. On the first day, twelve-year-old Malú (María Luisa, if you want to upset her) inadvertently annoys the queen bee of Posada High School, violates the school dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her mother. university professor, in the process. . Her father, who now lives thousands of miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself.
the real malú loves rock music, skateboarding, magazines and soyrizo (stop the cilantro please). And when he rounds up a group of like-minded misfits at school and starts a band, Malú finally begins to feel at home. she will do anything to preserve this, including taking on an anti-punk school administration to fight for her right to express herself!
lucky broken girl
Published: April 11, 2017
In this unforgettable multicultural coming-of-age narrative, based on the author’s childhood in the 1960s, a young Cuban Jewish immigrant is adjusting to her new life in New York City when her American dream fades. suddenly derails. Ruthie’s plight will intrigue readers, and her powerful, colorful, light, and moving story of strength and resilience will stay with them for a long time.
ruthie mizrahi and her family recently immigrated from castro cuba to new york city. Just as she finally begins to gain confidence in her command of English and enjoys her reign as the hopscotch queen of her neighborhood, a terrible car accident leaves her in a cast and confined to her bed for a long recovery. . As ruthie’s world shrinks due to her inability to move, her powers of observation and heart grow larger, and she comes to understand how fragile life is, how vulnerable we all are as human beings, and how Friends, neighbors, and the power of the arts can sweeten even the worst of times.
arturo zamora’s epic fail
Published: May 16, 2017
save the restaurant. save the city. get the girl make grandma proud. Will thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora be able to do it all, or will she face one big, epic flop?
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for arturo, summertime in miami means playing basketball until dark, drinking mango smoothies and cooling off under the banyan trees. and maybe a few shifts as a junior dishwasher at lunchtime at grandma’s restaurant. maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex and turns his stomach into a fryer. she barely notices the smarmy developer who comes to town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and his community go down without a fight, and as he conspires with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.
Funny and poignant, arturo zamora’s epic falla is the vibrant story of a family, a startling portrait of a town, and a boy’s quest to save them both, perfect for fans of rita williams-garcia.
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sal and gabi break the universe
Published: March 5, 2019
What would you do if you had the power to traverse time and space and retrieve anything you wanted, including your mother, who no longer lives (at least in this universe)?
When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it’s not under the best of circumstances. Sal is in the principal’s office for the third time in three days, and it’s still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school newspaper, is there to support Ella’s friend Yasmany, who just got into a salt fight. She’s determined to prove that Sal somehow placed a raw chicken in Yasmany’s locker, even though no one saw him do it and the bloody chicken mysteriously disappeared.
sal prides himself on being an excellent magician, but for this sleight of hand, he relied on a talent no one would guess. . . Except maybe Gabi, whose sharp eyes never miss a trick. When Gabi learns that he can conjure things much bigger than a chicken, including her dead mother, and she takes it all in stride, Sal knows she is someone he can work with. There’s just one small problem: Her manipulation of time and space could put the entire universe at risk.
A daring entropy sweeper, a pantyhose documentary, a director wearing a Venetian bauta mask, and heaping plates of Cuban food are just a few of the delights that await you in this mind-bending novel wrapped in love and laughter.
the other half as happy
Published: August 20, 2019
half Guatemalan, half American: When Quijana’s Guatemalan cousins move to town, her father seems embarrassed that she doesn’t know more about her family’s heritage.
half love, half friend: when quijana meets zuri and jayden, he knows he has found true friends. But he can’t help the growing feelings he has for Jayden.
half child, half adult: quijana spends her nights skyping with her sick grandmother and trying to figure out what’s going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother.
marcus vega doesn’t speak spanish
Published: August 21, 2018
marcus vega is six feet tall, weighs 180 pounds and has a premature mustache. When you look like this and you’re only in the eighth grade, you’re both a threat and a target.
After a fight at school leaves Marcus in danger of suspension, Marcus’s mom decides it’s time for a change of scenery. She takes Marcus and her younger brother to Puerto Rico to spend a week with relatives they don’t remember or have never met. But Marcus can’t concentrate knowing that his father, who walked out of their lives ten years ago, is somewhere on the island.
Thus begins Marcus’ incredible journey, a series of misadventures that will take him across Puerto Rico in search of his elusive namesake. Marcus doesn’t know if he’ll ever find his father, but what he finally discovers changes his life. and he even learns a little Spanish along the way.
every little spark
Published: August 6, 2019
emilia torres has a wandering mind. it is difficult for her to follow school and sometimes she forgets to do what her mother or grandmother asks her to do. But she remembers what matters: a time when her family was complete and home made sense. When Dad returns from deployment, Ella Emilia hopes her life will return to normal. she instead, she undoes.
Dad locks himself in the back cubicle of his family’s auto shop to work on an old car. emilia peeks out at him every day, hypnotized by her welder. one day, dad calls emilia. then he teaches her to weld. and over time, glimpses of her old father reappear.
But when Emilia finds a way to mend her relationship with her father at home, her community is torn apart with some of her classmates, like her best friend, Gus, at the center of the conflict.
every little spark of pablo cartaya is a tender story about asking big questions and being brave enough to count on the answers.
strange birds: a field guide to ruffling feathers
Published: September 3, 2019
When three very different girls find a mysterious invitation to a luxurious mansion, the promise of adventure and mischief is too intriguing to pass up. Ofelia Castillo (a budding journalist), Aster Douglas (a book enthusiast), and Cat Garcia (a rule-abiding birder) meet the kid behind the invitation, Lane Disanti, and it’s not love at first sight. but they soon come together on a shared mission to get the floras, their local explorers, to abandon an outdated tradition. In their quest for justice, independence, and an unforgettable summer, the girls form their own troop and find something they didn’t know they needed: sisterhood.
the moon inside
Published: February 26, 2019
celi rivera’s life is full of questions.
about her changing body.
her first attraction to a boy.
but above all, her mother’s insistence that she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives. It is an ancestral Mexican ritual that Mima and her community have recovered, but Celi promises that she will not participate. Will she be able to find the power within herself to take a stand for who she wants to be?
a dazzling story told with the sensitivity, humor and brilliant verses of debutant talent aida salazar.
ana maria reyes does not live in a castle
Published: October 2, 2018
her last name may mean kings, but ana maria reyes doesn’t really live in a castle. rather, she’s stuck in a small apartment with two parents (too loving), three sisters (too dramatic), everyone’s friends (too often), and a piano (which she never gets to practice). And when her parents announce that a new baby is coming, that means they’ll have even less time for Ana Maria.
then he finds out about eleanor school, the best private academy in new york city. if ana maria can win a scholarship, she will be able to get out of her washington heights neighborhood school and get the education she longs for. To excel, she’ll have to nail her piano piece at the next town show, which means she has to practice through her sisters’ antics, neighbors’ visits, a family trip to the dominican republic. . . until the birth of the baby! but some new friends and honest conversations help her figure out what really matters and she knows she can succeed no matter what. Ana María Reyes may not be a member of royalty, but she will surely succeed.
stef soto, taco queen
Published: January 17, 2017
estefania “stef” soto can’t wait to shake off the onion and cilantro hug of tia perla, her family’s taco truck. she wants nothing more than for daddy to have a regular job and for aunt pearl to be a distant memory. then maybe everyone at school will stop seeing her as the taco queen.
But when her family’s livelihood is threatened and it looks like her wish will finally come true, Stef surprises everyone (including herself) by becoming the unlikely champion of the truck. In this funny and heartwarming novel, Stef will discover what matters most and finally adopt an identity that even includes old Aunt Pearl.
merci suárez changes gear
Published: September 11, 2018
merci suarez knew sixth grade would be different, but had no idea how different. For starters, as strong and thoughtful as Merci is, she has never been quite like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new guy who turns out to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine partner, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren’t going well at home either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strange lately: he forgets important things, falls off his bike, and gets mad over nothing. and merci is left with her own concerns, because no one in her family will tell her what’s going on. winner of the 2019 newbery medal, this coming-of-age tale from new york times bestselling author meg medina gets to the heart of the turmoil and constant change that defines middle school, and the constant connection that defines the family.
lupe wong will not dance
Published: September 8, 2020
don’t you want to read a book that starts like this?
See Also: Must Reads for New Teachers | NEA
lupe wong will be the first female pitcher in the major leagues.
He has also championed causes throughout his young life. some worthy…like expanding career options on school tests beyond a few bubbles. and some not so much… like complaining to the bbc about the length between doctor who seasons.
lupe needs an a in all of her classes to meet her favorite pitcher, fu li hernandez, who is chinese/mexican like her. So when does the horror that is square dancing rear its head in the gym? obviously she’s not going to let that go.
Not since millicent min has the girl genius presented a debut novel with such a memorable character, with such humor and emotional insight. even square dancing fans will agree…
related: more middle grade sports books
the new fresh face of griselda
Published: August 27, 2019
Griselda “geez” Zaragoza loves beautiful things, like her collection of antique teacups and the flower garden she and her dad planted in their front yard. But when her business fails, Griselda not only loses her home, but also her trust in her unflappable parents.
Accompanying his older sister Maribel, who postponed college for a job selling Alma cosmetics, God dreams of a way to get back the life he thinks he lost. If he can sell enough tubes of shimmery soulful lip gloss, he’ll win a cash prize that could help kick-start his father’s business.
With ups and downs along the way, Geez will discover that beauty isn’t just lost or found, it’s made and made again.
the tequila worm
Published: December 18, 2007
Sofia comes from a family of storytellers. Here are their stories of how they grew up in the neighborhood, full of the magic and mystery of family traditions: making Easter shells, celebrating the day of the dead, preparing for the fifteen o’clock era, rejoicing at the Christmas nativity scene, and healing homesickness eating the tequila worm when sofia receives a scholarship to an elite boarding school, she longs to explore life beyond the barrio, even if it means leaving her family to navigate a strange world of privileged rich kids. It’s a different world, but where Sofia’s traditions take on new meaning and light your way.
dance home
Published: July 12, 2011
Mexico may be your parents’ home, but it certainly isn’t Margie’s. she has finally convinced the other kids at school that she is 100 percent American, just like them. But when Ella Lupe’s Mexican cousin visits her, the image she has created falls apart.
Things aren’t easy for Lupe either. Mexico hadn’t felt like home since his father had gone north to look for work. lupe’s hope of seeing him in the united states comforts her a bit, but learning a new language in a new school is hard. Lupe, just like Margie, needs a friend.
Little by little, the girls’ individual steps find the rhythm of a shared dance and learn what “home” really means. in the tradition of my name is maria isabel—and published simultaneously in english and spanish—alma flor ada y la de ella ella son gabriel m. Zubizarreta offers an honest story of family, friendship and the classic immigrant experience: becoming part of something new, while remaining true to who he is.
growing hope
Published: October 1, 2000
esperanza thought she would always live a privileged life on her family’s ranch in mexico. she would always have elegant dresses, a beautiful house full of servants, and mom, dad, and granny to take care of her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza is not ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance that she now faces. When Mom gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot her new life, Esperanza must find a way to overcome her difficult circumstances, because Mom’s life and her own depend on it.
related: more middle grade historical fiction
lety out loud
Published: February 26, 2019
Can Lety find her voice before it’s too late?
Lety Muñoz’s first language is Spanish and she likes to take her time putting words together. She loves volunteering at the animal shelter because the cats and dogs don’t care if she can’t always find the right words. When the shelter needs a volunteer to write animal profiles, Lety jumps at the chance.
But the classmate hunter also wants to write profiles, so he creates a contest to determine the official scribe of the vault. Whoever gets their animals adopted the fastest wins. Lety agrees, but worries that if the shelter finds out about the contest, she will be kicked out of the volunteer program. So she can never adopt Spike, her favorite dog at the shelter!
the long journey
Published: September 24, 2019
jamila clarke. josie rivera francesca jorge. three mestizo girls, close friends whose immigrant parents worked hard to settle their families in a neighborhood with the best schools. the three girls are strangers there, but they have each other.
Now, at the start of seventh grade, they are told they will be part of an experiment, taking a long bus ride to a new school built to “mix black and white kids.” their parents don’t want them to be experiments. Francesca sends her to a private school, leaving Jamila and Josie to catch the bus without her.
While Francesca tests her limits, Josie and Jamila find themselves strangers again at the new school. As the year progresses, the Spanish girls welcome Josie, while Jamila develops a tender friendship with a boy, but it’s a relationship that can only exist at school.
related: more upper middle grade books (for older tweens)
my name is maria isabel
Published: April 30, 1993
For María Isabel Salazar López, the hardest thing about being the new girl at school is that the teacher doesn’t call her by her real name. “We already have two Marias in this class,” says her teacher. “Why don’t we call you mary instead of her?”, but maria isabel was named after her father’s mother and her chabela, her beloved Puerto Rican grandmother. Will she be able to find a way to make her teacher see that if she loses her name, she will lose the most important part of herself?
me, frida and the secret of the peacock ring
Published: March 27, 2018
i, frida and the secret of the peacock ring joins the scholastic gold line, featuring beloved and award-winning novels. includes exclusive bonus content!
a room closed for 50 years.
a valuable peacock ring.
a mysterious brother-sister duo.
Paloma Márquez travels for the first time to Mexico City, the birthplace of her late father. She hopes that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of their brief time together.
While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: the siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Finding the ring means a great reward and thanks from all of Mexico. What better way to honor her father than to return a priceless piece of jewelry that once belonged to her favorite artist!
gabby garcia’s last playbook* (series)
Published: May 9, 2017
if life were a baseball game, star pitcher gabby garcia would be having her best time. season. ever! until she’s suddenly sent to another school and her winning streak is about to end, both on and off the field.
but gabby never gives up! she has a plan to keep her champion status intact, and every step is written down, play by play. how could it not work?
This new series written by iva-marie palmer is filled with hilarious illustrations, sports facts, and blooper-reel moments that will have readers laughing and cheering for more.
There they are: 31 of the best middle grade Latino books (and chapter books)! I hope you find one that is suitable for your readers. these Latino books for middle graders written by Latino authors are packed with culture, sass, and great storytelling. I had so much fun making this list!
Which of these high school Latino books have you read? Which one would you recommend? Any additions to this list that you would make? please share!
Do you listen to audiobooks? if it does:
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