Staff Picks
Teen Graphic Novels For Hispanic Heritage Month
- Thomas M.
- Tuesday, September 13, 2022
Collection
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) recognizes the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic Americans. This year's theme is: "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation." The comics listed below celebrate all of these things.
Looking for more teen reads to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? Check out this list or use this Personalized Recommendations form to find your next great read!
Puerto Rico Strong
A Comics Anthology Supporting Puerto Rico Disaster Relief and Recovery
Published in 2018
Puerto Rico Strong is a comics anthology that explores what it means to be Puerto Rican and the diversity that exists within that concept, from today's most exciting Puerto Rican comics creators. All profits will go to towards disaster relief and recovery programs to support Puerto Rico. Despite being a US territory, Puerto Rico is often thought of as a foreign land, if it's even a thought in the mind of the average American at all. Its people exist in all corners of America; some of them have parents who immigrated from the home island, others are a part of families that have been on the mainland for generations. Then there are those who have come to the states in search of a dream but struggle to integrate into an unfamiliar culture, while there are those who have lived in the United States all of their lives but still have the same struggle because of the color of their skin or their sexual identity. These stories follow individuals from diverse walks of life but are all part of the culture that is Puerto Rico.Puerto Rico Strong features art and writing by Rosa Colon, Vita Ayala, Naomi Franquiz, Javier Cruz Winnik, Sabrina Cintron, Ronnie Garcia, Fabian Nicieza, Joamette Gil, and many more!
Helm Greycastle. Issue 1-4
Published in 2021
New Latinx fantasy by HENRY BARAJAS, author of the critically acclaimed (LA VOZ DE M.A.Y.O.: TATA RAMBO). The last dragon prince has been abducted-kept prisoner by an unknown threat: AZTEC MEXICA! Helm Greycastle and his outsider comrades are here to save the prince-but are recruited by a resistance plotting to overthrow Montezuma. Will Greycastle help save the people of MEXICA or save the dragon prince and flee? BONUS! HELM GREYCASTLE includes role-playing games (5E compatible) written by TRISTAN J. TARWATER (Rolled and Told), GEOFFREY GOLDEN (Wet Hot American Summer: Fantasy Camp), MATT HAWKINS (THINK TANK), and art by JEN VAUGHN (Goosebumps: Download and Die)!
Hotel Dare.
Published in 2019
Olive and her adopted siblings Charlotte and Darwin are spending the summer with their estranged grandma at her creepy hotel and it's all work and no play. They're stuck inside doing boring chores but they soon stumble upon an incredible secret... Behind each room door of the hotel lies a portal to a different strange and mysterious place. The simple turn of a knob transports them to a distant magical world filled with space pirates. Behind the next door are bearded wizards. Down the hall is a doorway to a cotton-candied kingdom. But once the doors are opened, worlds start colliding, and only one family can save them before they tear themselves apart. Written by Terry Blas (The Amazing World of Gumball) and illustrated by the talented Claudia Aguirre (Kim & Kim), this world-hopping fantasy tale breaks down the door to imagination and dares you to embrace the idea that family is everything.
Amazona
Published in 2022
"Andrea, a young Indigenous Colombian woman, has returned to the land she calls home. She comes to mourn her child-and to capture evidence of the illegal mining that displaced her family"--Provided by publisher.
Miss Quinces
Published in 2022
Rising star Kat Fajardo's debut middle-grade graphic novel about a girl who would rather do anything other than celebrate her quincea?era! A funny and heartfelt coming-of-age story about navigating the expectations of family and cultural tradition. Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quincea?era for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family? Miss Quinces/Srta. Quinces is the first graphic novel published by Scholastic/Graphix to be simultaneously released in English and Spanish editions!
Miss Quinces
Published in 2022
"Sue just wants to spend the summer reading and making comics at sleepaway camp with her friends, but instead she gets stuck going to Honduras to visit relatives with her parents and two sisters. They live way out in the country, which means no texting, no cable, and no Internet! The trip takes a turn for the worse when Sue's mother announces that they'll be having a surprise quinceąera for Sue, which is the last thing she wants. She can't imagine wearing a big, floofy, colorful dress! What is Sue going to do? And how will she survive all this "quality" time with her rambunctious family?"-- Amazon.
Crude
A Memoir
Published in 2021
"A graphic novel exploring Texaco's involvement in the Amazon, as well as the ensuing legal battles between the oil company, the Ecuadorian government, and the region's inhabitants, from the perspective of Ecuadorian lawyer and activist Pablo Fajardo"-- Provided by publisher.
La Mano Del Destino
Published in 2021
"LA MANO DEL DESTINO tells the tale of a once-champion Luchador--who, after being betrayed by his friends and unmasked in the ring, agrees to a Faustian bargain with a mysterious promoter. He gains a new power and the identity of La Mano del Destino in order to exact revenge upon his betrayers. Set in a swanky, Jet Age 1960s Mexico where Lucha Libre is intrinsically woven into all aspects of society, this tale winds its way through the machinations and motivations of all types who inhabit this unique setting. Can La Mano del Destino get his revenge while remaining the champion he knows himself to be? Mesoamerican myth, Silver-Age storytelling, and high-flying Lucha Libre action converge to tell this epic story of vengeance and destiny!"--Publisher's website.
Marble Season
Published in 2013
Middle child Huey stages Captain America plays and treasures his older brother's comic book collection almost as much as his approval. "Marble Season" subtly and deftly details how the innocent, joyfully creative play that children engage in (shooting marbles, backyard performances, and organizing treasure hunts) changes as they grow older and encounter name-calling naysayers, abusive bullies, and the value judgments of other kids. An all-ages story, "Marble Season" masterfully explores the redemptive and timeless power of storytelling and role play in childhood, making it a coming-of-age story that is as resonant with the children of today as with the children of the sixties. --from publisher.
Sacrifice
Published in 2013
What happens when a young man is plucked from modern society and thrust through time and space on a psychedelic journey into the heart of the Aztec civilization-one of the most epic and bloodthirsty eras in human history?
Quince
The Definitive Bilingual Edition
Published in 2020
Quince: The Definitive Bilingual Edition oversized hardcover collects the full English and Spanish editions of the 15-issue, Eisner Award-nominated comic book series, Quince.
Suncatcher
Published in 2020
"Beatriz loves music. More than her school, more than her friends, and definitely more than her homework. After Beatriz discovers that her grandfather's soul is trapped in his guitar, she becomes determined to get him out. But the only way to free him is to play the perfect song... his perfect song, a song that he never actually wrote down. Fixated on freeing her grandfather, music slowly consumes Beatriz's life. She soon finds herself growing obsessed with perfection at the expense of her friendships, her band, and her health. Beatriz won't let anything stop her. Even if it means losing everything else."--Provided by publisher.
Photographic
The Life of Graciela Iturbide
Published in 2018
A blending of photographs and illustrations trace the life and work of Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide, who embarked on a journey across Mexico and the world.
Unearthed
A Jessica Cruz Story
Published in 2021
Jessica is a dedicated student and part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, but as xenophobia in Coast City increases and her father is detained by I.C.E. Jessica must fight her fears and become a voice for her community.
Unearthed
A Jessica Cruz Story
Published in 2021
Acclaimed author Lilliam Rivera and artist Steph C. reimagine one of DC's greatest Green Lanterns, Jessica Cruz, to tell a story about immigration, family, and overcoming fear to inspire hope. Jessica Cruz has done everything right. She's a dedicated student, popular among her classmates, and has a loving family that has done everything they can to give her a better life in the United States. Jessica usually worries for her undocumented parents, but her fears and anxiety escalate as a mayoral candidate with a strong anti-immigration stance runs for office. As the xenophobia in Coast City increases, Jessica begins to debate if it's worth staying in the U.S. or moving back to her home in Mexico. And despite her attempts to lean on her friends and family, she finds herself constantly visited by visions of Aztec gods, one pulling her toward hope and the other toward anger. But when her father is detained by I.C.E., Jessica finds herself being pulled into an abyss of anxiety. Despit feeling helpless with her father, Jessica must find her way out of her fears and ultimately become a voice for her community.
21.
Published in 2014
21: The Story of Roberto Clemente is a human drama of courage, faith, and dignity, inspired by the life of the acclaimed Pittsburgh Pirates baseball star who died too young. 21 chronicles Clemente's life from his early days growing up, through the highlights of his career, capturing the grit of his rise from an impoverished Puerto Rican childhood to the majesty of his performance on the field, and to his fundamental decency off of it. Santiago's inviting style combines realistic attention to detail and expressive cartooning to great effect.
All-new Ghost Rider. Volume 1, Issue 1-5, Engines of Vengeance
Published in 2018
With four on the floor, Marvel's newest Ghost Rider puts vengeance in overdrive! Amid an East Los Angeles neighborhood running wild with gang violence and drug trafficking, Robbie Reyes has been given a new awesome power! But can the teen handle it, or will it drive him to a path of destruction? As a war brews in the criminal underworld, the streets of East LA flare up with drug-fueled gang violence from Dr. Zabo's power-enhancing narcotics - and Mr. Hyde launches a diabolical plan to expand his underground empire. Robbie meets the mysterious entity behind his possession, but will he submit to the sprit inside him and go too far in protecting his neighborhood? The all-new Ghost Rider takes on Mr. Hyde, with all-out action...and a twist that will hit you at 100 mph!
The Hazards of Love. Book 1, Bright World
Published in 2021
"This fantastical, stunning tale shines in both story and artwork. " School Library Journal (star review).. "A noir fantasy part adventure, part love story, all the way spectacularly creepy. "--Kirkus Reviews (star review).. The Hazards of Love follows the story of--a queer teen from Queens who makes some mistakes, gets dragged into a fantastical place, and tries to hustle their way back home... Amparo's deal with the talking cat was simple: a drop of blood and Amparo's name to become a better person. Their mother and abuela would never worry about them again, and they'd finally be worthy of dating straight-A student Iolanthe. But when the cat steals their body, becoming the better person they were promised, Amparo's spirit is imprisoned in a land of terrifying, flesh-hungry creatures known as Bright World... With cruel and manipulative masters and a society that feeds on memories, Amparo must use their cleverness to escape, without turning into a monster like the rest. On "the other side," Iolanthe begins to suspect the new Amparo has a secret, and after the cat in disguise vanishes, she's left searching for answers with a no-nonsense medium from the lesbian mafia and the only person who might know the truth about Bright World.
The Hazards of Love. Volume 1, Bright World
Published in 2021
Amparo's deal with the talking cat was simple: a drop of blood and Amparo's name in order to become a better person. Their mother and abuela would never worry about them again, and they'd finally be worthy of dating straight-A student Iolanthe. But when the cat steals their body, becoming the better person they were promised, Amparo's spirit is imprisoned in a land of terrifying, flesh-hungry creatures known as Bright World. With cruel and manipulative masters, and a society that feeds on memories, Amparo must use their cleverness to escape, without turning into a monster like the rest. On "the other side," Iolanthe begins to suspect the new Amparo has a secret. After the cat-in-disguise vanishes, Iolanthe's left to search for answers with a no-nonsense medium from the lesbian mafia - the only person who might know the truth about Bright World.