35+ Best Latino Middle-Grade and Chapter Books

This young chapter book series is perfect for fans of the Meet Yasmin books, featuring a sassy 7-year-old heroine getting through day-to-day adventure. Also includes fun Spanish vocabulary. Grades 2+

I ADORED this one! Juana is a spirited voice in the world of chapter books. I loved the excellent storytelling and full-color illustrations I think many children will enjoy. Heads up, the font is on the smaller side in this book which I found annoying. BIG PLUS: it’s set in Colombia! Grades 3+

Sarai Gonzalez is AWESOME. 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’s not sure what to do. So she hatches a super-awesome plan with her younger sisters and cousin to buy back the house. But houses are more expensive than she ever thought, her sisters won’t listen, and she’s running out of time. Will Sarai find a way to save the day? Grades 3+

Lola is absolutely delightful! A female soccer star who’s not ashamed of her love for sports or writing or anything. This is one of those chapter books where I felt the MC’s parents were well developed! Loved and would recommend esp. for any soccer-loving kids! Grades 3+

Pablo is used to moving around and feeling unmoored. His mama has been packing up and moving every few months since she and his father got separated. Now, they’re in the Philippines, where Mama is working with an animal sanctuary. Pablo is struggling to cope with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Things take a somewhat positive turn when “Chiqui,” an orphaned Filipino girl with a cleft lip is thrust upon mama. This is a shining debut that skillfully handles multiple issues, from adoption to anxiety to coping with parental separation and divorce. Grades 4+

Efrén’s life changes drastically after his mother gets deported. With his father working long hours to care for the family financially and also raise funds to bring his mother back to the States, Efrén has to take charge of the home front. He cares for his younger twin siblings, Max and Mia, while balancing schoolwork and school politics as well as his issues with his best friend, David. I enjoyed this fantastic debut — especially because of how it ends. Grades 5+

Meet Stella, a Mexican-American girl who loves animals. When she gets a new classmate, Stella wants to welcome and befriend him, but she accidently speaks Spanish instead of English! This is a great young middle grade book that is perfect for beginning readers and a middle grade audience! I really love Stella and her lovable Mexican family, and I’ve kept up with this series over the years. The sprinkling of Spanish words throughout the book makes for an authentic reading experience. This book would also be perfect for a read-aloud. Hand to fans of Cilla Lee and Jasmine Toguchi (two additional recommendations)! Grades 3+

At 6 feet tall and 180 pounds, eighth-grader Marcus Vega is hard to miss. Despite using his size to protect smaller kids who are often bullied at school, some students still don’t like him. After one of those students calls Marcus’s brother the R-word because of his Down Syndrome diagnosis, Marcus gets in a fight with him, leading to a suspension. His single mother, worn down from the stress of raising both boys, decides to take a spontaneous trip to Puerto Rico, where their father is from. Desperate to learn more about himself by getting to know his father, Marcus insists on meeting his flighty father–with life-changing results. Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish is an emotional coming-of-age tale about identity, body image, poverty, and Latine identity. Grades 6+

In Strange Birds, four girls form an unlikely friendship that leads to activism. Ofelia Castillo (budding journalist), Aster Douglas (bookish foodie), Cat Garcia (bird aficionado), and Lane DiSanti (artist) are as different as can be. But when the Floras — their local Scout troop — plans to crown its next queen with a hat of feathers, the girls band together to fight for birds. In addition to their desire to stop the Floras, each of the girls has an individual motive. Aster wants to learn more about her family’s history and perhaps reverse an injustice. Ofelia, on the other hand, is searching for a big story to win a journalism contest. Lane just needs friends. Their antics will push them out of their comfort zones and cause some of them to examine their privilege. Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers is an engaging middle-grade novel with memorable, endearing, and passionate protagonists. Grades 5+

Lupe is a Mexican-Chinese girl who loves baseball. Her Chinese father died several years ago, so she lives with her Mexican mom and her brother Paolo. Lupe is excited to get all A’s this year because her uncle has promised her a meeting with baseball star Fu Li Hernandez, who’s Chinacan/Mexinese like her if she does. But all of a sudden, there’s a new development in her gym class: Coach wants them to do square dancing instead of like, actual sports. And guess what? Lupe does not dance. This  is a strong, funny debut about the trials of middle-school, especially for a sports-loving girl who refuses to stay boxed in by society. This novel tackles serious issues such as the death of a parent, racism, and gender inequality, with plenty of heart and humor. Grades 5+

Jennifer Torres’s The Fresh New Face of Griselda follows young Geez (as Griselda is called by her family) as she adjusts to her family’s new socioeconomic situation. Her dad’s landscaping business recently shut down and the family lost their home. As a result, they’ve had to move in with her Nana. Griselda is embarrassed about the new changes — having to eat school lunch, being unable to afford things at the mall, etc. So when she sees the ad to become an Alma Junior Associate, she sees it as a chance to earn some money. Geez hopes that if she makes enough, her dad won’t need to work so far away. That’s how she begins selling lip gloss at school — of course, some drama ensues. The Fresh New Face of Griselda is a thoughtful, sensitive book about a child coping with economic upheaval. Grades 5+

This book is such a joy! Esperanza and her mama are forced to flee their large home (read mansion) in Mexico after a tragedy. They work as farmhands in California during the Great Depression. During this time, Esperanza has to adjust from being the daughter of a wealthy landowner to being a peasant. Pam Muñoz Ryan covers many themes, from racial and class prejudice to the importance of family and empathy. I also enjoyed the use of Spanish and the historical context of the novel. I’m so excited to teach this book! From a middle-grade standpoint, the vocabulary is excellent, and the story will certainly generate a curiosity for history and empathy for others. Grades 5+

Meet Lety Muñoz, whose parents are hardworking Mexican immigrants. She and her brother are also learning English, and she’s very self-conscious about speaking correctly in this new language. She doesn’t give herself enough credit for how much she’s made. Still, this summer is supposed to be fun. She’s volunteering at an animal shelter with her best friends. But it quickly becomes stressful when two boys set up a contest between Lety and another volunteer (who reads at the high school level) for the role of Shelter Scribe. Lety Out Loud is a CUTE and inspiring young middle grade book about the immigrant experience, pets, and building friendships. Grades 4+

Celia’s life is turned upside down when her Mami doesn’t come home one night. Her reporter father, whom she rarely sees, picks her up in his van, and the two settle in a campground while he works on a new piece about an immigrant detained by ICE for deportation. There, Celia meets a group of kids who love music and are planning a concert. When they discover that Celia can sing, they band together to fundraise for the woman in detention, even as Celia learns more about her mom’s disappearance. This is a strong debut with impressive storytelling chops, and Celia’s voice will draw readers in from the first page. A big-hearted celebration of Latin American music and culture, the power of community and friendships, and a sweet father-daughter relationship. Good for kids who loved the father-daughter dynamics in Maudie McGinn and the friend group in The Chance to Fly. Grades 5+

Francesca, Jamila, and Josie are chosen to be part of a trial desegregated school experience in the 1970s. All three girls live in a mostly white Queens neighborhood and have parents who’ve worked hard to get them into great schools in mostly white neighborhoods. Naturally, the parents worry about switching their daughters’ schools to one in a “bad” (read, mostly Black) neighborhood. Francesca’s parents reject the opportunity and move her to a private school instead. This leaves Josie and Jamila alone at the new school. This is an exploration of what it means to be mixed-race and American. Grades 6+

Miguel lives in New York City with his Mami and Papi and wants more than anything to be an artist, even though his immigrant parents want him to have a more traditional career. The next thing on Miguel’s wishlist is a pet, so what a joy when he finds a cat near his parents’ bodega. Written from the perspectives of Lolo the cat and Miguel, we follow these two as Lolo adjusts to having a family and learning to share his space and the love he’s received and Miguel finds a way to share his artsy dreams with his family. Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect is the first in a new charming, family-first series about kids and the stray cats they find near bodegas. Grades 3+

Vega is a precocious tween with plenty of strong opinions, determination, and a fierce love for her family. Her cousin Mila is timid, anxious, and after an incident, is spending the summer with Vega’s family in the California desert. When a meteoroid blazes through the sky one night, landing in Vega’s community. Enter Jasper and his dad, two rock hunters who come to town to find a piece of the meteoroid. In a turn of events, Mila, Jasper, and Vega end up searching at night and have to navigate getting lost, injury, getting stuck in a flash flood, and warding off coyotes, among other dangers, during their hunt with surprising results — unlikely friendships, close cousin bond, and maybe a piece of the sky? This is a good blend of STEM and survival with just enough relationship dynamics (which this author is best known for) to keep readers going, creating a truly intriguing, suspenseful story told from the perspectives of all three kids. Grades 4+

This WORDLESS graphic novel is a charmer! Marisol’s picture-perfect life in Cuba with her parents suddenly turns gray when Fidel Castro gains power in the 1950s, forcing Marisol’s parents to ship her off to the US using Operation Peter Pan. There, as she struggles to assimilate, Marisol’s world is drained of color, and she must find her voice and joy again through books and plants. This is a great choice for ESL students as there are very few English and Spanish words throughout. You can see a flip-through of the book on my Instagram page. Grades 5+

When Luz has to stop playing soccer after tearing her ACL, she feels a bit lost. No longer a soccer superstar, who is she? Worse still, her dad, who used to share her love for the sport, seems on eggshells around her. Soon though, Luz stumbles upon a new passion: coding, assisted by Mr. Mac, their elderly neighbor next door. But just as she’s finding her feet, a new family member, Solana, comes to stay with them. Solana’s visit upends Liz’s identity even more. But it may just bring more light into her life than she’s ever expected. Shine On, Luz Véliz is a riveting, heartwarming book about rediscovering your identity, coding, family, and languages. Grades 6+

Thirteen-year-old Elio is in love for the first time, and his dreams come true when Camelia, his crush, becomes his first girlfriend. The mishaps in that first relationship and an association of males teach him plenty about consent, patriarchy, toxic masculinity, and respect for women. This book, written in lyrical, accessible verse, feels akin to Judy Blume, but for boys, as Salazar writes candidly about Elio’s morning erection, nocturnal emissions, and the way he feels “down there” when he’s around Camelia. Still, the text remains appropriate for tweens and young teens looking for more information than they might be getting from their parents about vital sex ed. Grades 7+

Miosotis’s biggest problem is getting her dad to let her get a dog. Papa insists that Miosotis score higher in Math and Science, even though she’s more of a B student. Soon, though, Miosotis’s woes begin to compound when she discovers that her sister Amarillis may be hiding something from their family. Can Miosotis save her sister? Miosotis Flores Never Forgets is a realistic middle grade book about the impact of domestic violence, identity, and culture. Grades 5+

Twins Luisa and Fernando find their paths diverging as they enter sixth grade. Luisa will attend middle school in the US just across the border from Fernando’s school in Mexico. There, they face different but equally pressing challenges that threaten to tear them apart. Twin Cities is a fascinating look into Mexican culture, life as a twin, and finding your own identity. Grades 7+

In his debut memoir, Mexikid, author Pedro Martin relates a pivotal experience of his childhood. Pedro Martin and his family of 11 (NINE kids!) decide to drive from the US to Mexico to pick up his aging Abuelo and bring him to the US with them. Along the way, they encounter corrupt border patrol officers, diarrhea-inducing milk, bad haircuts, stories of his Abuelo’s past, and plenty of family. Mexikid is a lively, funny, and transporting middle grade graphic novel about family, Mexican history, and a life-changing family road trip. Grades 5+

Doodles from the Boogie Down is a semi-autobiographical graphic novel about young Steph and her life in New York City in the early 2000s. Steph is finishing eighth grade in a Catholic middle school, and she and her friends are applying to high school. Steph is not great at Math or Science and prefers art instead, so she’s thrilled when her art teacher encourages her to apply to LaGuardia, an arts high school. Unfortunately, her strict Dominican mom doesn’t think art is a profitable career pursuit, so Steph’s plan is to only tell her mom about plans when she’s gotten in. On top of that she’s struggling with understanding one of her friends who seems to like a group of girls who bully Steph. Can Steph find her way? Doodles from the Boogie Down is a sweet, fun semi-autobiographical graphic novel about choosing your path and life in NYC. Grades 5+

Aniana Del Mar Jumps into her love for swimming despite her mother’s disapproval. Aniana is a child of Dominican parents growing up on Galveston, an island in the state of Texas. Her mom has undiagnosed PTSD from the death of her (Aniana’s mother’s) brother years ago in a storm back in their home country, so she doesn’t want her daughter near the water. Aniana’s father wants his daughter to pursue her passion and takes her to swim meets without her mother’s knowledge. But when Aniana wakes up one day with painfully swollen joints and other weird symptoms after swimming, their secret is exposed, and Aniana is faced with a new diagnosis that may threaten the one sport she loves. Aniana Del Mar Jumps In is a tender, moving middle grade verse novel about disability, sports, family trauma, and standing up for your dreams. Grades 5+

Sincerely Sicily features young Panamanian-American Sicily who’s dealing with a major social upheaval: she’s changing schools. After planning to coordinate first-day-of-school outfits and looking up each other’s schedules, she won’t be attending the same middle school as her best friends (the group calls themselves the Tether Squad). At the new school, Sicily, fortunately, reconnects with an old friend and decides to do her first school project on the culture of the Panamanian people. But her classmates protest the fact that she — a Black girl–can’t possibly be Latin American. Sicily is rattled. Sincerely Sicily is a sweet, triumphant debut middle grade novel about being Afro-Panamanian, finding pride in your roots, and discovering the joy of writing. Grades 6+

New kid Mattie realizes that her classmate Mercedes is practically her doppelganger, but she quickly finds out that there’s more to the resemblance. While working on a project together, Mattie discovers that she and Mercedes share the same Colombian dad who left both of them for a life as an anthropologist in Colombia. But now he’s teaching in a university in their town, so they hatch a plan to meet him without their families knowing. Will they make it? Meet Me Halfway is a heartwarming, adventurous romp about sisterhood, blending families, and Colombian tradition. Grades 5+

In Tumble, we meet 12-year-old Addie, who lives with her pregnant mom and stepdad. Her stepdad wants to adopt her (but only if she wants) and Addie loves him but can’t shake the curiosity about her biological father, especially because her mom is so hush-hush about it. While investigating, she discovers that her father is part of a famous wrestling family living on a nearby New Mexico ranch. As Addy gets to know her father, Manny, her cousins, grandparents, and uncles, she learns that family can be complicated. Tumble is a poignant, exciting, and heartrending middle grade book about family secrets, wrestling culture, and identity. Grades 6+

What if all you wanted for the summer was to go to camp with your best friends and draw comics in peace — BUT your parents thought it was better to go to Honduras, where they’re from, instead? That’s Sue’s dilemma in Miss Quinces. And then, on top of that, she finds out that her family is throwing her a surprise Quincenera against her wish. Will Sue survive the summer? Miss Quinces is an engaging, immersive graphic novel about identity, Latin-American culture, a love for art, and family. Grades 5+

Join the Club, Maggie Diaz is Nina Moreno’s middle grade debut. New seventh-grader Maggie Diaz is not the most organized person. But she’s trying to become her best self this school year so she can win her parents’ trust and get a new phone by the end of the year. She soon finds out that getting on honor roll is not that easy. Worse still, Maggie’s dealing with so many changes. Her best friends have joined after-school clubs to pursue their interests and have little or no time for Maggie (who can’t seem to find her interests). Will Maggie find her place and “join the club”? Join the Club, Maggie Diaz is a lively, engaging debut about finding your place and passions when everyone else seems to be miles ahead in the game. Grades 5+

Luchy is moving into 6th grade and is excited to start in the same middle school as her BFF Cami, but after a recent trip to Colombia, where both girls’ parents are from, Cami is suddenly acting different. She’s more obsessed with boys, crushes, fashion, makeup, and being in with the cool kids. She keeps trying to get Luchy to “reinvent” herself, too, by trying on makeup and wearing cool clothes. Worse still, Cami befriends mean girl Melissa, making Luchy feel more insecure. The two get into a revenge plot when Cami does something hurtful, and eventually, their whole friendship almost falls apart. This book has strong Latino representation throughout the story, with interspersed Spanish words and mentions of Spanish food. I really liked this one. Hand to kids looking for a lighthearted, relatable, short, and heartwarming with plenty of soccer action and humor. Grades 5+