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Hispanic Heritage Month, which occurs annually in the United States from September 15th to October 15th, is a month to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of Latine and Hispanic Americans. First established as National Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, it was expanded to a monthlong event by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. During the months of September and October communities around the United States host musical events, parades, museum exhibits, and educational opportunities to explore the impact Hispanic and Latine Americans have had in history and culture.
While it’s important to read books from a wide variety of authors all year long, events like Hispanic Heritage Month are an opportunity to highlight the authors from the cultures being celebrated and connect readers to books themed to the month. Below, you’ll find books specifically written for middle grade readers, though they can certainly be enjoyed by young adults and adults as well!
Whether the middle grade reader in your life is a fan of fantasy, realistic fiction, or mystery, they can find a novel that incorporates the cultural and historical influences that Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates.
The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel
Twelve-year-old Quijana’s life is taking some twists and turns. She’s grown up in Texas trying to fit in as a biracial kid in her small town, and now that her Guatemalan cousins have moved to town, Quijana’s father is pushing her to learn Spanish and connect more with her Guatemalan heritage. Add to that trying to survive seventh grade and a brother who’s got struggles of his own and Quijana feels like she’s coming apart in pieces.
Tumble by Celia C. Pérez
Adela “Addie” Ramírez has a lot on her mind. There’s her upcoming role in the big school play, the impending arrival of her half-brother, and her stepfather Alex’s proposal to adopt Addie. Alex is the only father she’s ever known, but Addie has questions about her biological dad. When she finds an old picture hidden among her mom’s things, it leads her to a ranch in New Mexico where she discovers her biological dad and his family are a famed group of luchadores.
Falling Short by Ernesto Cisneros
Isaac and Marco are starting sixth grade as best friends with very different talents. Isaac is a star basketball player who hopes if he can get some help and get his grades up, it will stop his parents from arguing. Straight-A student Marco hopes to win a spot on the basketball team to get the approval of his father. Can the friends help each other achieve their dreams and survive middle school?
The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera
This dystopian novel picked up multiple commendations, including the 2022 Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Award. In 2061, 12-year-old Petra Peña, her seven-year-old brother Javier, and their parents are fleeing a doomed Earth for the 375-year journey to a new planet where they will be put into stasis. But when Petra awakes hundreds of years later, she finds that an authoritarian group has taken hold of the ship and its inhabitants. She is one of the few Earthlings whose memory has not been erased.
The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez by Adrianna Cuevas
This 2021 Pura Belpré Honor Book and New York Public Library Best Book of 2020 features Cuban American middle grader Nestor Lopez, who has just moved in with his mom and grandmother while his dad is deployed. Nestor has moved several times in his life, and each time, he’s made sure to conceal his big secret: that he can talk to animals. But then animals around his grandmother’s house start disappearing. Nestor learns the town is being stalked by a tule vieja, a witch who can absorb animal powers during an eclipse. With the next eclipse just around the corner, is Nestor ready to risk revealing his secret to help save the town?
Lotería by Karla Arenas Valenti, Illustrated by Dana Sanmar
Once a year, Life and Death deal the Lotería cards, deciding if the one they deal for will have a long life or shortly face death. Eleven-year-old Clara, living in Oaxaca City, is the focus of Life and Death this year, but she doesn’t know it. All Clara knows is that her cousin Esteban is missing and that she’ll stop at nothing, including traveling to the magical Kingdom of Las Pozas, to save him.
Paola Santiago and the River of Tears by Tehlor Kay Mejia
The first in a series, this middle grade book from Rick Riordan’s publishing company is a perfect fit for fans of the Percy Jackson series. Paola and her best friends Emma and Dante have grown up with strict instructions to stay away from the river in their town after the tragic drowning of a classmate. But Paola has also been cautioned by her mother that the river is dangerous because of La Llorona, who will drag young people into the river’s depths. When science-obsessed Paola decides to set up her telescope near the riverbank, she’s dragged into a mystery when Emma goes missing and a shadowy figure emerges from the river.
Tight by Torrey Maldonado
Middle schooler Bryan knows what he loves: reading comic books, drawing superheroes, and avoiding trouble and drama. But, his new friend Mike seems drawn to trouble, from jumping turnstiles to playing dangerous pranks. Will Bryan get caught up in Mike’s drama? Or can he turn to his favorite superheroes for inspiration on how to stand up for himself?
Los Monstruos: Rooster and the Dancing Diablo by Diana López
The books in this series are set in the magical border town of Tres Leches, where figures from Texan and Mexican lore come to life. In this installment, the children of Tres Leches are going missing, and the townspeople fear they’re being lured away by the Dancing Devil. Rooster, the Devil’s son, must team up with fellow kids of legends to track down and stop his father before it’s too late.
Nothing’s Ever the Same by Cyn Vargas
Part of the New Chicago Classics collection, this middle grade coming-of-age story centers around Itzel, whose father has a heart attack at her thirteenth birthday party. As the family works through her father’s recovery, Itzel must grapple with the strain her father’s heart attack put on her parents’ relationship, as well as her own struggles with love.
We have lots of other lists to check out for Hispanic Heritage Month, including YA books by Hispanic and Latine authors and this podcast episode on nonfiction reads for Hispanic Heritage Month.
