A Kirkus Best Book of 2017 * A New York Public Library Best Book of 2017 * A Los Angeles Public Library Best Book of 2017 * A 2017 Malka Penn Award for Human Rights in Children’s Literature Honor Book * A Booklist Top 10 Diverse Fiction for Older and Middle Readers * CCBC Choices Pick of 2018 * CBC Notable in Social Studies * "Beautifully written with candor, honesty, and perfect brevity. A collection not to be missed.” ( Booklist starred review) Acclaimed author and Pura Belpré Award honoree Lulu Delacre’s beautifully illustrated collection of twelve short stories is a groundbreaking look at the diverse Latinos who live in the United States. In this book, you will meet many young Latinos living in the United States, from a young girl whose day at her father’s burrito truck surprises her to two sisters working together to change the older sister’s immigration status, and more. Turn the pages to experience life through the eyes of these boys and girls whose families originally hail from many different countries; see their hardships, celebrate their victories, and come away with a better understanding of what it means to be Latino in the U.S. today. Gr 6–8—In a collection of 12 tales, readers hear fictionalized narratives of young Latinos drawn from news stories. The selections represent a variety of children from diverse countries of origin and include standard prose as well as the poetic "Pickup Soccer" and the musical "Cubano Two." The entries highlight issues that some Latinos face, such as problems with food and obesity, cultural identity, the deportation of relatives, the quest to obtain legal status, and prejudices some have toward fellow Latinos from different backgrounds. While these stories offer an interesting cross section of the Latino experience, there is a preponderance of sad and serious tales (with topics that include a sister who bullies, an epileptic seizure mistaken for a criminal attack, and the death of a parent). Spanish words are sprinkled throughout and defined in the back, and refranes (sayings) introduce each piece. The author's mixed-media portraits accompany each entry, and the original articles that inspired each offering are listed and discussed. VERDICT This welcome update to short story collections such as Gary Soto's Baseball in April and prose alternative to Alma Flor Ada's Yes!: We Are Latinos is a solid addition to libraries and would also add much-needed diversity to classroom study.—Karen Yingling, Blendon Middle School, Westerville, OH “Portraits are indeed beautiful...will surely inspire discussion of current issues.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books “This welcome update to short story collections such as Gary Soto’s Baseball in April and prose alternative to Alma Flor Ada’s Yes!: We Are Latinos is a solid addition to libraries and would also add much-needed diversity to classroom study.” - School Library Journal ★“Pura Belpré honoree Delacre’s chronicles—each different from the next—offer moving snapshots of family heartbreak, disadvantage, dysfunctionality, heartbreak, privilege, and joy.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ★ “Beautifully written with candor, honesty and perfect brevity. Delacre illustrates as well, providing a gorgeous mixed-media portrait of each story’s main character. A collection not to be missed.” - Booklist (starred review) “Delacre’s collection challenges existing misconceptions by giving readers an intimate and varied look into what it is like to be young and Latino in the United States today.” - The Horn Book “Middle grade readers will appreciate reading stories that reflect their lives, not their parents’ or grandparents’ stories” (from the “10 Exciting New Middle Grade Books with Latinx Main Characters”) - Brightly Three-time Pura Belpré Award honoree Lulu Delacre has been writing and illustrating children's books since 1980. Born and raised in Puerto Rico to Argentinean parents, Delacre says her Latino heritage and her life experiences inform her work. Her 37 titles include  Us, In Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos ;  Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America , a Horn Book Fanfare Book in print for over 25 years; and  Salsa Stories , an IRA Outstanding International Book. Her latest picture book  ¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado; Olinguito, from A to Z! Unveiling the Cloud Forest  has received 20 awards and honors including an NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor and an ALA Notable for All Ages. Delacre has lectured internationally and served as a juror for the National Book Awards. She has exhibited at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art; The Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators in New York; the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico and the Museum of Ponce in Puerto Rico among other venues. More at www.luludelacre.com.