Latin American Resource Center

Latin American Resource Center The Latin American Resource Center promotes the study of all subject matter relating to Latin America at the K-12, community, and university levels.

The Latin American Resource Center provides specialized services to schools and colleges across the nation. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive centers of its kind in the United States, and is dedicated to continuing and improving educational outreach programs. Its goal is to promote the study of all subject matter relating to Latin America at both the K-12 and university levels. The L

atin American Resource Center (LARC) provides services such as a lending library, consulting, Visitor Speaker Bureau (for metro-New Orleans area), professional development for educators, and publications for use at grades 6-12.

08/26/2026

These 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles celebrate the deep connections between people, land, and the natural and mythological worlds that surround them.

Of the Sun, written by Xelena González and illustrated by Emily Kewageshig, is a lyrical picture book poem that affirms the belonging, resilience, and cultural strength of Indigenous children throughout the Americas, celebrating their enduring connection to the land and their responsibilities to future generations. Xolo, written by Donna Barba Higuera and illustrated by Mariana Ruiz Johnson, reimagines Aztec mythology through the eyes of Xolotl, Quetzalcoatl's lesser-known dog-headed twin, in a fast-paced story about outcasts, empathy, and the courage it takes to find your place in the world. And Sundust/Polvo solar, written and illustrated by Zeke Peña and translated by Rubí Orozco Santos, follows two siblings into the vast landscapes of the Chihuahuan Desert, where curiosity, imagination, and the natural world blur into something magical.

Thank you for following along as we celebrated all of our 2026 Américas Award recognized titles. Visit our website to explore the full annotated bibliography at claspprograms.org/americas-award.

08/23/2026

These three 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles explore the many ways families stay connected across borders, languages, and distance.

The Interpreter/La Intérprete written by Olivia Abtahi and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo, shines a light on the often overlooked role of young children of immigrants who serve as bridges between languages and cultures for their families. My Home Is In My Backpack written by Eugenia Perrella and illustrated by Angela Salerno follows young Clara as she and her family are forced to leave their home, discovering along the way that home can be found in the people, memories, and stories we carry with us. And New Shoes for Leo, written by Lauren Agra Deedy and illustrated by Susan Gal, captures the tender and deeply relatable experience of a Caribbean-American boy tasked with sending shoes to his cousin in Cuba, who discovers just how much he has in common with a family member he has never met.

Stay tuned for our final Commended Titles post this coming week...

08/22/2026

Pull up a chair! These 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles invite young readers to the table, where tortillas are made, menudo is shared, and the sweetest treats of Latin America come to life.

Tía Sofia and the Giant Tortilla, written by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz and illustrated by Carlos Velez is a joyful and touching story of a girl and her wonderfully eccentric aunt, whose tortilla-making adventure becomes a celebration of imagination, family, and the small everyday rituals that keep loved ones close. Menudo Sunday, written by Maria Dolores Aguila and illustrated by Erika Meza, is a warm Spanglish counting book that follows a Mexican-American family as they work together to remake a pot of menudo after a mishap, capturing the love and laughter at the heart of a beloved family tradition. And Dulces y Antojitos, written and illustrated by Aaron Bowersock, is a stunning high-contrast bilingual board book that introduces the youngest readers to the vibrant sweets and treats of Latin America.

Stay tuned for a few more amazing titles in the coming days.

08/22/2026

Language, history, and cultural heritage take center stage in these three 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles.

Hopeful Heroes written by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Juliet Menéndez celebrates the activists, innovators, and revolutionaries of Latin America whose contributions have too often gone unrecognized, through a poetry collection as accessible as it is inspiring. A-Ztec, written and illustrated by Emmanuel Valtierra, is a stunning bilingual alphabet book inspired by Aztec codices that weaves together Nahuatl, Mayan, Zapotec, Huichol, and Spanish to celebrate the many languages and cultures that shape Mexican identity. And The Boy from Mexico Becomes a US Citizen by Edward Dennis follows Luz on his courageous journey from green card holder to U.S. citizen, demystifying the naturalization process for young readers in a way that is rarely done in children's literature.

More incredible titles still to come!

08/22/2026

Our celebration of the 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles continues with three books that weave Mesoamerican cosmology, Indigenous language, and Latine cultural tradition into stories of adventure, migration, and resistance.

Fall of the Fireflies by Guadalupe García McCall follows fifteen-year-old twins Delia and Velia on a perilous borderlands journey through Aztec mythology as they race to save their father's soul. Pilgrim Codex written by Vivian Mansour, illustrated by Emmanuel Valtierra, and translated by Carlos Rodriguez Cortez reimagines a family's migration from Mexico to the United States through the visual language of Aztec codices in a witty, layered, and deeply moving cultural treasure hunt. And Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic by Leslie Adame follows an empowering young heroine navigating a covert magical network while protecting her family from the very real threat of ICE, weaving magical and literal borders into a timely and emotionally resonant adventure.

Stay tuned for more commended title features in the coming days...

08/22/2026

These 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles are powerful reads for older teens navigating who they are and who they are allowed to be.

Rosa by Any Other Name by Hailey Alcaraz follows a young Mexican-American woman in Civil Rights-era Phoenix who passes as white to survive a segregated school system, until tragedy forces her to choose between her future and her conscience. The Golden Boy’s Guide to Bipolar by Sonido Reyes places readers inside the unraveling mind of a high-achieving Latine teen whose carefully constructed identity fractures under the weight of bipolar disorder, stigma, and family expectations. And Camila Nuñez’s Year of Disasters by Miriam Zoila Pérez follows a Cuban-American teenager whose anxiety, LGBTQ+ identity, and a fateful tarot card reading collide in a funny, tender, and deeply relatable coming-of-age story.

A special shoutout to cover artist , whose work graces both Rosa by Any Other Name and Camila Nuñez’s Year of Disasters!

Stay tuned for more commended title spotlights!

08/20/2026

Grief, memory, and the stories we inherit from those we have lost are at the heart of these three 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles.

The Hero's Guide to Summer Vacation by Pablo Cartaya follows Gonzalo and his reclusive Cuban American grandfather on an unexpected cross-country road trip, where shared stories of loss slowly build a bridge between them. The Invisible Parade written by Leigh Bardugo and illustrated/co-authored by John Picacio is a visually stunning picture book in which a young girl mourning her grandfather encounters Death itself during Día de los Mu***os preparations, and discovers that love outlasts loss. And In the Company of Wolves by Antonio Farias follows twelve-year-old Jaime as he spends the summer in rural New Mexico retracing his late father's footsteps, slowly piecing together who his father was and who he himself wants to become.

Many more wonderful titles and authors to come!

08/20/2026

Two more 2026 Américas Award Honor Books to add to your reading list!

Congratulations to Vanessa L. Torres for On the Wings of La Noche, a haunting and lyrical exploration of grief centering a teenage girl navigating love, loss, and transformation, and to Victor Piñeiro for The Island of Forgotten Gods, which follows three cousins on a thrilling summer adventure in Puerto Rico and breathes new life into Taíno mythology. These two books take young readers on unforgettable journeys rooted in the stories, belief systems, and mythology of Latinx communities.

Stay tuned for more features on our commended titles!

08/20/2026

We are continuing our celebration of the 2026 Américas Award with two incredible Honor Books!

Congratulations to writer Sara Fajardo, illustrator Juana Martinez Neal, and translator Mariana Llanos for Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka Con La Papa, and to Eliza Kinkz for ¡Mistaco! A Tale of Tragedy y Tortillas!

These two picture books bring pure joy to the page. Alberto Salas is a linguistically playful celebration of Peruvian science, biodiversity, and the humble potato. ¡Mistaco! is a warm and silly Spanglish story about the beauty of mistakes and the family bonds that hold us together. Both are wonderful additions to any classroom, school, or personal library.

Stay tuned for more features on our honor books and commended titles!

08/19/2026

These 2026 Américas Award Commended Titles celebrate the beautiful complexity of growing up between worlds.

A Festa for Luana written by Joana Pastro and illustrated by Duda Oliva follows a Brazilian-American girl navigating the joyful but disorienting experience of Festa Junina in Brazil, where she wonders whether she has to choose between two parts of herself. Oshún and Me written by Adiba Nelson and illustrated by Alleanna Harris weaves together Afro-Latina identity, Yoruba spiritual tradition, and the quiet power of braids to tell a story of protection, belonging, and connection. And Speak Up, Santiago! by Julio Anta follows a Colombian-American boy whose summer with his grandmother becomes an honest and tender reckoning with language, identity, and what it means to be bicultural.

Stay tuned for more commended title spotlights!

Address

6801 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA
70118

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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+15048623143

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