Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With These Award-Winning Authors

Argentine writer Hernan Diaz has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for this extraordinary novel narrated by each of the protagonists. It chronicles the life of tycoon Benjamin Rask and his wife Helen, whose financial success is called into question after amassing an immense fortune in New York in the 1920s.  

A family chronicle that spans three generations and two countries, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao tells the story of the reclusive Oscar de León as he attempts to become the Dominican J.R.R. Tolkien and his unfortunate search for love. 

But Oscar is only the latest victim of the fukú — a curse that for generations has haunted his family, condemning them to lives of torture, suffering and unhappy love. With unforgettable characters and vibrant prose, this novel confirms Junot Díaz as one of the best and most dazzling voices of our time. It offers us an overwhelming vision of the inexhaustible human capacity to persevere and risk everything for love. 

In 2014, acclaimed South American writer Isabel Allende was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-President Barack Obama for her literary career. Her most recent novel, The Wind Knows My Name, is a moving tale that weaves together the past and the present through two powerful stories about the life of a boy in Europe in the days before the outbreak of World War II, and the struggles faced by immigrants arriving in the United States today. 

Acevedo’s bestselling debut centers on a Harlem teen who wants to be both heard and unnoticed: nobody listens to what Xiomora has to say, but her changing body is drawing the kind of attention she wishes she could hide from. This National Book Award-winning novel-in-verse is a moving story of perseverance and finding your voice. 

Otto suddenly meets three mysterious sisters when he gets lost in a forbidden forest, interlocking his destiny with an unusual search that involves a prophecy, a promise and a harmonica. When the same harmonica reaches them decades later, the lives of Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania and Ivy in California become connected as they face great challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother and keeping a family together. A moving story, Echo is a rich and unforgettable tale of bravery and kindness. 

Kind and strong-willed sixth grader Merci Suárez deals with difficult changes in her relationships with friends, family and the rest of the world in this series starter. From Award-winning author Meg Medina, this funny and tender coming-of-age story follows Merci as she struggles to determine who she is. 

The acclaimed author, Matt de la Peña, became the first Hispanic writer to win the John Newberry Medal in 2016 for this wonderful story about celebrating your community and embracing your neighborhood. The endearing relationship between CJ and his grandmother makes this a wonderful book to share with your loved ones.