On Discovering Books that Reflect Your Culture: A Guest Post from J. C. Cervantes, Author of The Storm Runner

When I was a girl the women in my family told me that we had magic in our blood. Magic to heal, to conjure, to change circumstances and the world. I tried so hard to awaken my “magical” powers. I’d lie in bed at night, fingers outstretched trying to turn off the lights with my mind. I’d make grand wishes and try to see ghosts. I even tried to dream the future. In a way, I did end up getting to use magic… in the stories I would tell many years later.

Blizzard Besties: A Wish Novel, by Yamille Saied Méndez
This sweet adventure took me back to what it felt like to be twelve, to want to fit in, to sell yourself short for the sake of “friendship.” Vanesa is absolutely adorable in her role as big sister, even if she’s stumbling through it all. She is a real kid facing real issues as she struggles with her social status among her peers, a group she so desperately wants to be a part of all while trying hard not to ruin another family vacation. Add in the wintry setting, a ghost, and an oncoming storm and get ready to see what these characters are made of. Kids are going to love this!

Feathered Serpent, Dark Hearts of Sky: Myths of Mexico, by David Bowles
While this book is recommended for 14 and up I have to add it here because I think younger kids will enjoy the mythology and folklore as well. So many of the stories took me back those I heard as a kid. An important, well-written, and compelling text that teaches us about a lost history and the rich and too often forgotten magic of various groups like the Aztec, Maya, and Toltecs.

Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble, by Anna Meriano
This lovely book took me back to my grandmother’s kitchen and the magic that food brings to the Mexican culture. So often, I found myself smiling and nodding and thinking, “Yes, THIS” as I turned the pages. This story has all the elements I love: magic, mischief, and of course, sugar, so be prepared to have your mouth water. An absolutely wonderful debut. I can’t wait to see what Anna comes up with next!

Silver Meadows Summer, by Emma Otheguy
Sometimes a book comes along that sweeps you along effortlessly with its poetry and beautifully drawn characters. You will at once love Carolina, want her to be your friend, and undoubtedly root for her to the end. This book is rich and wise beyond the pages with so many beautiful passages: “The yard was filled with earthy hues: the deep brown cedar of the deck and the orange of the sun, which drifted still lower on its June journey through the sky.” There is a sense of longing in every sentence of this book.

Becoming Naomi Leon, by Pam Muñoz Ryan
I read this book many years ago, but it’s still a favorite and one that has stuck with me not only for the lovely writing and rising stakes, but for the complex and nuanced relationships between Naomi, her gram, her brother, Owen, and others as Naomi struggles to find her own identity. Ryan is a master at creating characters and stories that pull you in and won’t let you go and this one is no exception.