Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Hispanic and Latino history and culture and the contributions this community has made to the United States. It is recognized annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to highlight the many Central American countries celebrating their independence days within these dates. Aurora Public Library takes part in the celebration by recognizing the Hispanic and Latino culture, food, art and people who have made an impact in Colorado and the United States.
Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month at Latino.SI.Edu
View upcoming Aurora Public Library Hispanic Heritage Month programs
View Aurora Public Library’s Hispanic Heritage Month collection
The following are recommended reads from Hispanic and Latino authors, including those from Colorado. There are more to explore than what is listed, and it is encouraged to discover more beyond Hispanic Heritage Month.
“I am, yo soy” by Gabriela Orozco Belt
With lyrical text in English and Spanish, this vibrant picture book is a celebration of Hispanic American identity-showcasing the beauty of being part of two cultures.
“Followed Home” by Andre Gonzalez
When Kyle Wells and his friends take an annual trip to his family's cabin deep in the Rocky Mountains, a string of events unravel to expose what his family has kept hidden for decades.
“Salsa, Soul and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age” by Juana Bordas
Salsa, Soul and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Nation puts forth a multicultural leadership model that integrates eight practices from African American, Indian and Latino communities.
“The House on Mango Street” by Sandra Cisneros
Told in a series of vignettes-sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous-Cisneros's masterpiece is a classic story of childhood and self-discovery and one of the greatest neighborhood novels of all time.
“Adela’s Mariachi Band” by Denise Vega / “Los Mariachis de Adela” de Denise Vega
The only thing Adela wants more than watching her family's band is to be in it! Can she find her own special place in the band?
¡Lo único que Adela quiere más que ver la banda de su familia es estar en ella! ¿Podrá encontrar su propio lugar especial en la banda?
“Abuelita’s Gift” by Mariana Ríos Ramírez / “El regalo de abuelita: un cuento de Dia de Muertos” de Mariana Ríos Ramírez
Julieta is eager to honor her Abuelita's spirit on Día de Muertos but struggles to find the perfect gift.
Acompaña a Julieta es su búsqueda del regalo perfecto para honrar el alma de su abuelita en Día de Muertos.
“Violeta” by Isabel Allende / “Violeta” de Isabel Allende Español
Through the eyes of a woman whose unforgettable passion, determination, and sense of humor carry her through a lifetime of upheaval, Isabel Allende once more brings us an epic that is both fiercely inspiring and deeply emotional.
A través de los ojos de una mujer cuya pasión inolvidable, determinación y sentido del humor la acompañan a lo largo de una vida llena de cambios, Isabel Allende nos trae una vez más una obra épica que es a la vez tremendamente inspiradora y profundamente emotiva.
“Family Lore” by Elizabeth Acevedo / “Sabiduría familiar” de Elizabeth Acevedo
Told with Elizabeth Acevedo's inimitable voice, this is an indelible portrait of sisters and cousins, aunts and nieces - one family's journey through their history helping them better navigate all that is to come.
Contado con la inimitable voz de Elizabeth Acevedo, este es un retrato imborrable de hermanas y primos, tías y sobrinas: el viaje de una familia a través de su historia que les ayuda a afrontar todo lo que está por venir.
“The Cemetery of Untold Stories” by Julia Alvarez / “El cementerio de los cuentos sin contar” de Julia Alvarez
The “Cemetery of Untold Stories” asks: Whose stories get to be told, and whose buried?
El “Cementerio de Historias No Contadas” pregunta: ¿De quiénes se cuentan las historias y de quiénes quedan enterradas?
“Solito” by Javier Zamora / “Solito” de Javier Zamora
A memoir as gripping as it is moving, “Solito” provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments. “Solito” is Javier Zamora’s story, but it’s also the story of millions of others who had no choice but to leave home.
Desde su pequeño pueblo en El Salvador hasta llega a la frontera con Estados Unidos, la aventura de Javier Zamora es un viaje de tres mil millas. Pero tampoco imaginará que, en el camino, encontrará a un grupo de emigrantes que lo protegerán como si fuesen su propia familia.
“Woman of Light” by Kali Fajardo-Anstine / “Mujer de luz” de Kali Fajardo-Anstine
With Fajardo-Anstine's immense capacity to render characters and paint vivid life, set against the Sange de Cristo mountains, “Woman of Light” is full of the weight, richness, and complexities of mixed blood and mica clay. It delights like an Old Western, and inspires the hope embedded in histories yet-told.
“Mujer de luz” es una novela cautivadora sobre la supervivencia, los secretos de familia y el amor, poblada por un reparto de personajes inolvidables, cada uno tan especial, memorable y complejo como nuestra querida heroi᭡, Luz.
“Oye” by Melissa Mogollon / “Oye” de Melissa Mogollón
Forced to step into the role of caretaker, translator, and keeper of the generational secrets Abue starts to share, Luciana finds herself reluctantly facing down adulthood and rising to the occasion in her own unique way.
Disruptiva, inolvidable, a ratos hilarante y a ratos triste, es el retrato de una generación, pero sobre todo el de una joven que, obligada a madurar, descubre en sí misma una fuerza insospechada.
View fiction Spanish collection for ages up to 15.
View fiction and non-fiction Spanish collection for adults.
Upcoming programs
Teen Dig: Hispanic Heritage Month Crafts
Thursday, Sept. 17, 4:30 to 6 p.m., Aurora Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a variety of crafts including Hojalata, papel picado, and more!
Let’s Cook: Quick Mole
Thursday, Sept. 17, 4 p.m., Hoffman Heights Library, 1298 Peoria St.
Kick off Hispanic Heritage Month by learning to make a simplified mole poblano, the iconic sauce of Mexico! Registration required.
Hispanic Heritage Community Celebration
Thursday, Oct. 1, 4 to 6 p.m., Martin Luther King Jr. Library, 9898 E. Colfax Ave.
Enjoy an afternoon of family-friendly fun with games, crafts, music and more! Co-hosted by the Aurora Police Department and Renacer Community Development.
“A Million Miles Away” Screening
Thursday, Oct. 1, 5 p.m., Aurora Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway
Learn about Jose Moreno-Hernandez and his family’s journey from being migrant farmworkers and struggles navigating systems of oppression to reach Jose’s goal of being an astronaut. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and in partnership with Bibliotele.
Latino Book Fair
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2 to 5:30 p.m., Aurora Central Library, 14949 E. Alameda Parkway
Explore bilingual poetry and book readings by Hispanic and Latino authors. Hosted by Colorado Alliance of Latino Mentors and Authors (CALMA).
Día de los Muertos Craft Fair and Ofrenda
Saturday, Oct. 24, 4 p.m., Tallyn’s Reach Library, 23911 E. Arapahoe Road
Enjoy a craft fair to celebrate Día de los Muertos and remember loved ones with an ofrenda.