Kirjahaku

Sun Father, Corn Mother tightly weaves Hopi culture and tradition, Spanish lust for gold, and normal inclinations of young adolescents into a fresh, riveting page-turner. Coinciding with Coronado's conquest of Zuni villages in 1540, fourteen-year-old Running Antelope, a Hopi youth, is caught up in violence and intrigue resulting from Spanish incursions northward to Hopi villages and subsequently westward to the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Running Antelope's peaceful life is shattered when he witnesses the arrival of a band of strangers who have hairy white faces and animals that look like giant dogs. The death of his father at the hands of these intruders sets the stage for cultural expectations that place new responsibilities on his shoulders, and intentions of revenge that draw him into accompanying the Spaniards on their journey to the "Great Red River" and its "Canyon of Great Spirits."With courage and conviction, Running Antelope endures harsh treatment and an attempt on his life by the Spaniards, and capture and confinement by nomadic "Old Enemies." Whether or not he will live to see his home and family again is anyone's guess. Hang on tight It's quite a ride to find out

Have a pet tarantula? No way Or so eleven-year-old Lolo thought before he found a Mexican red-leg outside the fort he built with friends Frankie and Mario. When Lolo's abuelo shows him how to capture the tarantula, Lolo names the spider Red-Legs and decides to keep it as a pet. The three friends could never anticipate that Red-Legs would become the key for turning an ordinary summer into an extraordinary one filled with unexpected adventures and new experiences. When Red-Legs is missing, the boys and their school friend Lisa try to figure out who might have stolen or killed the tarantula. Is it the two bullies, Rogelio and Joker, who have been giving them a hard time? Maybe . . . and then maybe not. Set in "Las Lomitas," the "little hills" of East Los Angeles, Lolo & Red-Legs offers a glimpse into the lives and culture of three close friends during their most unusual summer. Published originally in 1998, Lolo & Red-Legs received considerable recognition before its publisher closed its doors in 2005, including being named a "Commended Title" on the 1998 Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature "that authentically and engagingly relates to Latinos in the United States."

"Why does Papa want a goat?" is the question that puzzles nine-year-old Maria Elena. When Papa makes it clear that it will eventually be butchered and roasted as part of the menu for a family celebration, Maria Elena rebels with considerable persistence. Twists and turns will keep you guessing what's next until the surprise ending. Have fun with it