Need books for Hispanic Heritage Month? I’ve got a great free presentation for you below! Click the link below the presentation to add it to your Google Drive. It’s also editable!
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15-October 15. Mexican Independence Day is September 16.
I’ve lived in Mexico since 2020. In addition to sharing the books for Hispanic Heritage Month, I thought I’d give you a firsthand account of what I see around town at this time of year.
If you are just here for the Hispanic Heritage Month booktalk slideshow, just scroll down this page a bit.
GRITO DE DOLORES
Last week, I kept seeing “Grito de Dolores” on social media here in Mexico. I figured it had something to do with Mexico’s Independence Day.
I was right! Grito de Dolores translates to “pain scream,” but it’s actually a battle cry from Mexico’s War of Independence from Spain in 1810.
So what happens in Puerto Morelos on Mexican Independence Day? Well, we do see an increase in Mexican flags around town, just as you would on July 4th in the USA.
I went walking through our little town and saw some families eating dinner together outside. I know there are usually fireworks, but I didn’t see any of those. Maybe Covid had those shut down this year, or maybe they were just in another area of town.
HAVE YOU TRIED CHILE EN NOGADA?
I finally got to try a yummy dish called chile en nogada! I was sad to have missed this last year! Chile en nogada is a poblano pepper stuffed with an apple-pear-peach mixture. It usually comes with meat, but I got mine without meat. It’s topped with a walnut cream sauce, parsley, and pomegranate seeds. The pepper wasn’t that spicy to me, but I eat spicy foods often.
The red, white, and green colors of the pomegranate, cream, and parsley represent the Mexican flag. Isn’t it beautiful?
This dish is only available for a short time around Mexican Independence Day. If you are ever in Mexico in September, it is a must-try! The combination of sweet and spicy, along with the crunch and burst of the pomegranate seeds…it was like a plate full of heaven!
SLIDESHOW: BOOKS FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
To honor the Independence Day of my adopted country, I’ve put together a slideshow of 24 books for Hispanic Heritage Month. These titles are all written by Hispanic authors, and many are set in Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The slideshow is editable in Google Slides. It includes picture books, middle grade books, and YA books. Please feel free to make a copy and edit it for your library as you wish.
This Books for Hispanic Heritage Month slideshow is a ready-to-go passive booktalk for your library! You can play the slides on a timed loop in the library or hallway.
To download the presentation, click the link underneath the slideshow below. Click “make a copy” when the message pops up to make a copy in your Google Drive. You can then edit it to include books from your school library. I did include some fantastic titles below, most of which have starred professional reviews. Some have also won book awards, so it can also make a great collection development tool.
Click here to make a copy of this presentation on your own Google Drive.
(Click “Use Template” in the top-right corner.)
RELATED RESOURCES FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIES:
Looking library lessons to go with it? The slideshow of books for Hispanic Heritage Month will easily integrate with the library lessons below! Simply copy the slides you want to add and sprinkle them throughout the Storytime or Digital Bulletin Board.
