Celebrating Latina Activists during Women's History Month: Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera (ages 8-12)

All month, we are honoring women's achievements in political, scientific and artistic arenas. I am particularly interested in sharing lesser-known stories, helping my students connect to a wide range of role models -- particularly women of color.

Juan Felipe Herrera's Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes introduces young readers to the achievement of 20 inspiring Latinos (men and women), and is a perfect celebration of women who were pioneers in politics, business and the arts. While many of the women are well-known, Herrera includes others whose achievements are less celebrated and yet just as inspiring.

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes
by Juan Felipe Herrera
illustrated by Raúl Colón
Dial / Penguin, 2014
Amazon / Your local library
preview on Google Books
ages 8-12

"A 'hero,' un héroe, was rarely in my vocabulary growing up as an only child of two tireless and kind California farmworkers," Herrera begins in his introduction. “In a land of immigrants, it is an irony that Latino lives have been largely ignored.”

This collection of twenty short, engaging biographies focuses on the achievements of twenty men and women from a wide range of fields: politics, science, the arts. Above all, readers will be struck by how these individuals persevered, committed to their fields and their success. Here are three women I found particularly inspiring:

Adelina Otero-Warren was a woman's suffragist, educator, and politician--"the first Hispana to run for Congress from New Mexico." She focused her public service on education of children in rural areas, especially bilingual schools.

Helen Rodríguez Trías was a pediatrician, educator and women rights activist. She was the first Latina president of the American Public Health Association, who fought for a more equitable health care system and a more equitable society.

Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican-American actress, dancer and singer who struggled to find non-stereotypical movie roles, even after winning the Oscar for her portrayal of Maria in West Side Story. Instead of taking stereotypical Latina roles, she chose to focus on stage plays and television--especially children's television.

Juan Felipe Herrera is a poet, performer and activist who is the United States Poet Laureate. Herrera writes for both adults and children, infusing his poetry with his experiences growing up as the son of migrant farmworkers. He brings his immense poetic talents to this biography, yet keeps his focus clear and streamlined.

This collection is perfect for reading aloud at home or in the classroom. The short entries let readers choose the stories that interest them. The audiobook, narrated by Luis Moreno, was also engaging and compelling.

The review copy came from our school library. If you make a purchase using the Amazon links on this site, a small portion goes to Great Kid Books. Thank you for your support.

©2017 Mary Ann Scheuer, Great Kid Books