Recommendations by Rosiland Fletcher | BG News Managing Editor
Written by Mary Ross | BG Authors Site Director
Latinx Heritage Month goes from September 15 to October 15 each year. Rosiland Fletcher, a good friend of mine and the Managing Editor of the BG News, compiled a list of books that feature the stories of Latinx people that give insight into their lives and recommended them to me, so here I am passing them along to you. No matter what time of year it is, it’s important to constantly be growing in understanding of people who identify differently than us in any way, whether in race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, ability status and more, in order to create a more inclusive and respectful environment for all people around us to live in.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez
Sanchez’s novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter follows Julia, a Mexican daughter that is mourning the loss of her older sister Olga. In the wake of Olga’s death, Julia’s family begins comparing Julia to Olga, resulting in many of Julia’s “faults” being pointed out. In this coming of age story, Julia tries to determine what it means to be a “perfect” Mexican daughter through seeking to learn more about her older sister and her life.
Sabrina & Corina: Stories by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Sabrina & Corina: Stories is a collection of stories about friendship, feminine power, and truths about our homelands with a focus on Latinas of indigenous ancestry. All stories set in the West of the United States including Denver and California, each woman featured in the stories brings a new layer of depth to all the themes above to depict the life of Latina women in the American West.
Dominicana by Angie Cruz
In the novel by Angie Cruz, Ana Cancion migrates to the United States with fiancé Juan Ruiz and her family for new opportunities that she couldn’t have in the Dominican Republic. Despite new opportunities, she finds herself unhappy and lost at what to do. The story follows Ana as she navigates this new life, including making decisions between what is best for her personally and what is best for her close-knit family that migrated with her.
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Set in 1950s Mexico, Mexican Gothic follows the story of Noemi Taboada in her attempt to save a cousin of hers who lives in the Mexican countryside from misery. Through the story, she uncovers much about the family she is now living with while maintaining her personality of being tough, smart, unafraid which is found beneath the looks of a glamorous debutante who wears gowns and red lipstick often.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
The House on Mango Street is the only book on this list that I personally have read. In a collection of vignettes, Cisneros writes about Esperanza Cordero, a young girl growing up in Chicago. Through some are quite cute and happily written stories, mature themes such as discrimination and lust underlie each story, that illustrate the quick maturing of Esperanza though still a young girl.
Mary Ross is a third-year English major at BGSU. She enjoys all types of books, with a special love for historical fiction, poetry and Mitch Albom’s books. When she is not reading, you can find her taking care of her plants, writing content to hopefully publish her own book one day, or studying for her classes, always with a coffee nearby. Any questions about her thoughts or opinions in these blog posts can be sent to her email, mkross@bgsu.edu.
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