Celebrate Latinx Heritage: Holidays & Festivals

The aged General José de San Martín has a special relationship with his granddaughter, Merceditas, that is more important to him than his military glories and his dealings with adults, in a story that includes background on his life.

Simón Bolívar's horse, Palomo Blanco, and his dog, Nevado, help him lead his troops through the mountains and recall the adventures they shared with him, in a story that includes information on his life and accomplishments.

As a young boy, José Marti he traveled to the countryside of Cuba and fell in love with the natural beauty of the land. During this trip he also witnessed the cruelties of slavery on sugar plantations. From that moment, Martí began to fight for the abolishment of slavery and for Cuban independence from Spain through his writing. By age seventeen, he was declared an enemy of Spain and was forced to leave his beloved island. Marti traveled the world and eventually settled in New York City. But the longer he stayed away from his homeland, the sicker and weaker he became. On doctor's orders he traveled to the Catskill Mountains, where nature inspired him once again to fight for freedom. Here is a beautiful tribute to José Martí, written in verse with excerpts from his seminal work, Versos sencillos. He will always be remembered as a courageous fighter for freedom and peace among all men and women.

Between 1808 and 1826, all of mainland Latin America became independent from Spain and Portugal, the colonial powers that had ruled the region for three centuries. Undesirable economic restrictions and a caste system that favored those born in Europe made the conditions for revolution ripe in the Americas. Combined with the actions of insightful leaders, most notably Simón Bolívar and José de San Martín, Latin American independence was all but guaranteed. This title explores the revolutions, their historical causes, and the new nations' ensuing struggles, providing invaluable context for understanding the culture, politics, and social identity of the region today.