Latino Books Month Reading Lists, Kit Available

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To help bookstores and libraries mark May is Latino Books Month, the Association of American Publishers' Publishing Latino Voices for America (PLVA) Task Force has teamed with the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) and others to present a recommended reading list of children's books intended to foster "bookjoy" and to encourage families to read together. The list includes titles in English and in Spanish as well as bilingual titles, nonfiction, picture books, and novels, all celebrating Latino culture and Latin American identity.

AAP has also created guides to help booksellers and librarians service Latinos in their communities, including information on how to create reading groups. Children's and adult book lists and the Latino Books Month Kit are available for download on the Get Caught Reading website, www.getcaughtreading.org. Popular Get Caught Reading/¡Ajá, leyendo! campaign posters of Jorge Ramos, Dora the Explorer, Jenna Bush, and others are also available.

The groups note that promoting books and literacy among Latinos is both good for business and for communities. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that this year the Hispanic population will reach 47.8 million or 15.5 percent of the nation's total population, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or racial minority. Latino Books Month provides a focus and resources for booksellers, librarians, and others who wish to promote books and reading in their communities by hosting reading groups, bilingual readings of favorite books, in-store displays, and other events.