Chapter book- Diversity

Once Upon a Cuento
Edited by: Lyn-Miller Lachmann

This young adult’s chapter book full of short stories opens your eyes to diversity! Once Upon a Cuento, is an anthology of short stories by contemporary authors. The stories explore heritage and history, identity, language, and relationships from the perspective of Mexican-American, Cuban-American, Dominican-American, and Puerto Rican writers. Contributors include award winning Puerto Rican children’s authors Nicholasa Mohr and Carmen T. Bernier-Grand; Cuban-American novelist, essayist, and poet Virgil Suárez; and Mexican-American short story writers and teachers Lorraine López and Sergio Troncoso.

The stories are grouped by theme—heritage, holidays, and contemporary culture; family life; friends and other relationships; and dealing with differences. Individual stories explore additional themes such as the challenge of making do with little money, the process of moving to a new country and learning English, and young people’s relationships to animals and to the natural world. Each story contains an introduction that offers historical, cultural, and biographical information.