September Reading Adventures: Engaging Activities and Resources Inspired by our Books We Love Picks

Lindsey Hinebaugh
Sep 18
4 min read

Our Books We Love program highlights four books every month that ignite a love for reading and affirm and reflect the diversity of young readers. We prioritize books that showcase the work of people of color and those from marginalized communities.

Every September, we welcome educators and kids back to the classroom and also celebrate Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month. This months book selections highlight both of those themes.

September Books We Love

You can purchase these books for educators in Dane County by visiting our wish list, or purchase for your own classrooms and homes from our Bookshop.

When Sun Rises

Author: Aida Salazar | Illustrator: Caribay M. Benavides | Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop

Using Mexican concepts, this poignantly lyrical series invites young children to pay witness to nature and the ways in which the outside world interacts with our own human rhythms. The Sun guides all life on Earth. We move to its cycles through the seasons—listening to the awakening of nature in spring, celebrating the shining warmth in summer, honoring our loved ones in autumn, and dreaming of better days ahead in winter. Its steadfastness touches and gives life to every being, showcasing the power of universal interconnectedness.

Award-winning author Aida Salazar lovingly turns her attention to the youngest readers with her signature lyrical text—in English with a few Spanish words interwoven, perfectly paired with vibrant, mystical art crafted by Caribay M. Benavides. This book is a truly meaningful and formative experience for all young readers.

Fall is for Beginnings

Author: Rajani LaRocca | Illustrator: Abhi Alwar | Publisher: Harry N. Abrams

Ravi can’t wait for the start of the new school year! Fall is for cool weather, new school supplies, and spending time with his best friend, Joe. But when a new girl named Ellie joins their class, Ravi and Joe’s duo suddenly becomes a trio.

Ravi’s not so sure about Ellie—she plays her horn too loud in music lessons and gets them lost on the way to class. Worst of all, she keeps saying she’s Joe and Ravi’s best friend.

All these big changes are challenging for Ravi, but with time (and a little help from his wise older sister) he realizes that fall is the perfect time to begin a new friendship.

From the award-winning team behind Summer Is for Cousins, this heartwarming picture book all about back-to-school fun celebrates the (sometimes complicated) joy of making new friends.

An Encantadora's Guide to Monstros and Magic

Author: Sarah J. Mendonca | Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Rosa Coelho has spent her whole life hunting monstros, wandering the city streets with her best friend Tiago, and dreaming of a better life for herself and her grandmother. And in a society that favors the rich and educated, every piece of knowledge comes with a hefty price, even the most basic books Rosa’s family needs to trap monstrous.

So when the powerful Ministério dos Monstros threatens her family’s struggling Encantadora shop, Rosa only has two weeks to scrape together the money for their debts. It seems like an impossible task…until Rosa tricks her way onto an infamous thief crew as their magical safecracker.

Thrust into the world of high class luxury and betrayal, Rosa is pulled into a scheme with the highest possible stakes: stealing from the Ministry itself. She must learn to trust her magical abilities and her crew—for if the heist goes wrong, everything she loves is forfeit.

***Note: this book highlights Portuguese culture, which is not Hispanic or Latine AND is still a great read for spooky season! ***

You can learn more about the author and creation of the book by reading this interview.

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel

Author: Maggie Stiefvater and Stephanie Williams (adapted by) | Author: Sas Milledge | Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Blue Sargent comes from a family of psychics. Only, she has never had the same clairvoyant abilities they had and has always felt too ordinary within the magic that surrounded her. Enter Gansey, a rich student from Aglionby, the town’s all-boys private school teeming with wealth, privilege, and trouble. Blue's always made it a point to stay away from its students, the Raven Boys.

But when Gansey asks her to join him and three other Raven Boys on his quest to find a long-forgotten Welsh king rumored to be sleeping beneath the mountains of their quiet Virginia town, Blue doesn’t hesitate. She jumps at the chance to finally be a part of something real and full of magic, a world she was born into yet one that always stood just out of reach. Soon enough, she’s swept into a strange and shifting world woven into theirs, one far more dangerous than anything they could have dreamt up.

Now reimagined as a stunning full-color graphic novel adapted by Stephanie Williams and illustrated by Sas Milledge, The Raven Boys unravels a thrilling plot around a cast of characters impossible to forget.

Check out this interview with the author about this new version of her beloved series! You might also be interested in the discussion guide created from the original book.

Ways to Celebrate Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month Classrooms

Read books about Latin American history and culture
Introduce Spanish language into your classroom
Sing and dance to traditional music
Make a traditional meal and share it with your students
Learn more about a Latin American tradition (holidays, celebrations, etc. vary widely across cultures and communities)
Invite your students’ families to share parts of their culture with your class
Nurture curiosity and nuance (keep in mind that this community is not a monolith and that there’s no right or wrong way to connect or identify)
Here's a list of 40 crafts and activities to celebrate Latine and Hispanic Heritage Month!
This is also a great resource that includes important people to learn about, foods to try, and more!