Book Club

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 6-7:30pm

Reading: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

This classic love story takes place on the De la Garza ranch, as the tyrannical owner, Mama Elena, chops onions at the kitchen table in her final days of pregnancy. While still in her mother's womb, her daughter begins to weep so violently she causes an early labor, and little Tita slips out amid the spices and fixings for noodle soup. This early encounter with food soon becomes a way of life, and Tita grows up to be a master chef, using cooking to express herself and sharing recipes with readers along the way.

Young Readers Circle for 5-8 year olds: 

May Your Life Be Deliciosa by Micheal Genhart 

Lucia the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonar Garza 

Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 6-7:30pm

Reading: When I was Puerto Rican by Esmeralda Santiago  

Considered to be the first of three installments that make up her memoir, Esmeralda Santiago's most prominent work "When I Was a Puerto Rican" starts in rural Puerto Rico, portraying the tropical sounds, sights, and even the poverty she knew growing up. When her mother takes off to New York with her children, Esmeralda goes from eating guava fruits and listening to the coquí every night to learn a new language and transition to a new way of living. Santiago contrasts the peaceful landscapes with her early years' turbulent family dynamic and takes the reader on her journey from the barrio to Brooklyn to Harvard. The book touches on subjects like self-discovery, immigration, and her Puerto Rican identity.

Young Reader Circle for 5-8 year olds:

Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina (5-8 years old)

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