In their debut picture book, Frederick Luis Aldama and Chris Escobar invite young readers along on the adventures of Chupacabra Charlie, a polite, handsome, and unusually tall ten-year-old chupacabra yearning for adventure beyond the edge of los Estados Unidos. Little does Charlie know when he befriends a young human, Lupe, that together, with only some leftover bacon quesadillas and a few cans of Jumex, they might just encounter more adventure than they can handle. Along the way, they meet strange people and terrifying danger, and their bravery will be put to the test. Thankfully, Charlie is a reassuring and winsome companion who never doubts that he and Lupe will return safely home. 
With magical realism, allegory, and gentle humor, Aldama and Escobar have created a story that will resonate with young and old readers alike as it incorporates folklore into its subtle take on the current humanitarian crisis at the border.
 

Amherst Suite: Emily Dickinson, Spanish Translation & Poetic Transcreation is a dialogue between Emily Dickinson and Alberto Blanco, one of Mexico’s most acclaimed contemporary poets. At the book’s heart is a selection of Dickinson’s most emblematic poems, masterfully translated into Spanish by Blanco—fifty-five poems to celebrate each year of Emily Dickinson’s life. Blanco’s translations closely match Dickinson’s metric and rhythm while also preserving her signature imagery, symbols, and moods. Following these translations is Blanco’s collection of original poems dedicated to Dickinson, "Amherst Suite," translated into English by Jennifer Rathbun for the first time. Staying true to Dickinson’s style, Blanco uses dashes, unusual capitalization, vivid imagery, quatrains, and rhyme while exploring her recurring themes—nature, mortality, and spirituality. Bold and innovative, Blanco’s “suite” unites the American and Mexican poetic traditions. 

Opening with a creative essay by renowned author Ilan Stavans, the volume also includes a conversation between Blanco and scholar Ronald J. Friis; Blanco’s own essay on Dickinson, translated into English by Jennifer Rathbun; as well as an introduction by Rathbun that helpfully situates this interlinguistic, intercultural, and inter-generational network. Amherst Suite is a fascinating and unique look into the work and worlds of poets and their translators and will be an invaluable text for students, scholars, and all readers of Emily Dickinson. 

This groundbreaking study investigates the close and paradoxical relationship of art and race during the Enlightenment.

In this text, French art historian Anne Lafont examines the complexities and contradictions in Enlightenment-era ideas about race, focusing on the figurations of Africans and other people of color. Through studies of a wide range of eighteenth-century art, Lafont grounds her analysis in the objects themselves and, by doing so, highlights how visual works can reveal the values of the culture that produced them.

While Lafont locates—unsurprisingly—instances of the marginalization and objectification of Black people, she also draws attention to depictions that present African sitters as subjects in their own right. For example, Anne-Louis Girodet’s Portrait of Jean-Baptiste Belley (1797) offers a dignified, individualized representation of this formerly enslaved French politician from Saint-Domingue; and portraits of anonymous sitters show them as actual persons whose costumes and poses demonstrate their agency.

Ultimately, Lafont moves beyond artworks to consider the broader intellectual context of the Enlightenment, particularly ideas about freedom, equality, and universal human rights, which were anchored in visual culture and indexed by it. She reveals how these ideals often conflicted with the realities of colonialism and the shifting status of Black people during this era.

A layered exploration of the immigrant identity through the voices of multiple Nigerian American characters.

The Yoruba word Ará’lúèbó (/ah-rah-loo-ay-bow/), as the book tells us, means “an endearing term for a native who has gone abroad, and/or is returning” or “a person who becomes a foreigner everywhere they go.”

In his debut poetry collection, KÁNYIN Olorunnisola showcases the expansiveness of the immigrant experience through the form of the choreopoem, a non-Western style of poetry that incorporates elements of music and theater. The collection tells a multitude of stories through five people (Odunsi, beja, Levi, Sekina, and Ismaila), who, though fictional, represent the emotional truths of the lived experience of an African residing in the United States. As Ismaila says early on, “we r five fly kids hyphenated by time & / geography.”

Mixing Yoruba, Nigerian Pidgin, and English, Ará’lúèbó: The Immigrant Monologues is a blend of linguistic influences, with debts to visual art and rap music. At the center of its expression is formal experimentation; poems are structured like movie screenplays, diary entries, flowcharts, pie charts, and dictionary entries. The book encompasses a broad span of American, African, and other world history, even as it is strongly rooted in the contemporary, with references to Lauryn Hill, Kendrick Lamar, and other Black creatives. Ultimately, the book asks who is allowed to belong and paints a portrait of what it means to be American and from elsewhere.

A story of first love across cities spanning the decade that transformed the internet

In the halls of an elite East Coast high school, Arjun and Payal fall in love as the world begins to tilt toward the digital. Over the next eight years, their trajectories diverge as sharply as the fractured internet itself. Payal ascends to the dizzying, dopamine-fueled heights of New York’s influencer economy, finding fame on Boost, a looping video app that is as rewarding as it is demanding. Meanwhile, in a cavernous office in Chicago, Arjun, a musician whose dreams have quieted, now cleans up the same platform’s debris, moderating the internet’s darkest videos. When a brutal act of political violence against a beloved musician goes viral, this rip in reality forces the pair to confront the motivations of the platforms they inhabit. A sharp exploration of creative ambition and the multifarious nature of identity, this is a story of love in the time of infinite scroll and a look at what we sacrifice to be seen.

In the summer of 1942, Eve Halverson assumes her dead sister’s identity and leaves behind her small-town life in Washington for the promise of something new in San Pedro, California. Determined to support the war effort, she takes a job at a boot factory, stepping into an unfamiliar world of sweat, steel, and camaraderie. Among the women on the factory floor, she finds resilience, laughter, and unexpected friendships that begin to reshape her understanding of the world—and herself.

But it’s the quiet, captivating dockworker and blues singer Hard Times (H.T.) who truly upends her life. As Eve grows closer to H.T., she finds herself drawn into his world, one filled with music, longing, and the ever-present shadows of prejudice. Their connection forces Eve to confront realities she’d never imagined, challenging the boundaries of her own perceptions and the risks of crossing societal lines. When Eve becomes a witness to a violent crime at a blues club, her life takes a dangerous turn. As she navigates the escalating threats, she leans on the strength of her newfound friends and the fragile, complex bond she shares with H.T.

Set against the vibrant yet turbulent backdrop of World War II–era California, Emerald City Blues is a heartfelt coming-of-age story. It explores the complexities of love, the power of friendship, and the courage it takes to forge your own path in an uncertain world. Eve’s journey is one of discovery—not just of the world beyond her hometown, but of the resilience and strength she never knew she possessed.

This book shines a new light on J. E. Casely Hayford’s Ethiopia Unbound, widely considered the first English-language novel published by an African writer. Casely Hayford drew material from his eminent career as a barrister, statesman, and newspaper editor to augment the book’s fictional elements, showcasing the tremendous intellectual versatility of West Africa. Moving between London and the Gold Coast, as well as across the past, present, and imagined future of Casely Hayford’s Fante civilization, Ethiopia Unbound is an essential record of how Africans at the turn of the twentieth century made sense of their place in a rapidly changing world.

A richly imagined, physically charged poetry collection in which history, myth, and protest are transformed into lyrical gestures.

Sylvie Kandé’s Gestuary offers a collection of gestures—of death and life, of tenderness and brutality—that fractures the flow of time. Senegalese riflemen from World War I are juxtaposed with migrants at borders who sew their lips shut in protest over immigration policies. In dream-like sequences, the dead refuse to stay underground and “push against the fence / that swings between our realm and theirs.” Inspired by unexpected sources, including jazz, sculpture, the legacy of the slave trade, proverbs, and elements of Diola culture, Kandé’s poems are rich in musicality and sophisticated syntax, rendered into a lyrical and luminous English by Nancy Naomi Carlson.

At the store, Shakur is ready to walk around instead of riding in the cart. He explores aisles filled with colorful choices. Dad reminds him that he can only pick one treat. Will it be strawberries or cookies? When it is time to check out, Shakur is a good helper and places the groceries on the belt. His trip to the store captures the excitement and pride of growing up.

About the Shakur Series:
The Shakur Series features Black deaf characters who use American Sign Language, offering a unique and inclusive reading experience for children. The vibrant illustrations showcase a signing family and will captivate young minds, while the engaging text reinforces learning. These charming board books contain positive messages and practical lessons, support early childhood development, and encourage children to explore the world with Shakur. This series honors and celebrates Black deaf experiences through everyday adventures that will resonate with young children and their families.

Published in partnership with The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.

From brushing his teeth to picking out his clothes, Shakur guides young readers through a cheerful and instructive morning routine. As Shakur remembers to do his morning activities, he engages in important decision-making. His mom helps him consider the weather to choose the perfect outfit and presents him with healthy breakfast options. This board book not only mirrors the familiar activities of a child’s morning but also reinforces the importance of having a routine and making good choices.

About the Shakur Series:
The Shakur Series features Black deaf characters who use American Sign Language, offering a unique and inclusive reading experience for children. The vibrant illustrations showcase a signing family and will captivate young minds, while the engaging text reinforces learning. These charming board books contain positive messages and practical lessons, support early childhood development, and encourage children to explore the world with Shakur. This series honors and celebrates Black deaf experiences through everyday adventures that will resonate with young children and their families.

Published in partnership with The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.

This cozy bedtime story is filled with hugs and kisses, bathtime fun, and gentle encouragements towards establishing a nighttime routine. Shakur begins by saying good night to his family. Then Dad prepares a bubble bath where Shakur enjoys some playful moments. Afterward, Shakur puts on his pajamas and brushes his teeth. They finish with a story — but Shakur isn’t quite ready to sleep. He tries all sorts of things to stay awake, but Dad emphasizes the importance of bedtime. Finally, with his favorite stuffed animal beside him, Shakur drifts off to sleep.

About the Shakur Series:
The Shakur Series features Black deaf characters who use American Sign Language, offering a unique and inclusive reading experience for children. The vibrant illustrations showcase a signing family and will captivate young minds, while the engaging text reinforces learning. These charming board books contain positive messages and practical lessons, support early childhood development, and encourage children to explore the world with Shakur. This series honors and celebrates Black deaf experiences through everyday adventures that will resonate with young children and their families.

Published in partnership with The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.

A landmark survey of African American literature about Black experiences of the maritime environment.

The ocean is foundational to the story of Africans in America, beginning with the searing Middle Passage. Initially evoking terror, pain, and death, the ocean also became associated with escape, empowerment, freedom, and home, as over time, African Americans in seaport towns found work, built communities, and gained knowledge from travelers. David R. Anderson shows in this groundbreaking collection of memoir, fiction, poetry, and more that African American maritime literature summons many of the traditional themes—survival in the face of overwhelming natural force, sublimity, demonstration of skill and merit, and self-discovery—but often with an eye on legacies of imperialism, slavery, discrimination, and cultural erasure.

Divided thematically across ten sections that address peril, labor, recreation, and more, the book gathers work by influential writers and intellectuals from the eighteenth century to the present, including: Lucille Clifton, Edwidge Danticat, Frederick Douglass, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, W. E. B. DuBois, Camille T. Dungy, Marcus Garvey, Robert Hayden, Zora Neale Hurston, Major Jackson, Harriet Jacobs, John S. Jacobs, Nella Larsen, Claude McKay, Toni Morrison, Walter Mosley, Natasha Trethewey, Phillis Wheatley, Colson Whitehead, and Kevin Young. 

Chupacabra Charlie es un chupacabras de diez años educado, guapo e inusualmente alto que anhela la aventura más allá de los límites de México, pero no muy al norte. Poco sabe Charlie cuando se hace amigo de una joven humana, Lupe, que juntos, con solo algunas quesadillas de tocino y algunas latas de Jumex, encontrarán más aventuras de las que podrían manejar. En el camino, se encuentrarán con personas extrañas y peligros inesperados en la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México que ponen a prueba su valentía. ¿Podrán Charlie y Lupe regresar sanos y salvos a casa?

Grandma is coming to visit! Grandma shows Hwa how to garden and how to make tofu from soybeans with a little bit of magic. Hwa helps Grandma in the garden, and then the whole family eats the yummy dishes that Grandma and Hwa made with love.

Min and his Dad go camping and have an adventure in nature! First, they set up their tent, and then they explore together. They learn how to respect nature by not disturbing things they find. As it gets dark, they use a map to find their way back, and then they build a campfire and look at the stars. They realize that they are part of the wonderful world around them and promise to explore nature again soon.

Min asks his parents whether or not he can be an artist. Mom helps him draw and mix colors to paint. Dad shows Min how to preserve memories by taking pictures with his camera. Then Min has a fun idea for the family: let's make an imaginary world! They create together, and Min learns that creating things makes him an artist. When he grows up, he can be anything he wants!

At playtime, Hwa really wants to play with the other children, but she also wants all the fun things for herself! This makes the other children sad because they can't play too. When a friend shares with Hwa, Hwa learns that sharing can be sweet. She starts to share too. Everyone plays together, makes friends, and has fun as they learn signs together.

At bedtime, Dad reads Min and Hwa a story about the Moon and the Sun. They wish upon a shooting star, and the stars come to their window! Min becomes the bright Sun, but Hwa is afraid of the dark. After learning about a firefly, she becomes the gentle Moon who shines at night. Just like the Korean folktale the author learned as a child, the Moon and Sun take turns lighting up the world.

In his fourth full-length collection, Jose Hernandez Diaz explores the first-generation Mexican American experience in nuanced linear verse, avant-garde offerings, and deadpan absurdist prose poems. 

The Lighthouse Tattoo features plainspoken pieces that reveal the Latinx experience through the lens of a socially conscious contrarian in work that melds the quotidian and the profound. Also included, of course, are experimental prose poems in the signature style and voice that contributed to the meteoric rise of this unique artist. Invoking James Tate, Gabriel García Márquez, Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Albert Camus, Marosa di Giorgio, and others, Hernandez Diaz cements his place in both the poetic and surrealist traditions. 

Even as it unravels mysteries and explores the strange—zebras in a zoo on the moon or English dragons on the Pacific Coast Highway—The Lighthouse Tattoo shines its light on the complex emotions of a seasoned Latinx poet. In this extraordinary volume, the titular tattoo itself becomes evidence of a trauma survived, an apt metaphor for the book as a whole. As one speaker says, “I’m trapped inside of this prose poem, but I don’t want to get out. It's nice and cozy in here. I’m invincible.”

After a long car ride filled with anticipation, Shakur is welcomed at his family reunion by a flurry of warm hugs from his grandparents. There are cousins to play with, including Judah, who Shakur has never met before. Judah is hearing and does not sign. No problem! Throughout a day filled with adventures together, Shakur teaches Judah a new language — American Sign Language. With this story, children will discover the joys of family and new friendships.

About the Shakur Series:
The Shakur Series features Black deaf characters who use American Sign Language, offering a unique and inclusive reading experience for children. The vibrant illustrations showcase a signing family and will captivate young minds, while the engaging text reinforces learning. These charming board books contain positive messages and practical lessons, support early childhood development, and encourage children to explore the world with Shakur. This series honors and celebrates Black deaf experiences through everyday adventures that will resonate with young children and their families.

Published in partnership with The Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center.

Song of Gray approaches Black experience by clarifying the concrete worlds that exist between humanity and objecthood. Asha Futterman renders this in-between space as it reveals itself in performance: in a contemporary performance workshop, at an audition, in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and in the dailiness of the YMCA, her porch, the walk to the train.

These poems build new logic systems. Futterman stands at her grandmother’s grave and proclaims, “how powerful how dense and naked how inaccurate.” With quiet, deadpan, and piercing language, Song of Gray offers earnest, felt relationships to race, empathy, pleasure, and nonsense. 

“There wasn’t a sunrise / just gray / then brighter gray.” In Song of Gray, blackness is not definite—it is an ambivalent hole as much as an area of hope. Blackness is a song of gray

Unbroken Nostalgia: Haitian Kreyòl Poetry in Cuba is the first English translation and scholarly edition of the collection Nostalji san pwen ni vigil: pwezi kreyòl nan peyi Kiba (2016) by Hilario Batista Félix. A poet, journalist, and language activist, Batista (1955– ) embodies and expresses Cuba’s cultural and linguistic diversity as a descendant of Haitian migrant workers to Eastern Cuba during the mid-twentieth century; his poems bridge regions usually separated by language—the Spanish and Creolophone/Francophone Caribbean—and vividly depict the distinct heritage of Haitian Cubans and their shared dreams and challenges. A scholarly introduction by translator and editor Mariana F. Past provides biographical information about the author, situates his work within Haitian diasporic literature, and addresses patterns of Haitian migration to Cuba. Batista’s original poems appear alongside facing-page English translations with annotations that clarify historical figures and events, geographical features, and Haitian cultural and religious practices. Grounded in oral storytelling traditions, Unbroken Nostalgia brings to light the collective memory and complicated hybridity of the Haitian community in Cuba and upholds Haitian Kreyòl as a language of resistance.