Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY .

There’s no better gift for our loved ones or ourselves than a good book. I asked a few of my favorite Latino writers to share with me what recent titles they’re excited about and why they’re worthy additions to anyone’s shopping list.

You might have come across some of these suggestions already, like a much talked-about novel by Dominican American writer Angie Cruz. Others promise to be pleasant surprises, like a poetry collection by Los Angeles poet Rocío Carlos, who made this list twice. And what about a touching picture book or an absorbing young adult novel? Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find something for every taste through the following recommendations.

1. "Mi Papi Has a Motorcycle" by Isabel Quintero (author), Zeke Peña (illustrator)

I love giving picture books as gifts to adults. They can be as transformative and powerful as any novel. My pick this year is Isabel Quintero’s love letter to a changing city, Mi Papi Has a Motorcycle — beautifully illustrated by Zeke Peña. Quintero’s gorgeous, poetic words alongside Zeke’s vivid illustrations capture the hardworking class while subtly showcasing the loss caused by gentrification. It’s impossible not to fall in love with Daisy and the people and places that shape her young life.

Recommended by Lilliam Rivera, author of the young adult books "Dealing In Dreams" and "The Education of Margot Sanchez"

2. "Love War Stories" by Ivelisse Rodríguez

"Love War Stories" was a finalist for the prestigious PEN/Faulkner award in 2018 and introduces readers to the heartbreaking and illuminating stories of Puerto Rican girls and women.

An important collection, both funny and poignant, Ivelisse Rodríguez's book is guaranteed to keep you turning pages.

Recommended by Kali Fajardo-Anstine, author of "Sabrina & Corina: Stories," finalist for the National Book Award.

3. "Native Country of the Heart" by Cherríe Moraga

Cherríe Moraga is a seminal figure in the history of queer literature, feminist literature, Chicana literature, and just plain good literature, and she's long been someone I admire, so I scooped up "Native Country of the Heart" as soon as possible. It is, ostensibly, a memoir of her own mother's life and death, but along the way Moraga connects this very personal story to the story of the borderlands themselves, to history, identity, and belonging — in the largest sense.

Moraga's memoir is the perfect book for anyone whose mother looms large over their psyche, which is to say: It's perfect for anyone who's ever had a mother.

Recommended by Justin Torres, author of "We the Animals"

4. "Don’t Date Rosa Santos" by Nina Moreno

My recommendation for this holiday season is the young adult novel "Don’t Date Rosa Santos" by Nina Moreno. But don’t let the fact that it was written for teens keep you from giving it to the adults on your list.

This Cuban-American novel has all the best aspects of a rom-com: humor, misunderstandings, romance with an attractive tattooed boy. And Moreno combines those with important themes like family, grief and loss — all wrapped in rich Latinx culture and a magical South Florida setting.

The feeling of hope it leaves you with makes it the perfect holiday read.

Recommended by Ann Dávila Cardinal, author of young adult novels "Five Midnights" and the forthcoming "Category Five"

5. "Retablos: Stories from a Life Lived Along the Border" by Octavio Solis

I am definitely gifting Octavio Solis's "Retablos," a series of gorgeously written vignettes about the events, moments, traumas and transformations that filled Solis's childhood in the east side of El Paso.

The Chicano playwright has a gift for shaping these “holy memories” to bring to life a spare, evocative existence of the working class. Bravo!

Recommended by Sergio Troncoso, author of "A Peculiar Kind of Immigrant’s Son" and "From This Wicked Patch of Dust"

6. "Ordinary Girls: A Memoir" by Jaquira Diaz

I am definitely gifting Jaquira Diaz’s superb memoir "Ordinary Girls" because, even though it is a painful read, it is illuminating and inspiring.

It takes courage to write about your deepest, most brutally painful truths, to expose your family’s history of violence and substance abuse, dysfunction and mental illness, but Diaz takes us on her journey. Through the darkness of her girlhood to the bright promise of her womanhood, Diaz shows us what is possible and what we are capable of surviving.

Recommended by Reyna Grande, author of the memoirs "The Distance Between Us" and A Dream Called Home"