South Central

Serafina has a secret dream. She wants to go to school and become a doctor with her best friend, Julie Marie. But in their rural village outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti, many obstacles stand in Serafina's way - little money, never-ending chores, and Manman's worries. More powerful even than all of these are the heavy rains and the shaking earth that test Serafina's resolve in ways she never dreamed. At once heartbreaking and hopeful, this exquisitely crafted story will leave a lasting impression on your heart.

Howler monkeys spend most of their lives in the trees. Learn about these noisy monkeys and their habitats in Howler Monkeys.

"I did not go to Nicaragua intending to write a book, or, indeed, to write at all: but my encounter with the place affected me so deeply that in the end I had no choice." So notes Salman Rushdie in his first work of nonfiction, a book as imaginative and meaningful as his acclaimed novels. In The Jaguar Smile, Rushdie paints a brilliantly sharp and haunting portrait of the people, the politics, the terrain, and the poetry of "a country in which the ancient, opposing forces of creation and destruction were in violent collision".

Welcome to Ecuador! See the sites. Enjoy the food. Hear the language. Discover this country's land, people, and traditions.

Welcome to Colombia! See the sites. Enjoy the food. Hear the language. Discover this country's land, people, and traditions.

What is it like to live in or visit Guatemala? What makes Guatemala’s culture unique? Explore the geography, traditions, and daily lives of Guatemalan people.

What would it be like to live in Ecuador? How is Ecuador's culture unique? Explore the sights, traditions, and daily lives of Ecuadorians!

Six months after Paola Santiago confronted the legendary La Llorona, life is nothing like she'd expected it to be. She is barely speaking to her best friends, Dante and Emma, and what's worse, her mom has a totally annoying boyfriend. Even with her chupacabra puppy, Bruto, around, Pao can't escape the feeling that she's all alone in the world. Pao has no one to tell that she's having nightmares again, this time set in a terrifying forest.

Central and South America were full of great civilizations. This book discusses five of the most famous: the Olmecs, Toltecs, Aztecs, Incas, and Maya. These civilizations first showed up in Central and South America over 1,000 years ago, and some descendants of these tribes are still living in these regions today!

From the Canadian Rockies to the Panamanian jungle, Motorcycle Therapy rumbles with comic adventure as two men, fleeing failed relationships, test the limits of their motorcycles and their friendship. Join the horn-honking, signal-flashing, wheelie-popping pair as they endure painful bee stings, painful snake bites, and (when they talk to girls) painful humiliation.

Deep in the rain forests of the Amazon jungle, a village of very lazy people wishes to do nothing but lie in their hammocks and think great thoughts. One day, a mysterious man arrives who is able to create monkeys that do absolutely everything for them. Soon, the monkeys multiply and take on every human activity - including complaining.

In the final installment, Keyshia and Bully return with devastating news that could cause harm to their whole family. While Bully works to protect his household, it seems like he could never win. Every day is an uphill battle for the newlyweds. As each day goes by, Bully realizes he's not ready to be a father like he thought he was.

Keyshia felt like bad luck followed behind her. Plus, she didn’t have any luck with men. Everyone she gave her heart to only left it in shattered pieces. Right now she is facing the most pain she has ever felt. Her granny’s cancer diagnosis is up and down and she doesn’t know what the future holds.

Santos Paola Santiago has recently returned from Oregon, where she defeated the Hitchhiker ghost and saved her father from the vengeful spirit that was possessing him. The poor girl deserves a rest! But first she has to rescue Dante from the void, where he's been imprisoned by some unknown force. Paola's prophetic dreams seem to have dried up, so she has to find other ways to locate a new rift where she can enter the void. Signs point to Texas—but how is she going to get there from Arizona?

If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all - and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell.

The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good - the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent - and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba. Esther's evocative letters are full of her appreciation for life and reveal a resourceful, determined girl....

Prepare for a journey into a world filled with what so many crave - the sweet savoring of a chocolate drop. A drop that can melt even the most troubled realities. But in this nuanced, heartrending story, before good can emerge, there is destruction, the bombarding of a people, their culture, heritage, sacred beliefs, and the very soul that drives their traditions.

Though everyone in the village of  Tres Montes thinks Sonia Ocampo is blessed, she knows she is nothing but a fraud. She’s spent her life listening to the hopes and wishes of her neighbors and family, but when a classmate dies despite her prayers, she is forced to realize that she has no special powers - no way to prevent bad things from happening.

This guide provides an overview of the the Guatemalan language and culture. The audio course covers key vocabulary for use in Guatemala including commonly used words and phrases such as greetings, questions, numbers, and colors as well as many other topics.

They call Gabriela "Tree Girl". Gabi climbs trees to be within reach of the eagles and watch the sun rise into an empty sky. She is at home among the outstretched branches of the Guatemalan forests. Then one day from the safety of a tree, Gabi witnesses the sights and sounds of an unspeakable massacre. She vows to be Tree Girl no more and joins the hordes of refugees struggling to reach the Mexican border. She has lost her whole family; her entire village has been wiped out.