*I got an arc of this an embarrassingly long time ago*

Note: I am Latine (first gen Canadian on my paternal side) but I am not American & pretty disconnected (not by choice) from that culture. So definitely don't value my opinions more than my counterparts with lived experiences!

First off, I searched the book for the word "trans" and was pleased by the inclusion of Sylvia Rivera. I am however a bit disappointed that she appears to be the only queer person listed? While I understand that the book is limited by people who influenced the United States, I find it really unlikely that she is the only one worth mentioning. While I will admit that I am quite ignorant of famous Latine people (one of the reasons I got this book!), I did find this oversight to be a bit of a disappointment. The introduction mentions "LGBTQ advocacy" but this seems to be limited to Rivera and Lin Manuel Miranda (who is not queer to the best of my knowledge)

I'm writing this review as I go through the book, and I am impressed at the information that Sabrina Vourvoulias manages to fit in each small section! However I am a little uncomfortable with the tragic deaths that are included especially considering it is inconsistent and the deaths do not appear to be relevant to why the chosen people are famous?? I think maybe the short format just isn't the right medium to include this.

Sylvia Acevedo's work in both engineering & Girl Scouts was interesting to read about & I will have to look more into this!

However, I feel a bit uncomfortable with the inclusion of Luis Walter Alvarez given he apparently "was one of a number of scientists who were a part of the Manhattan Project"?? If the book was just about people who shaped the United States (positively and negatively) then I feel like this would be fair enough. But the fact that his work on atomic bombs was addressed for under two sentences feels a bit gross.

Pura Belpré seems like a super cool lady that I need to know more about-- I love librarians!

The discussion of Julia de Burgos's death seems a bit callous??

I'm grateful for the inclusion of Xiuhtezcatl Martínez since I feel like Latine culture (at least the parts I am in) are pretty trash about acknowledging the different privileges of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people (even if both are PoC).

This is a great book that includes one figure that should not be amongst it pages. The person is almost at the end of the book and I was left with a lingering bad taste in my mouth. So much so that as I write this review two years after I read it, the person in the one thing I remember about the book.

I loved this book, it is important to have people that all students can look up to and this provides a mirror for my students. I think this is important to have in every classroom and I have recommended it to other teachers in my school. Thank you for the opportunity to let me read this book.

This book would make a great addition to any classroom or home library. It introduces the reader to a diverse array of Latinx heroes who have shaped the United States in important and often under-appreciated ways. The short biographies in this book are detailed and interesting and always leave you wanting to know more about these amazing individuals.

This book adds to the diversity to any teacher's bookshelf. The presentation of people who have persevered in light of challenges will add to the depth of knowledge for the reader.