Our recommended reads, films & resources

Wildcat Reads Collection

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The acclaimed author of Gods of Jade and Shadow returns with a darkly enchanting reimagining of Gothic fantasy, in which a spirited young woman discovers the haunting secrets of a beautiful old mansion in 1950s Mexico.

Wildcat Reads is a collection of recreational titles over a wide range of genres available for checkout on the 3rd floor of the Main Library.

The University of Arizona Press recommendations

Carne de Dios by Homero Aridjis and translated by Chloe Garcia Roberts

"Carne" focuses on the real-life person of María Sabina, the renowned Mazatec healer who spends her days in the small town of Huautla de Jiménez selling produce at the market and foraging under the new moon for the sacred mushrooms that grow near her home—her Holy Children, Carne de Dios, or Flesh of God. 

meXicana Roots and Routes: Listening to People, Places, and Pasts edited by Vanessa Fonseca-Chávez and Anita Huízar-Hernández

This book details little-known oral histories and archival material to present a rich account of lives along the border with emphasis on women and the working class. This is the inaugural book in the Arizona Crossroads series. 

Life Undocumented: Latinx Youth Navigating Place and Belonging by Edelina M. Burciaga 

Burciage captures the compelling stories of Latinx undocumented young adults growing up and living in two distinct sociopolitical contexts: California, which provides legal pathways into higher education for undocumented youth, and Georgia, which does not. 

Scarred Landscapes: Place, Trauma, and Memory in Caribbean Latinx Art by Stephanie Lewthwaite

"Scarred" is a groundbreaking exploration of the rich and complex works of Caribbean Latinx artists. Lewthwaite documents the work of 10 influential artists of Cuban, Dominican, and Puerto Rican descent, based in New York City from the 1970s to the present. 

Rooted in Place: Botany, Indigeneity, and Art in the Construction of Mexican Nature, 1570–1914 by Rick A. López

(Publication date: October 2025) Historian López traces how scientific intellectuals studied and debated what it meant to know and claim the flora that sprang from Mexican soil—ranging from individual plants to forests and vegetated landscapes—and the importance they placed on indigeneity. 

The University of Arizona Press (UA Press) is the premier publisher of academic, regional, and literary works in the state of Arizona. UA Press disseminates ideas and knowledge of lasting value that enrich understanding, inspire curiosity, and enlighten readers. UA Press advances the University of Arizona’s mission by connecting scholarship and creative expression to readers worldwide.

Films & documentaries

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Pan's Labyrinth: In 1944 Spain, a girl is sent to live with her ruthless stepfather. During the night, she meets a fairy who takes her to an old faun. He tells her she's a princess but must prove her royalty by surviving three gruesome tasks. The film was directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro Gómez. 

Coco: Aspiring musician Miguel, confronted with his family's ancestral ban on music, enters the Land of the Dead to find his great-great-grandfather, a legendary singer.

Encanto: An extraordinary family, the Madrigals, live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift - every child except one, Mirabel.

Selena: Biographical drama charting the extraordinary career and tragic slaying of pop singing sensation Selena Quintanilla-Pérez as her career transcended the Tejano scene that launched her into crossover, mainstream success.

Harvest of Empire: Explores the political events, social conditions and U.S. government actions that led millions of Latinos to leave their homelands and move to America.

Missing in Brooks County: Two families travel to Brooks County, Texas, to look for loved ones who went missing after crossing into the United States from Mexico. During their search, they meet vigilante ranchers, human smugglers, activists and Border Patrol agents.

U of A Libraries presents: Hispanic Heritage Month films from Kanopy

Archive Tucson oral history shorts

In the Shadow of the Freeway

Historian Lydia R. Otero talks about growing up in a neighborhood that was partly erased by the construction of Interstate-10. Listen to audio short (3:30) Otero's book of similar title, "In the Shadows of the Freeway: Growing Up Brown & Queer," is available to borrow using your CatCard.

The Latin American Social Club

Fred Martinez, former manager of the El Casino Ballroom, remembers Tucson’s Latin American Social Club in the years before urban renewal. Listen to audio short (3:43)

Archive Tucson is a living and growing collection of audio interviews about life and change in Tucson and Southern Arizona. University Libraries Oral Historian and Videographer, Aengus Anderson, has spent more than five years interviewing 100+ people and recording their stories about our city.

Additional resources

Special Collections: Borderlands collections

University Libraries Special Collections has one of the nation's finest collections of archival materials and printed texts on the Borderlands of the Southwest and Northwest of Mexico, from Baja, California to Tamaulipas, Mexico. The Borderlands collections document the region's culture and history, from the colonial period to the present. Accounts of Native Americans and their ancestors, the impact of Spanish and Mexican settlement and the influx of people into the region during the 19th century are also included.

Mexican American Studies LibGuide

LibGuides are online research guides created by librarians to assist users in navigating library resources and research materials on specific topics. Our Mexican American Studies LibGuide was designed to help faculty with their research and instruction.