El día de los niños/El día de los libros: Books in Spanish and English

Young readers will delight in this colorful and exuberant celebration of reading that features a culturally and physically diverse cast of children seen reading books in settings both real and fantastical. Told in a simple and rhythmical language, Book Fiesta! vividly conveys the power of story and imagination, which particularly shines thorough in Pura Belpre Award winning illustrator Rafael Lopez’ vibrant art work.

In English and Spanish.

Mexican American author Sandra Cisneros and illustrator Terry Ybáñez have created a brilliant and well-illustrated book. Hair/Pelitos is told from the point of view of a child who describes the different types of hair everyone in her family has. It was originally published in Cisneros' novel "The House on Mango Street". Cultural content is subtle and comes in the form of the celebration of family.

In English and Spanish.

This colorful and heartwarming children's story gives readers a view of Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration. The books takes you along on a journey of twin sisters Rosita and Conchita who reunite through love on this special day. Readers are given a taste of culture through beautiful, colorful illustrations. The bilingual rhyming scheme and the interesting storyline intertwine to help those learning Spanish improve vocabulary and learn culture.

In English and Spanish

This easy-to-read, bilingual book is great material for young children and Spanish beginners. The culture-rich story of Maria takes the readers on a journey of Incan Peru. The Spanish and English are both very easy to follow, with lovely simple illustrations to accompany the story. The illustrations themselves are very warm and inviting, and give the readers a look into a different culture. The twist of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” gives readers a fun way to compare, connect, and understand the different cultures. This book is definitely a must-have for young readers and Spanish beginners.

In English and Spanish

My Aunt Otilia's Spirits tells the story of a seemingly ordinary woman named Aunt Otilia when she comes to visit her nephew and his family, but what or who she brings with her isn't so ordinary. She brings mysterious spirits with her that like to make themselves known by banging on walls, throwing silverware, and shaking beds. At night is when things become even stranger; her skeleton would rise from her body and travel on its own. Overall, this Spanish and English written book makes for a fantastic Halloween story for those who seek literature of another culture with strong beliefs in the paranormal.

El Perro con Sombrero is a heartwarming story about a dog trying to find what his heart truly desires: a loving family. This book has parallel English and Spanish text as well as bright watercolor and digitized images. Pepe, el perro con sombrero, finally finds his family and takes up residence with his arch nemesis. This children’s story touches on the importance of family and looking past your differences with others. El Perro con Sombrero is perfect for beginning language learners or someone looking for a cheerful story.

In English and Spanish

My Colors/Mis Colores is a book well written in English and Spanish by Rebecca Emberley. The book is a great book to read because the author uses bright and bold words in the book. It makes it easier for readers to remember the words. The author’s usage of illustration of different fruits and animals is a great way of making the reader remember the words. This book is fun and the colors make it a great book for bilingual readers.

This is a bilingual story about a cow named Tomasa who was very different from her friends mainly because she only had one horn. In the beginning of the book Tomasa wasn't happy because she wanted to be free but she didn't fully understand what that meant. With the help of her friends Tomasa chose to follow her dreams and search for freedom. In the end Tomasa finds her happy place. The message for children is to follow your dreams, and to never give up.

In English and Spanish

This story does a wonderful job at meshing both Jewish and Latina heritages together, through a young girl's transition into adulthood, and her childhood blanket that goes along with her. As Maya grows up, her cherished blue and green blanket with purple butterflies that her Abuelita hand-stitched for her too becomes old and worn. To preserve it, the blanket is transformed into smaller items, eventually becoming a bookmark, which inspires the creation of a book.

In English and Spanish.

This is the story of Latin writer Gabriel Garcĺa Márquez's experiences as a young boy. His adventures through this beautiful picture book show his imagination and his love for collecting stories. It also sets the scene for his adult life. We are able to see the strong connection he feels towards both his family and his culture.

In English and Spanish.

Rene is a young boy from El Salvador attending his first day of school in the United States. When he walks into class he sees that only one of his last names is on his name tag. Rene adds his other last name and the other students make fun of him for how long his name is. After the teacher assigns a family tree project and Rene explains to the class why he has two last names. The children are intrigued and the story ends with a celebration

In English and Spanish

Deborah Mills' short children's book is a beautiful depiction of an immigrant’s journey into the United States. The co-author, Alfredo Alva provides a realistic tale of one family's separation through his own experience as a child. The illustrator, Claudia Navarro, uses bright colors alongside the bilingual text to catch the audience's attention. Altogether, they bring the reader a captivating and immersive illustrative text.

This colorful and lively rhyming recipe book allows readers to follow, step by step, the making of rice pudding, leaving them hungry. Vibrant images enhance the poem.

This story is an adorable bilingual book that incorporates culture, family, and important life lessons. When Abuelita first comes to live with her grandson Jose and his family, Jose is not sure what to expect. Although the grandmother is aging, she is full of energy and life and is always teaching her grandchildren new things. Jose learns to enjoy and appreciate his grandmothers company and all of the stories, meals, songs, and activities she has to share with him and his family. The detailed and colorful illustrations help to engage readers of all ages.

In both English and Spanish

This colorful adaptation of an old Peruvian folk tale follows Fox's attempts to go to the moon. Various other animals come to Fox's aid and help him to reach his goal. The oversized, eye-catching illustrations in this book help carry the story and make it aesthetically appealing to readers of any age.

In English and Spanish

Pepita and the Bully is a bilingual children's book targeted for children who are five years and older. Pepita enters a new school and after just three days she encounters a bully, Babette. This book teaches children how to cope with bullying and show maturity in standing up for themselves.

In English and Spanish

Spanish bilingual edition. Dive into this best-selling playful poem about the draw of the shore and the effect the ocean has on all five senses.  Relive a day at the beach with this lovely book of memories. You can almost feel the salt spray on your face and smell the musky scent of ocean in the cool morning air. Remember how the sand squishes between your toes as the tide rushes to shore and taste the tang of the ocean on your lips. Spirited language evokes a sense of closeness and nostalgia for an old friend. The inspiration of the ocean will make learning the five senses in English and Spanish as easy as a day at the beach. Crisp, realistic illustrations fill the pages with the rush of surf and the warmth of sun-baked sand. The sights and smells and sensations of the sea become vividly clear in these beautifully rendered paintings.

Viva Frida is an easy read at any age. Morales uses short sentences and brief words descriptions to describe the emotions and story behind frida's life through her illustrations that were interpreted in the book. The book creates a sense of Frida's life to be filled with love, dreams, laughter and tragedy. Even though this book is short and simple, it really illuminates Frida's life and the message the book gave about her life and that she lived.

In Spanish and English

A mother and son take a night walk and name the things they see, and tell them "good night" in English and Spanish. A good book for a young reader.

El Agua Rueda, El Agua Sube by Pat Mora is an amazing children’s book that takes the reader through the world through water. Through cultural landscapes, the reader gets to take a journey across the world with one flip of the page. Mora expresses the natural beauty of the world in this children’s book, in just twenty eight pages. From the Sahara to the Andes to the Qutang to a normal backyard, the reader looks at the world through the way water travels. This book is illustrated by Meilo So. There are amazing water color used in the illustrations, which are beautiful in itself. With bright colors and vivid illustrations, it draws the readers in and helps them understand where they are in the world. The illustrations really help capture the natural beauty of the world. This book shows the world through the flow of water.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears=Ricitos De Oro Y Los Tres Osos is a great fairy tale for children to read. It is a story about a little girl named Goldilocks who was walking through the forest one day and comes across a little house. She sits in three chairs, eats three soups and lies in three beds. Come to find out the house belongs to Papa, Mama and Baby Bear, and they find Goldilocks asleep in Baby Bear’s bed. The bilingual text and amazing illustrations supplement the book and it is a very helpful tool for children both at home and in the classroom.

In English and Spanish

The bilingual version of Little Red Riding Hood is a classic fiction tale that is very gripping and entertaining. Its a fun read for a younger audience about a little girl who meets a wolf and is too naive to realize that he is a predator and wants to eat her. The wolf uses the knowledge given to him by the girl to eat the grandmother then dresses himself up as a decoy and eats the little girl as well. A hunter picks up on the scenario and saves the day.

Sky Blue Accident/ Accidente Celeste tells the story of a young boy who falls off his bicycle, crashes into the sky and breaks it. The boy and his classmates try to piece the sky back together. This colorful, short children’s book is great for young readers. With the illustrations in the book drawn out like a small child would do, children will enjoy looking at the book just as much listening to it.

In English and Spanish

The Sleeping Beauty/ La Bella Durmiente, by Miquel Desclot is a bilingual adaptation of the original story. The Spanish in this work is not very difficult and the illustrations help when trying to figure what a certain Spanish word means; they do lack the fun, bright colors one might expect in a children's fairy tale, however. This adaptation is similar to the original with slight changes. Overall, the book is a great story to read to children who are just starting to learn Spanish.

In English and Spanish

Celebrate! It's Cinco de Mayo! is a bilingual children's book. It has beautiful cartoon-like illustrations and a story line that takes you back in time of the Battle of Cinco de Mayo. It also shows the traditions and customs of the fictional Lopez family during this day of observance. The end of the book has an interactive picture search game and a do-it-yourself tutorial for arts and crafts projects.

Although Sonia Sotomayor didn't have much growing up in the Bronx the love and support of her mother meant everything to her. She was determined to succeed at college in the unfamiliar world of Princeton University. Ultimately became the first Latina to join the Supreme Court Justices. The illustrations portray her journey from the Bronx to meeting president Obama.

Readers of all ages will enjoy this beautifully illustrated children's book! With the strong flow of English and Spanish language, an English speaking child can easily pick up on words from the Spanish language. What Can You Do with a Paleta?, written by award winning author Carmen Tafolla, guides the reader through several colorful scenarios of popsicle eating in the Mexican American culture. What Can You Do with a Paleta? is a children's book aimed to educate readers on the marvelous culture, while showing them all the things you can do with a paleta. Enjoy the wonderful imagery of painting yourself a big, blue mustache with your paleta!

In English and Spanish.

This bilingual children's book is a fascinating depiction of an old Hispanic tale. A young girl named Jade saves her village from a drought by fighting a battle with the Mountain Spirit. Impressed by her brave battle, the Mountain Spirit rewards her with a vast amount of corn. Jade feeds her starving village by using this corn to make the first tortilla. This classic Hispanic tale is retold by Rudolfo Anaya and features illustrations by Amy Cordova, which are brightly portrayed with great detail using water colors. The First Tortilla is a great tool for introducing children to the Spanish language.

In English and Spanish

Jorge Argueta's "Tamalitos" introduces the reader to the world of delicious tamalitos in this poem. With the help of Domi's vibrant watercolors the reader can't help but want to go make tamalitos for themselves. The author's use of Spanish and English translations make understanding this poem a breeze, and the simplicity of the steps involved in making the tamalitos makes reading this poem nothing short of fun. Children will no doubt want to read this book over and over.

In English and Spanish

This is another great book with a good lesson for young readers. This book is about a young girl Marisol and everyday she does exactly what she wants and expresses herself however she feels. She dresses in an uncommon manner, she eats food combinations that aren't deemed normal, and she interacts with her peers in a different way. Throughout the book she is questioned about her different ways of doing things and she explains that she does it because she likes it. At the end, she decides one day to do things normally and throughout the day it shows that she is unhappy and isn't enjoying being normal and people realize that what makes her unique and encourages her to be herself.

This is a heartwarming story perfect for a child who has ever felt like the newcomer. Amelia, a new student at an American school is excited to bring in her fiesta dress from Cuba for show-and-tell. Although timid once she sees what her classmates have brought, she finds the courage to talk vividly about her dress and what it reminds her of back home. This beautiful story has rich illustrations that supplement the bilingual text, and is perfect for readers who are beginning to learn the colors or intermediate phrases in Spanish.

In both Spanish and English

The book Sundays on Fourth Street is about a little girl who is excited about an event she attended on Fourth Street. She talks about how much she enjoys the mangos that were bought there and the boots that caught her attention but couldn’t have because her old boots weren’t grown out of yet. She also talks about how she enjoyed riding the carousel, drinking her Horchata, the dancers who had beautiful dresses, the carnival that was held in the church parking lot, and the haircut she got. At the end of the book the key message she states was that her time that day wasn’t about everything she got, but everything that was important to her like her family.

In English and Spanish

Hansel y Gretel is a bilingual retelling of the familiar fairy tale. It's an excellent book for young children or anyone learning Spanish.

In English and Spanish

Julie Paschkis bridges the gap between English and Spanish with whimsical illustrations in her brilliant book of poetry for children. Paschkis uses beautiful imagery and words to describe many animals within the bindings of this book. Each page is carefully crafted with the pictures breaking the language barrier. This marvel would be a perfect gateway to another language for young learners.

In English and Spanish.

Abuelo Vivía Solo is a heart-warming story of a Grandfather who helps his daughter to raise her child. The Grandfather takes care of his Granddaughter at a young age and they quickly form everyday traditions such as making rice putting together. As the Granddaughter gets older we see the roles of start to change as the Granddaughter is taking care of her Grandfather more and more as he reaches his older age. This book by Amy Costales teaches the reader about family and how they are always there for you and how you should always be there for them.

In English and Spanish

This book tells an enchanting traditional love story from the Central American country of Nicaragua. This Miskito Indian folk tale demonstrates the true love between young Naklili and his wife. Niakili keeps his dead wife company as she travels to the Mother Scorpion Country, the land beyond the living. Although Naklili is still living he experiences this adventurous trip along with his beloved wife. A fabulous tale for readers of all ages.

In English and Spanish

A Movie in My Pillow tells the true story of the author, Jorge Argueta, and his struggles leaving El Salvador and moving to California as a child. The vibrant pictures will keep children intrigued while the story line shares a little bit about the differences between El Salvador and California. The author does a wonderful job detailing his life growing up while also keeping the reader's attention with a unique image on each page.

Lulu Delacre does a wonderful job introducing the Spanish alphabet in a unique and vibrant manner. The story follows a zoologist’s journey through the cloud forest on the Ecuadorian Andes as he searches for a new species, the olinguito. The zoologist’s encounters with various wildlife are portrayed using Delacre’s beautiful handcrafted illustrations.

Readers will be enchanted with this popular story. Cinderella/Cenicienta is a fairy tale in which Cinderella is mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters. With the help of her fairy godmother she gets the opportunity to meet the prince. The prince ends up falling with her inner and outer beauty, just as she falls for him. This book is great for English and Spanish learners because it is written in both English and Spanish. Cinderella/Cenicienta also incorporates vivid illustrations, which helps with the visualization of the author's writing.

In Spanish and English.

Spanish & English

The story, “Mr. Sugar Came to Town” is about an evil candy man who disguises himself as a friendly man that gives out free sweets and candy for all the children in the town. The main characters of this story are the grandchildren of Mrs. Lupe, Alicia and Alfredo, who continue to only consume the treats made by Mr. Sugar that end up day after day, becoming more and more unhealthy. When Grandmother Lupe sees that her grandchildren keep gaining weight and then notices their teeth beginning to rot, she realizes what she must do and unmasks Mr. Sugar to reveal who he truly is.

In English and Spanish.

This amazingly illustrated book is told from the point of view of a lizard in ancient Mexico as he searches for the sun which has been missing for several days.
This children's book was written by Alma Flor Ada, a native of Cuba, and illustrated by Felipe Davalos who is a native of Mexico. Davalos clearly has expertise in ancient Mexican artwork; this book allows children to explore a piece of Mexican history as it shows vivid images that children will indulge in. This book is an excellent means of introducing children to the Spanish language.

In English and Spanish

Mis abuelos y yo tells the story of a young loving Puerto Rican boy and his adoration for his grandparents while describing the numerous fun activities that they do together. Through Caraballo’s rhyming text paired with Cruz's eye-catching illustrations, this book is beneficial for both English and Spanish readers, while introducing young readers to life in Puerto Rico. This children’s picture book provides readers with a glimpse of the special bond between grandparents and grandchild, in addition to exposing them to alternative types of families. Mis abuelos y yo is a developmentally appropriate tool to use with elementary school age children when discussing language, multiculturalism, and family.

In both Spanish and English

This lively, fun colored, animated children’s book is a great way for children to learn how to properly care for their teeth. The author, Marcus Allsop gained the attention of young readers by the use of illustrations that portrayed baby animals being silly and having fun while taking care of their teeth. This bilingual book can be read in both English and Spanish, and goes into depth not only on the aspects of brushing but also teaches children how to floss, eat healthy foods and take routine trips to the dentist. This book is joined together from beginning to end by the use of rhyme schemes which makes it easy and fun for the young readers to follow along.

In English and Spanish

Sopa de frijoles is a cooking poem that is great for Spanish speakers of all levels. It is about a young boy who gets tired of playing his video games so he decides to make bean soup for his family. The book utilizes the water color illustrations flawlessly in conjunction with the Spanish on the opposing page. This book is sure to help beginning Spanish speakers to get a jump on their learning.

In English and Spanish

El Dia de los Muertos is a children's book that teaches children an important life lesson on what it means and what they should do when their loved ones pass away, The book is in both English and Spanish with fantastic illustrations that help explain the story. This book has a great amount of Mexican culture, tradition, and the shows the value of family. The story itself is about a little girl and her grandmother; they spend their time together in the garden, playing games, and talking. The grandmother explains to the little girl what El Dia de los Muertos is and how she should plan her own Remembering Day for when she passes. Eventually the grandmother passes away and the little girl listens to her grandmother and organizes a Remembering Day for the grandmother with her family and village.

In English and Spanish

This children's book is a must read for children ages 4-9! Dalia is an adventurous Cuban girl who loves to make her hair into extraordinary things! Throughout the book, she finds flowers, mud, and leaves and messily throws them into her hair. Her mom has to guess what kind of tree she is until she gets it right. The illustrations are so vibrant and eye-catching that people of all ages will enjoy flipping through the book. The cultural aspect in this book is fascinating for people of all cultures to learn about.

In English and Spanish

This work is bilingual book for children of all ages. With fabulous illustrations this picture book can be used with young children as well as older children who can learn sounds and meanings of words along with a life lesson. This book is a South American folk rhyme that touches on mostly weather and nature with many hidden life lessons.

In English and Spanish

El Chupacabras is a fun and exciting book for all ages. The illustrations jump out of the pages with bright and colorful pictures. It is easy to understand because the book has a combination of Spanish and English translation. If someone were to get lost in the narrative of the story, the pictures and language interpretations can give the reader a simple idea of the story.

Tito Puente, Mambo King, is an enticing colorful children's book that lets the reader enjoy learning about Ernesto Puente. Ernesto (or Tito) thoroughly enjoyed dancing and music as a child and stuck with his passion throughout his whole life. Thanks to this book, children can not only enjoy it in English, but also utilize it to learn Spanish.

In English and Spanish.

This rhyming recipe book provides the fun and easy steps for children to make guacamole. The bold oil painting illustrations provide a smooth transition from page to page. Consistent use of greens, reds, and blues tie the book together effortlessly.