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

This colorful, fun book will keep kids happy and learning at the same time. With a fun, light story and a smooth flow with the linguistics of the book, kids will be sure to pick up a couple of words in Spanish by the end of this entertaining read.

In English with some Spanish

This story was written for children learning Spanish as a second language. The combination of English phrases mixed with Spanish words allows children to understand the story without overwhelming them with a new language. It is highly repetitive and each page is an accumulation of the previous pages. The story follows the process of the farm maiden preparing arroz con leche (rice pudding) with the help of her farm animals. Vibrant illustrations covering every page allow the reader to visualize what is happening and pick up on the meaning of the Spanish. The author provides a recipe for Arroz Con Leche at the end, an added bonus and a chance to learn more about Spanish culture!

In English with some Spanish.

Chico is the youngest mouse in a family of twelve who enjoys theater, singing, and being bilingual. The family goes through hard time trying to escape from a clever cat, but this does not stop them from hosting a theatrical show for their community where Chico, the main character, wears a sun costume and is placed at the a top of a tree to be seen by everyone. He saves the day by using his bilingual skills!

In English with some Spanish

Weekends are special for the young narrator of this book. On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, her dad's parents, with a European-American background, and on Sundays (los domingos) she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. As we see the girl make memories, the love she shares for her grandparents and entire family is expressed in both Spanish and English.

This light hearted tale of the colorful skeleton, Señor Calavera, touches on Mexican culture and the celebration of Día de la Muertos. With each page, Spanish terms are highlighted but can be easily understood because of the mainly English text and beautiful illustrations. Morales earned a Pura Belpré award for its illustrations and an honor for its narrative. This story is a perfect introduction to Mexican culture and language for children.

English with some Spanish.

In this Heartwarming Christmas classic, a young boy named Pedro has been bestowed with the voice of an angel. As a result of his great talent, Pedro is asked to lead the choir during the Posada, a Latino/Hispanic Christmas tradition. This story does a great job at highlighting some of the key areas relating to this sect of Hispanic/Latino culture. Pedro el Angel de la Calle Olvera is a great read for any novice Spanish speaker. The captivating display of illustrations make the story very easy to follow along while also aiding in the cultural significance of the tale. The end of the book includes English translations for some of the more challenging vocabulary found throughout the book.

Pedro el Angel de la Calle Olvera is available in both Spanish and English versions.

The children’s book by Jacqueline Jules is about a seven-year-old little girl named Sofia Martinez and her everyday adventures. This book follows Sofia and her family in their everyday lives and activities including their abuela's birthday party and spending time together! This book is culturally appropriate for people who are of Latin decent because in her book Jules’ often mentions Sofia’s family. Sofia was very close to her aunts, uncles and cousins, she saw them often and they even lived close by.

In English with some Spanish.

This bright, unique book captures the attention of young readers through the use of rhyming words and detailed illustrations. Vividly colored objects help readers learn colors in English and Spanish.

Learning about different cultures should always be fun and interesting! A Piñata in a Pine Tree represents Mexican culture in a way that is enjoyable for everyone. The book is targeted towards young readers, but will certainly help older readers to learn more about different cultures and introduce them to the Spanish language. Particularly useful are the illustrations which enable the reader to better understand the Spanish phrases.

In English with some Spanish

Little Roja Riding hood, a children’s fairy tale, is a slight twist to the very popular, children’s story Little Red Riding Hood. Red travels through the woods on an ATV to deliver a basket to her sick abuela. Along the way, she is tricked by a sly wolf, which sneaks away with her cape, but grandma knows she’s one tough Roja and they made him flee. In creating a bilingual, bi-cultural book, author Elya and illustrator Guevara capture familiar elements of Latino or Hispanic cultures through colorful illustrations and rhyming. This book, mostly written in English with Spanish words sprinkled in, is perfect for all young children, bilingual or not.

In English with some Spanish

In this widely known fairy-tale, author David Burke re-tells the story in such a way that new beginners, such as young children, can easily learn the Spanish language. Burke used simple vocabulary, repeated multiple times throughout the story so it would become familiar. Both the author and illustrator worked very well to present the story creatively by using colorful images that go along with the text. Along with the text comes a narration CD, that clearly reads off the entire story.

In English with some Spanish.

David Burke’s version of the classic fairytale captures the essence of this well-known story while keeping the reader entertained as they learn Spanish. The book comes with an audio CD containing the voice over of the book.

In English with some Spanish.

Children and adults alike will love this story about a family's journey from hunger to creating a garden where food is plentiful. The beautiful illustrations and language will captivate readers of all ages, while bringing to light the issue of food scarcity throughout the world, the struggles of poor farmers, and the power one person can have in benefitting an entire community.

In English with some Spanish

This retold Puerto Rican folktale tells of Juan Bobo, a peasant boy who is looking for work. He gets many jobs, but always seems to lose his reward in one way or another. His mother always tells him how to keep his things safe, but it just leads to more tragedy. After making a rich girl laugh and saving her life, Juan Bobo is rewarded by the girl’s father with a ham every Sunday. Juan Bobo accepts his shortcomings, but is determined to get it right.

In English with some Spanish.

A beautifully illustrated children’s book with a wonderful message describing the Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead this book shows the decorated altars with pictures and favorite food of loved ones who have passed. The book does well teaching children a way to deal with death and is a wonderful way to teach about other cultures.

Middleton Elya and Martinez-Neal come together to create this beautiful retelling of a classic fairytale. The author and illustrator duo draw on their own experiences with Spanish culture to infuse their book with authentic Peruvian color and textile patterns, and Spanish vocabulary. Complete with a catchy rhyming scheme and beautiful illustrations, La Princesa and the Pea is the perfect book to introduce young children to Spanish as both a language and culture.