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BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
¿Eres tύ mi mamá? by P.D. Eastman. Never having seen his mother, a baby bird makes many humorous mistakes trying to find her. Some students may have read this story in class this year to learn the vocabulary of “la familia”!
Buenas Noches Luna by Margaret Wise Brown. This is a great way to practice some of the vocabulary we learned this year. It is also a story many students are familiar with so it is the perfect way to learn and reinforce vocabulary in Spanish.
Eric Carle: These books are great because most are stories students have already read! They are a great review of colors, numbers, and days of the week!
Dr. Seuss: Similar to the Eric Carle books, Dr. Seuss books are also an excellent way for students to practice Spanish as many children are already familiar with the stories.
Chicks and Salsa by Aaron Reynolds is a hilarious story about farm animals stealing ingredients from the garden while the farmer is away to make salsa.
A Mango in the Hand: by Antonio Sacre. I love the incorporation of authentic proverbs in this story. Francisco went to get mangos for his father, mother and himself for dessert and learns many valuable lessons along the way.
Playing Lotería-El juego de la Lotería by Rene Colato Lainez tells the story of Mexican Lotería... a great cultural find!
The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes by Duncan Tonatiuh is the retelling of the Aztec legend of the two volcanoes, Izta and Popo. A wonderful way to introduce ancient culture and a great read both kids and parents will enjoy!
Waiting for the Biblioburro/Esperando a Biblioburro by Monica Brown is the endearing story of Luis Soriano Bohórquez bringing books to children in Colombia via his burro (donkey).
BOOKS FOR OLDER ELEMENTARY READERS
Ugly Cat and Pablo by Isabel Quintero is a silly but fun read. There is lots of Spanish sprinkled through the book, and is great for emerging readers who don't want too long a book.
Who was Pablo Picasso? by True Kelley is part of a series of biographies written for young readers. Accessible and informative, this is a great book for children who are interested in nonfiction. The series also includes Who was Frida Kahlo? by Sarah Fabiny, Who was Cesar Chavez by Dana Meachen Rau, and Who was Roberto Clemente? by Jim Buckley.
The Red Umbrella by Christina Gonzalez is the tale of Lucía, a 14 year old girl living in Cuba in the sixties who, due to the revolution, must move to the US without her family. A touching historical fictional perspective on Cuba.
Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. We all know it and we all love it! It is an emotional story of coming to the US from México as a migrant worker.
The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan tells the story of Neftalí... who ultimately becomes Pablo Neruda. This is an illustrated novel perfect for older readers!
