Bilingual Storytime Resources
Compiled by Reforma Children and Young Adult Services Committee Members:
Donie Gignac and Rose V. Treviño
Collections
Delacre, Lulu. Arroz con leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America.
Scholastic, 1989.
Delacre, Lulu. Las Navidades: Popular Christmas Songs from Latin America. Scholastic,
Inc., 1990.
Griego, Margot. Tortillitas para mamá: and Other Nursery Rhymes. Holt, Rinehart and
Winston, 1981.
Hispanic Games and Rhymes: Rimas y juegos en Español edited by Cynthia Downs.
School Specialty Children's Publishing, 2002.
Los pollitos dicen: juegos, rimas y canciones infantiles de paises de habla Hispana / The
Baby Chicks Sing: Traditional Games, Nursery Rhymes and Songs from Spanish
Speaking Countries by Nancy Abraham Hall. Little, Brown, 1994.
De colores and Other Latin-American Folk Songs for Children by José-Luis Orozco.
Dutton Children's Books, 1994.
Diez deditos/Ten Little Fingers and Other Play Rhymes and Action Songs from Latin
America by José Luis Orozco. Dutton Children's Books, 1997.
The following books are not bilingual, however, these are good resources for stories to
tell from Latin American countries. Two of these books have Latin American craft
activities.
The Emerald Lizard: Fifteen Latin American Tales to Tell by Pleasant DeSpain. August
House Publishers, 1999.
Thirty-three Multicultural Tales to Tell by Pleasant DeSpain. August House Publishers,
1993.
Tuck-Me-In Tales: Bedtime Stories From Around the World by Margaret Read
MacDonald. August House Publishers, 1996.
Merrill, Yvonne Y. Hands-On Latin America: Art Activities for All Ages. KITS
Publishing, 1997.
Pavon, Ana-Elba. 25 Latino Craft Projects. Chicago: American Library Association,
2003. American Library Association, 2003.
Vigil, Angel. Teatro! Hispanic Plays for Young People. Teacher Ideas Press, 1996.
Winther, Barbara. Plays From Hispanic Tales: One-Act, Royalty-Free Dramatizations
for Young People, from Hispanic Stories and Folktales. Plays, Inc., 1998.
Wadham, Tim. Programming with Latino Children’s Materials. Neal-Schuman
Publishers, 1999.
Bilingual Books for Children
Ada, Alma Flor. The Lizard and the Sun/La lagartija y el sol: A Folktale in English and
Spanish. Bantam Books, 1997.
When the sun disappears from the sky, lizard’s persistence pays off when he finds the sun
and becomes a hero.
Buchanan, Ken. This House is made of Mud/Esta Casa está Hecha de Lodo. Rising
Moon Books, 1994.
A family builds an adobe house in the Southwest desert.
Chavarría-Cháirez, Becky. Magda’s Tortillas/Las Tortillas de Magda. Piñata Books,
2000.
While learning to make tortillas on her seventh birthday, Magda tries to make perfectly
round ones like those made by her grandmother but instead creates a variety of wonderful
shapes.
Corpi, Lucha. Where Fireflies Dance/Ahí Donde Bailan las Luciérnagas. Children’s
Book Press, 1997.
Lucha and her brother Victor love to hear their grandmother’s story of San Sebastian, a
ghost said to haunt a local house.
Crews, Donald. Freight Train/Tren de Carga. Rayo, 2003.
Brief text illustrates the journey of a colorful train.
de Anda, Diane. Dancing Miranda/ Baila, Miranda, baila. Piñata Books, 2001.
When Miranda discovers that her mom had polio when she was a child, she has a hard
time concentrating on her own dance rehearsal.
Di Blasi, Lidia. Soy una Gran Serpiente. Barron’s Educational Series, 2002.
Provides information about snakes.
Eversole, Robyn. The Flute Player/La Flautista. Orchard Books, 1995.
When a flute stops playing, a young girl blows into it and releases animals and objects
much to the delight of the apartment dwellers in her building.
Facklam, Margery. Bugs for Lunch/Insectos para el Almuerzo. Charlesbridge, 2002.
Rhyming text introduces bug eating animals.
Harrison, Carlos. Ruben’s Rainbow/El Arco Iris de Ruben. Globo Libros, 2001
Ruben travels from his black and white world to one filled with vibrant color.
Keister, Douglas. Fernando’s Gift/El Regalo de Fernando. Sierra Club Books for
Children, 1995. (P-I)
Fernando searches for the perfect gift for his friend Carmina’s eighth birthday, a gift that
will thrive in the rain forest of Costa Rica where he lives with his family.
Lomas Garza, Carmen. In My Family/En Mi Familia. Children's Book Press, 1996.
The author describes, in bilingual text and illustrations, her experiences growing up in a
Hispanic community in Texas.
Mora, Pat. Delicious Hullabaloo/Pachanga Deliciosa. Piñata Books, 1998.
It is time for the animals to gather and share in the festivities that a late night snack
brings, along with the music of the mariachi band in this poetic journey. This bilingual
poem features lizards, armadillos, and other desert animals.
Mora, Pat. The Desert is my Mother/El Desierto es mi Madre. Piñata Books, 1994.
The desert provides many things to her inhabitants.
Mora, Pat. Listen to the Desert/Oye al Desierto. Clarion Books, 2001.
There are many sounds in the desert.
Saenz, Benjamin Alire. Grandma Fina and Her Wonderful Umbrellas/La abuelita Fina y
sus sombrillas maravillosas. Cinco Puntos Press, 1999.
After friends and family notice that her favorite yellow umbrella is torn, Grandma Fina
gets quite a surprise on her birthday.
Stevens, Jan Romero. Carlos and the Carnival/Carlos y la feria. Rising Moon, 1999.
Carlos ignores his father's advice about being careful how he spends his money at the
carnival, and soon his pockets are empty.
Tabor, Nancy Maria Grande. El gusto del mercado mexicano/A Taste of the Mexican
Market. Charlesbridge, 1996.
Describes many of the different foods found at a Mexican market.
Tabor, Nancy Maria Grande. Somos un arco iris: We Are a Rainbow. Charlesbridge,
1997.
Simple text and illustrations explore some of the similarities and differences that a child
recognizes after moving to the United States from a Spanish-speaking country.
Tafolla, Carmen. Baby Coyote and the Old Woman/El coyotito y la vieja: a bilingual
story. Wings Press, 2000.
When the little old lady's trash blows away into the desert, the little coyote returns it to
her doorstep.
Tello, Jerry. Abuelo y los tres osos/Abuelo and the Three Bears. Scholastic, 1997.
Here is an adaptation of a traditional tale.
Books with English and Spanish editions available
Belpré, Pura. Pérez y Martina. Warne, 1966. Perez and Martina. Warne, 1960.
A sad and funny tale about a too-particular cockroach and her string of suitors.
Belpré, Pura. Santiago. Warne, 1971 (Spanish) and 1969 (English).
More than anything else, Santiago wants Ernie to believe his stories about the beautiful
pet hen he had to leave behind in Puerto Rico.
Bridwell, Norman. Clifford, the Big Red Dog. Clifford, el gran perro colorado.
There are several titles in this series featuring Clifford, a very big and very red dog.
Chichester-Clark, Emma. No more kissing! Doubleday, 2002. ¡No más besos! Grupo
Editorial Norma, 2002
Momo doesn’t like kissing and wants a rule about “no more kissing!”
Hill, Eric. Spot series. Spot's First Walk. Putnam, 1981. El primer paseo de Spot. G.P.
Putnam's Sons, 1983.
Several titles are available about the puppy, Spot including some in board book format.
Hutchins, Pat. The Doorbell Rang. Greenwillow, 1986. Llaman a la puerta.
Greenwillow Books, 1994.
Each time the doorbell rings, more kids come to share Ma’s wonderful cookies.
Martin, Bill. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see? Holt and Co., 1996. ¿Oso
pardo, oso pardo, qué ves ahí? H. Holt, 1998.
Children see a variety of animals, each in a different color.
Masurel, Claire. No, no, Titus! North-South Books, 1999. ¡No, Tito, No! North-South
Books, 1999.
Titus has to discover just what his job is on the farm.
McDonnell, Flora. I Love Animals. Candlewick Press, 1994. Quiero a los animales.
Fondo de Cultura Económica, 1996.
A girl names all the animals she likes on her farm.
Numeroff, Laura. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Harper & Row, 1985. Si le das una
galletita a un ratón. Harper Arco Iris, 1995.
There are several titles by Numeroff in “If You Give…” which have been translated into
Spanish.
Torres, Leyla. Subway Sparrow. Farrar Straus, 1993. Gorrión del metro. Mirasol/Libros
Juveniles, 1993.
Although the passengers of the D train speak different languages, they work together to
rescue a frightened bird.
Waddell, Martin. Owl Babies. Candlewick Press, 1996. Las lechucitas. Santillana
Publishing Co., 1994.
Three baby owls, whose mother has gone out in the night, try to stay calm.
Walsh, Ellen. Mouse Count. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1991. Cuenta ratones. Fondo
de Cultura Económica, 1992.
Ten mice outsmart a hungry snake.
Walsh, Ellen. Mouse Paint. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1989. Pinta ratones. Fondo de
Cultura Económica, 1993.
Three mice discover jars of paint and explore the world of color.
Wood, Audrey. Quick as a cricket. Child’s Play, 1982. Veloz como el grillo. Sagebrush
Education Resources, 1998.
Quick as a cricket is just one way that a boy describes himself.
Spanish series
Adivina quién es. Silvia Dubovoy. Editorial Everest.
The books in this series are available in Spanish and there are several titles.
“Oso” titles. Stella Blackstone. Barefoot Books.
¡Veo! ¡Veo! Karen Bryant-Mole. Heinemann Library. Several titles.
Audio Recordings for Children (Spanish & Bilingual)
Barchas, Sarah.
Piñata! Piñata and more: bilingual songs for children. [CD sound recording] High
Heaven Music, 1997.
Barchas, Sarah. Todos, listos, canten! High Haven Music, 1996. (Also available in
English.)
Canciones para niños y para aprender el español.
Del Rey, Maria.
Lullabies of Latin America [CD sound recording] = Canciones de cuna de
Latinoamerica. Music for Little People : Distributed by Kid Rhino, 1998.
Graf, Lenny.
Un bosque hecho de espinacas [CAS sound recording] LGM Inc., 1997.
Hinojosa. Tish.
Cada niño/Every child. [CD sound recording] Rounder, 1996.
Líscano, Hugo.
Infantiles por Hugo Líscano y Javier Galué, Vol. 1. [CD sound recording] Anes, 1995.
Líscano, Hugo.
Infantiles, Volumen 3. [CD sound recording] Anes, 1997.
Miliki
A mis niños de 30 años [CD sound recording] BMG U.S. Latin, 1999
Orozco, José-Luis.
De Colores. [CD/cass. sound recording] Arcoiris, 1996.
Orozco, José-Luis.
Diez deditos. [CD/cass. sound recording] Arcoiris, 1997.
Orozco, José-Luis.
Fiestas. [CD/cass. sound recording] Arcoiris, 2002.
Orozco, José-Luis.
Lírica Infantil, Volumen 3. [CD/cass. sound recording] Arcoiris, 1995.
Orozco, José-Luis.
Lírica Infantil, Volumen 4. [CD/cass. sound recording] Arcoiris, 1995.
Orozco, José-Luis.
Lírica Infantil, Volumen 5. [CD/cass. sound recording] Arcoiris, 1995.
Paz, Suni.
Alerta sings [CD sound recording] & Canciones para el recreo = Songs for the
playground. Smithsonian Folkways, 2000.
Putumayo presents Latin playground. [CD sound recording] Putumayo World Music,
2002.