Spanish Language Children's Books
Curriculum Materials Center
David & Lorraine Cheng Library, William Paterson University
This bibliography is a selected list of Spanish language children’s literature for use in the
K-8 classroom. Some books are bilingual, while others are written entirely in Spanish.
Big Books:
Carle, E. (1997). De la cabeza a los pies. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Grades PreK-2).
Exercise by following the movements of various animals.
Call Number: [Big Book] P J Car
Crews, D. (1991). El autobús escolar (G.R. Koch, Trans.). New York, NY: Scholastic.
(Grades PreK-2).
What are school buses like? Where do they travel? This story explains the daily duties
of school buses from morning to evening.
Call Number: [Big Book] P J Cre
Falwell, C. (1995). Fiesta para 10. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Grades PreK-2).
Numbers from one to ten tell how a family shops and works together.
Call Number: [Big Book] P J Fal
Guarino, D. (1993). ¿Tu mamá es una llama? (A.E. Marcuse, Trans.). New York, NY:
Scholastic. (Grades PreK-2).
A young llama asks his animal friends whether their mothers are also llamas.
Call Number: [Big Book] P J Gua
Marzollo, J. (1993). Feliz cumpleaños, Martin Luther King (A. Romo, Trans.). New York, NY:
Scholastic. (Grades K-3).
This is a pictorial biography of the civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Call Number: [Big Book] jB Kin 1993
Mora, P. (1994). Listen to the desert = Oye al desierto. New York, NY: Scholastic.
(Grades PreK-3).
A bilingual poem that describes the sounds of nature in a desert.
Call Number: [Big Book] P J Mor
Numbers = Numeros. (2007). Lewisville, NC: Kaplan Early Learning Company.
(Grades PreK-2).
Photos represent numbers 1 through 10, in English and Spanish.
Call Number: [Big Book] j513 Num
1
Williams, V.B. (1993). Un sillón para mi mamá. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Grades 1-4).
When a fire consumes their home, a young girl helps her family save money to purchase
a new chair.
Call Number: [Big Book] P J Wil
Young, E. (1995). Siete ratones ciegos. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Grades PreK-3).
Seven blind mice spend seven days exploring a mystery animal.
Call Number: [Big Book] j398.2 You 1995
Picture Books:
Bertrand, D. G. (2004). My pal, Victor = Mi amigo, Victor. Green Bay, WI: Raven Tree Press.
(Grades K-3).
Two Latino boys experience carefree camaraderie despite one boy’s disability.
Call Number: P J Ber
Brimner, L.D. (2000). ¡Gatitos! (J.M. Córdova, Trans.). New York, NY: Children's Press.
(Grades PreK-1).
When a young girl invites a group of cats to join her for playtime, she must keep pace
with their mischievous feline antics!
Call Number: P J Bri
Brown, M. (2011). Marisol McDonald doesn’t match = Marisol McDonald no combina. San
Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press. (Grades PreK-2).
Marisol McDonald, a biracial, nonconformist, soccer-playing pirate-princess with brown
skin and red hair, celebrates her uniqueness.
Call Number: P J Bro
Colón-Vilá, L. (1998). Salsa. Houston, TX: Piñata Books. (Grades PreK-3).
A young girl explores her Afro-Caribbean heritage through her family’s celebration of
salsa music—playing instruments, dancing, and directing the orchestra.
Call Number: P J Col
Cottin, M. (2013). Doble doble. Mexico: Ediciones Tecolote. (Grades PreK-2).
What does it mean to be right side up or upside down? Shifting your point of view
changes everything.
Call Number: P J Cot
Cumpiano, I. (1997). Cu-Cú, cu-cú, cantaba la rana. New York, NY: Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.
(Grades PreK-3).
A parade of animals playing musical instruments marches into the woods and waits for a
singing frog to emerge from the pond to accompany their orchestra.
Call Number: P J Cum
2
Emberley, R. (2009). My Spanish touch-and-feel book of colors. London, Eng.: Little, Brown
Children. (Grades PreK-K).
Introduces young children to color names and to the names of objects illustrated in that
color in both Spanish and English.
Call Number: [Small Book] P J Emb
Gomi, T. (2006). Spring is here = Llegó la primavera. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.
(Grades PreK-3).
Follows the four seasons around the year.
Call Number: P J Gom
González, L. M. (2008). The storyteller’s candle=La velita de los cuentos. San Francisco, CA:
Children’s Book Press. (Grades K-3).
During the early days of the great Depression, New York City’s first Puerto Rican
librarian, Pure Belpre, introduced the public library to immigrants living in el Barrio.
Call Number: P J Gon
Gonzalez, M. C. (2011). My colors, my world = Mis colores, mi mundo. San Francisco, CA:
Children’s Book Press. (Grades PreK-2).
Maya opens her eyes to find the colors in her desert world, from Papi’s black hair and
Mami’s orange and purple flowers to Maya’s red swing set and the fiery pink sunset.
Call Number: [Small Book] P J Gon
Hayes, J. (2013). Don’t say a word, mama = Mo digas nada mamá. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos
Press. (Grades K-2).
Sisters Rosa and Blanca are so thoughtful and generous, and such good gardeners that
their Mamá who lives between them, winds up with too much corn, tomatoes, and
red hot chilies.
Call Number: P J Hay
Hutchins, P. (1997). El paseo de Rosie (A. F. Ada, Trans.). New York, NY: Aladdin Paperback.
(Grades PreK-2).
Unaware that a fox is after her, Rosie takes a walk around the farm.
Call Number: P J Hut
Marx, D.F. (2000). ¿Qué está arriba cuando estás abajo? New York, NY: Children's Press.
(Grades PreK-1).
Questions about opposites draw attention to the ins and outs of a young boy’s quiet day at
home. The answers come alive in the illustrations.
Call Number: P J Mar
3
Masurel, C. (1997). ¡No, Tito, no! (D. Lasconi, Trans.). New York, NY: Ediciones Norte-Sur.
(Grades PreK-2).
A new puppy named Tito wants to help on the farm.
Call Number: P J Mas
Meister, C. (2000). ¡Detenlo a ese gato! New York, NY: Children's Press. (Grades PreK-2).
A young girl tries to stop her cat from getting into mischief. Young readers will learn
simple antonyms as they follow illustrations of the two at play.
Call Number: P J Mei
Miller, E.I. (1999). Just like home = Como en mi tierra (T. Mlawer, Trans.). Morton Grove, IL:
A. Whitman. (Grades 1-3).
When a young girl moves to the U.S., she compares her new experiences to her
homeland.
Call Number: P J Mil
Mora, P. (2008). Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children’s Day/Book Day. New York, NY: Harper
Collins. (Grades PreK-2).
Children celebrate El día de los niños, or Children’s Day, in this bilingual story.
Call Number: P J Mor
Mora, P. (2009). Gracias. New York, NY: Lee & Low Books. (Grades PreK-2).
A young boy celebrates family, friendship, and fun by telling about some of the everyday
things for which he is thankful.
Call Number: P J Mor
Mora, P. (2009). Let’s eat! = ¡A Comer! New York, NY: Harper Collins. (Grades PreK-2).
Bilingual text describes a family as they sit down to a table filled with good food.
Call Number: P J Mor
Pearson, M. (2000). ¿Dónde está Max? (J.M. Córdova, Trans.). New York, NY: Children's
Press. (Grades PreK-1).
The class gerbil is not in his cage! The students join together to look for Max.
Call Number: P J Pea
Pérez-Mercado, M.M. (2000). ¡Zas! New York, NY: Children's Press. (Grades PreK-2).
When a young girl enlists her father’s help to make a cake, nothing can be more messy.
Call Number: P J Per
Petrie, C. (2000). A Jaime Josué le gustan los camiones. Chicago, IL: Children's Press.
(Grades PreK-1).
Learn about adjectives with Jaime Josué who enjoys playing with his trucks.
Call Number: P J Pet
4
Torres, L. (1998). Las abuelas de Liliana. New York, NY: Farrar, Straus, Giroux.
(Grades PreK-2).
Liliana shares a special closeness with each of her very different grandmothers.
Call Number: P J Tor
Torres, L. (1995). El sancocho del sábado. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Grades PreK-3).
Faith and skillful bartering ensure that María Lilí and her grandparents do not go hungry.
Call Number: P J Tor
Van West, P.E. (1998). El hombre de los cangrejos (M. Arisa, Trans.). New York, NY: Turtle
Books. (Grades 1-4).
A young Jamaican boy catches hermit crabs and sells them to help his family.
Call Number: P J Van
Velasquez, E. (2010). Grandma’s gift. New York, NY: Walker. (Grades 1-3).
The author describes Christmas at his grandmother’s apartment in Spanish
Harlem.
Call Number: P J Vel
Weill, C. (2013). My skeleton family = Mi familia calaca. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press.
(Grades K-2).
Welcome to a family that’s just like yours, with a father, mother, sister, brother, abuelita,
and gato. Family life from a Day of the Dead perspective.
Call Number: P J Wei
Juvenile Fiction:
Altman, L. (1993). El camino de Amelia (D. Santacruz, Trans.). New York, NY: Lee & Low.
(Grades 3-5).
Amelia, a child of migrant farm workers, believed that every road led away from a
potential home—until she found a connection to one special place.
Call Number: J Alt
Anzaldúa, G. (1993). Friends from the other side = Amigos del otro lado. San Francisco, CA:
Children's Book Press. (Grades 3-5).
A young girl’s compassion triumphs over prejudice when she befriends a boy who has
just crossed the border from Mexico into Texas.
Call Number: J Anz
Garcia, M. (1994). The adventures of Connie and Diego = Las aventuras de Connie y Diego
(A.F. Ada, Trans.). Emeryville, CA: Children's Book Press. (Grades 1-4).
When a pair of twins with multicolored skin search for a place where no one will ridicule
them, they learn an important lesson about humanity and belonging.
Call Number: J Gar
5
Mistral, G. (1972). Crickets and frogs: A fable by Gabriela Mistral in Spanish and English =
Grillos y ranas: Una fábula de Gabriela Mistral en español e inglés (D. Dana, Trans.).
New York, NY: Atheneum. (Grades 3-6).
Old Cricket, afraid that his chirp will be lost in a sea of cricket song, regains his identity
when a singing competition begins between the crickets and the frogs.
Call Number: J Mis
Juvenile Literature & NonFiction:
Ada, A.F., & Campoy, F.I. (Eds.). (2003). ¡Pío peep!: Traditional Spanish nursery rhymes
(Adapted by A. Schertle). New York, NY: Harper Collins. (Grades PreK-1).
Nursery rhymes in Spanish and English.
Call Number: j398.8 Pio
Ada, A.F., & Campoy, F.I. (Eds.). (2011). Ten little puppies: Diez peritos; adaptación de una
canción infantile tradicional. New York, NY: Rayo. (Grades K-3).
Nursery rhymes in Spanish and English.
Call Number: j398.8 Ada
Adamson. T. K., & Adamson, H. (2012). ¿Cómo mides la longitude y la distancia?: How do
you measure length and distance? Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. (Grades K-4).
Color photos and simple text written in Spanish and English describes the tools and units
used in a standardized unit of measure and introduces the metric system.
Call Number: j530.8 Ada
Adamson. T. K., & Adamson, H. (2011). ¿Cómo mides los líquidos?: How do you measure
liquids? Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. (Grades K-4).
Simple text and photos describe the units and tools needed to measure liquids both in
standard and metric units in Spanish and English.
Call Number: j530.8 Ada
Adamson. T. K., & Adamson, H. (2012). How do you measure time?: ¿Cómo mides el
tiempo? Mankato, MN: Capstone Press. (Grades K-4).
Learn how to tell time in Spanish and English as Ann participates in common activities
such as, watching a movie, jumping rope, and ballet class.
Call Number: j529 Ada
Alarcón, F.X. (1997). Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems = Jitomates risueños y otros
poemas de primavera. San Francisco, CA: Children’s Book Press. (Grades 1-3).
This bilingual collection of poems celebrates childhood, the harvest, wildlife, and history.
Call Number: j811.54 Ala
Brown, N., & Brusca, M. C. (2006). New Jersey = Nueva Jersey. New York, NY: PowerKids
Press. (Grades 2-5).
Learn about New Jersey, its geography, history, and the state today.
Call Number: j974.9 Bro
6
Carlson, L.M. (Ed.). (1999). You're on!: Seven plays in English and Spanish. New York, NY:
Morrow Junior Books. (Grades 3-6).
This bilingual anthology of children’s plays represents playwrights from the U.S., Spain,
and Latin America.
Call Number: j812.008 You
Cruz Martinez, A. (1991). The woman who outshone the sun: The legend of Lucia Zenteno =
La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol: La leyenda de Lucía Zenteno. San Francisco,
CA: Children's Book Press. (Grades 3-6).
A mysterious woman shares an inexplicable bond with nature.
Call Number: j398.21 Cru
Delacre, L. (Ed.). (2004). Arrorró, mi niño: Latino lullabies and gentle games. New York, NY:
Lee & Low Books. (Grades PreK-K).
An illustrated collection of nursery rhymes, finger play games, and lullabies from the
major Latino groups living in the United States today.
Call Number: j398.8 Arr
DeSpain, P. (1999). The emerald lizard: Fifteen Latin American tales to tell in English and
Spanish = La lagartija esmeralda: Quince cuentos tradicionales latinoamericanos
(M. Lamo-Jiménez, Trans.). Little Rock, AR: August House. (Grades 4-7).
DeSpain retells fifteen Latin American folk stories in this bilingual anthology.
Call Number: j398.2 Des
Finch, M. (2013). La gallinita roja. Cambridge, MA: Barefoot Books. (Grades K-3).
The little red hen can’t find anyone to help her make the bread but when all the work is
done all the animals want to eat the bread.
Call Number: j398.2 Fin
Fowler, A. (1992). El olor de las cosas (A.E. Marcuse, Trans.). Chicago, IL: Children's Press.
(Grades 1-2).
The nose knows! Young readers explore the sense of smell.
Call Number: j152.1 Fow
Garza, C.L. (1996). In my family = En mi familia (F.X. Alarcón, Trans.). San Francisco, CA:
Children's Book Press. (Grades 3-5).
An autobiographical tale about growing up as a Mexican-American in Texas.
Call Number: j306.85 Gar
Garza, C.L. (1999). Magic windows: Cut-paper art and stories by Carmen Lomas Garza =
Ventanas mágicas: Papel picado y relatos de Carmen Lomas Garza (F.X. Alarcón,
Trans.). San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press. (Grades 4-7).
The author explores her Mexican heritage through cut-paper art.
Call Number: j306.85 Gar
7
Guzmán, L. (2008). Diego Rivera: Artista de México. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow
Elementary. (Grades 2-5).
Describes the life and works of the famous Mexican painter, Diego Rivera.
Call Number: j759.972 Guz
Harvey, D. K., Harvey, B., & Johnson, C. (1991). A journey of hope = Una jornada de
esperanza. Wilsonville, OR: Beautiful America Pub. (Grades 6-8).
Chronicles the perilous journey of a hatchling sea turtle across the beach to the sea.
Call Number: j587.92 Har
Kawa, K. (2012). My first trip to the post office = Mi primera visita al correo. New York, NY:
Gareth Stevens. (Grades PreK-1).
This book follows one child on a visit to the post office. Then tracks the posted letter
from the time it is dropped off until it is delivered.
Call Number: j383.4 Kaw
Lázaro, G. (2009). Federico Garcia Lorca. New York, NY: Lectorum. (Grades K-5).
This book describes the upbringing of Frederico Garcia Lorca, admired poet and
dramatist who was murdered at the start of the Spanish Civil War.
Call Number: jB Garcia Lorca
Loya, O. (1997). Momentos mágicos = Magic moments (C. Lizardi-Rivera, Trans.). Little Rock,
AR: August House. (Grades 4-9).
This bilingual anthology of stories and folktales from Latin America contains topics such
as scary stories, tricksters, strong women, and myths.
Call Number: j398.2 Loy
Luján, J., & Grobler, P. (2008). Colors! = ¡Colores! Toronto, ON: Groundwood Books.
(Grades K-3).
This bilingual, bicultural book presents us with a beautiful vision of a planet in which
nature, words, and the rising and setting of the sun and moon exist in harmony.
Call Number: j861.7 Luj
Rau, D.M. (2000). Las manos. New York, NY: Children's Press. (Grades PreK-1).
A birthday party is an exciting place for children to learn many uses for their hands.
Call Number: j612.98 Rau
Tabor, N. (2000). Ve lo que dices: Modismos en español e inglés = See what you say: Spanish
and English idioms. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. (Grades 1-3).
This bilingual picture book compares idioms with similar meanings in both English and
Spanish.
Call Number: j428.2 Tab
Prepared by
Patricia Moore
April, 2014
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