Bilingual Children's Books: Fiction

When Little Diego gets a Superman outfit for his birthday, he hopes to fly across the border to Mexico to be with his grandfather whom he loves.

Ever since the church bell disappeared, life in Angel's town just hasn't been the same. People have gotten used to it, but Angel, the young kite maker, can't forget. The bilingual (English/Spanish) story of how a young kite maker mysteriously brings back the missing church bell to his beloved town.

This Pura Belpré Award–winning picture book is a bilingual ride through the joyous history of Children’s Day/El día de los niños. Children’s Day/Book Day; El día de los niños/El día de los libros has been observed on April 30th for over twelve years. Pat Mora’s jubilant celebration of this day features imaginative text and lively illustrations by award-winning illustrator Rafael López that will turn this bilingual fiesta into a hit for story time!

Carlos ignores his father’s advice about being careful how he spends his money at the carnival, and soon his pockets are empty

When he sees the results of not following his father's instructions on the proper way to plant corn, Carlos tries to make things right.

Carlos and Gloria have been friends all their lives, but his feelings for her have changed. Suddenly he feels like showing off for her, and catching a skunk seems like a good way to impress her. Carlos soon learns a "stinky" lesson in this humorous story.

Set in northern New Mexico, young Carlos refuses to take a bath after his farm work each day, until a plant sprouts in his ear.

Tun-TUN-dun-TUN Even though nobody in her Cuban-American neighborhood thinks girls should play the drums, Chavi knows she was born to drum. And the whole world is her instrument: she drums on paint cans, sofa arms, even on her mother s cheeks. Her favorites, however, are the tumbadoras, the conga drums that liven the Caribbean music she and her neighbors love. So, when she s not picked to play on the school float for the festival on Miami s Calle Ocho, she decides to do something about it Mayra Lazara Dole s plucky little musician will drum her way into the hearts of young readers, while Tonel s wonderfully quirky illustrations capture Calle Ocho, its inhabitants, and celebrations' heart-thumping energy.

Here is a poetic ode to the beauty of the natural world as expressed by the movement and moods of water on Earth. With every evocative verse, we visit one of fourteen different water landscapes and cultural areas around the world, each stunningly illustrated with a breathtaking view of a place of natural beauty and conveying a sense of the drama, joy, power, serenity, grandeur, or peacefulness of water. From the Grand Canal of Venice to Qutang Gorge in China, from the Sahara in Morocco to the Andes of Chile, we learn about the world through the lens of water, our most precious, life-giving resource.

The award-winning author of "Calling All Doves" scores again with this sparkling story of friendship and self-empowerment that features a little boy in a wheelchair who is given a special pet by his father. GRL: M

Jose loves helping Mama in the garden outside their home in California. But when Mama is sent back to Mexico for not having citizenship papers, Jose and his Papa face an uncertain future. What will it be like to visit Mama in Tijuana? When will she be able to come home? Award-winning children's book author Rene Colato Lainez tackles the difficult and timely subject of family separation with exquisite tenderness. He is donating a portion of his royalties to the Centro Madre Assunta, a refuge for women and children who are waiting to be reunited with their families in the United States. Joe Cepeda's bright and engaging illustrations bring this story of hope to vivid life."

A young multiracial boy celebrates family, friendship, and fun by telling about some of the everyday things for which he is thankful. GRL: J

Juanito accompanies his grandmother to a flea market in southern California, where he helps her and the other vendors and where they enjoy seeing old friends from their Mexican-American community. GRL: P

Saturdays and Sundays are very special days for the child in this story. On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come from a European-American background, and on Sundays -- los domingos -- she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. While the two sets of grandparents are different in many ways, they also have a great deal in common -- in particular, their love for their granddaughter. While we follow our narrator to the circus and the pier, share stories from her grandparents' pasts, and celebrate her birthday, the depth and joy of both cultures are conveyed in Spanish and English.

It's dinnertime. Look at all the food! There are beans, tortillas, cheese, and even a green salad. Enough for the whole family. Let's sit down and enjoy it together.

In this spare, lyrically written story, we join a child on a journey of self-discovery. Finding a way to grow from the inside out, just like a tree, the child develops as an individual comfortable in the natural world and in relationships with others. The child begins "Within/ The deep dark earth," like a seed, ready to grow and then dream and reach out to the world. Soon the child discovers birds and the sky and other children: "Trees and trees/ Just like me!" Each is different too. The child embraces them all because "All trees have roots/ All trees belong." Maya Christina Gonzalez once again combines her talents as an artist and a storyteller to craft a gentle, empowering story about belonging, connecting with nature, and becoming your fullest self. Young readers will be inspired to dream and reach, reach and dream . . . and to be as free and unique as trees.

Children and adults alike have been delighted by this clever tale. At last, this all-time favorite is available in a Spanish/English bilingual edition. Read again about how these lovable, wild, hairy, Southwestern cousins of the three little pigs outsmart trickster Coyote, who had hoped to eat them with red chile sauce.

A contemporary folktale about magical dogs that live on the volcanoes of El Salvador and protect the people from many dangers.

When Mama s purse falls on the floor, Sofia gets a peek at Mama s old Resident Alien card and comes to the conclusion that Mama might be an alien from outer space. Sofia heads to the library to learn more about aliens. Some are small and some are tall. Some have four fingers on each hand and some have large, round eyes. Their skin can be gray or blue or green. But Mama looks like a human mother Could she really be an alien? Sofia is still puzzling out this mystery when she sees an alien-looking Mama one night. It turns out Mama is doing a beauty treatment so she will look her best for her citizenship ceremony. That s when Sofia realizes that in English, an alien can be someone from another planet, and it can also be a person from another country. Just like Mama Filled with imagination and humor, Mama the Alien/Mama la extraterrestre is a lighthearted immigration tale and a celebration of family, no matter where that family comes from. Even if it s outer space "

Everyone knows about Mary and her little lamb. But do you know Maria? With gorgeous, Peruvian-inspired illustrations and English and Spanish retellings, Angela Dominguez gives a fresh new twist to the classic rhyme. Maria and her mischievous little llama will steal your heart.

Marisol McDonald loves words that begin with the letter m except the word monster. Monsters are scary, with big eyes, wild fur, pointy claws, and sharp teeth. One night, when Marisol hears loud bumps under her bed, she is immediately convinced that a monster is making the noise. Checking under the bed does not reveal a monster, but night after night, the bumps continue. When the bumps become especially loud one night, Marisol bravely leads the charge downstairs to find the cause. Turns out the monster making noise under Marisol's bed does have eyes and fur and teeth, but it isn t scary at all. It s her dog, Kitty, playing ball against the kitchen wall. Fans of the award winning Marisol McDonald Doesn t Match and Marisol McDonald and the Clash Bash will love this new adventure featuring Marisol McDonald, the multiracial heroine who celebrates individuality. Peruvian-Scottish-American Marisol learns to face her fears in this empowering story of harnessing the imagination and conquering nighttime monsters."

Marisol McDonald has flaming red hair and nut-brown skin. Polka dots and stripes are her favorite combination. She prefers peanut butter and jelly burritos in her lunch box. To Marisol, these seemingly mismatched things make perfect sense together. Other people wrinkle their nose in confusion at Marisol can't she just choose one or the other? Try as she might, in a world where everyone tries to put this biracial, Peruvian-Scottish-American girl into a box, Marisol McDonald doesn t match. And that s just fine with her." GRL: L

Little Maya has a special blanket that Grandma stitched with her own two hands. As Maya grows, her blanket becomes worn and frayed, so with Grandma's help, Maya makes it into a dress. Over time the dress is made into a skirt, a shawl, a scarf, a hair ribbon, and finally, a bookmark. Each item has special, magical, meaning for Maya; it animates her adventures, protects her, or helps her in some way. But when Maya loses her bookmark, she preserves her memories by creating a book about her adventures and love of these items. When Maya grows up, she shares her book-Maya's Blanket/La manta de Maya-with her own little daughter while snuggled under her own special blanket. Inspired by the traditional Yiddish folk song "Hob Ikh Mir a Mantl" ("I Had a Little Coat"), this delightful story puts a child--focused, Latino spin on the tale of an item that is made into smaller and smaller items. Maya's Blanket/La manta de Maya charmingly brings to life this celebration creativity, recycling, and enduring family love.

Little Maya longs to find brilliant, beautiful, inspiring color in her world....but Maya's world, the Mojave Desert, seems to be filled with nothing but sand. With the help of a feathered friend, she searches everywhere to discover color in her world. In the brilliant purple of her mother's flowers, the cool green of a cactus, the hot pink sunset, and the shiny black of Papi's hair, Maya finally finds what she was looking for. The book's appealing narrative and bold illustrations encourage early readers to observe and explore, and to discover the colors in their own.

This English/Spanish story begins as young Amada overhears her parents whisper of moving from Mexico to Los Angeles where greater opportunity awaits. As she and her family journey north, Amada records in her diary her fears, hopes, and dreams for their lives in the United States. GRL: N

Why do we choose the friends we do? In My Pal, Victor, two young Latino boys experience carefree camaraderie despite one boy's disability. Victor tells heart-booming ghost stories, claps the loudest at Dominic's baseball games, and performs a fabulous floating frog stroke. Children will see themselves and their friends in these engaging and often comical everyday activities. The last page of the book shows Victor in his wheelchair. Here Dominic quips, "But, the most important thing about my pal, Victor, is that he likes me just the way I am." A heartwarming twist on the typical "disability" story. Soft pastel/color pencil drawings capture the realistic aspects as well as the fantasy world explored in this touching tale.

With the help of her family, a resourceful Mexican-American girl with two parents, five little brothers, and visiting relatives realizes her dream of having a space of her own to read and to think. Based on the author's own childhood. Full-color illustrations. GRL: O

Quinito knows that his neighborhood is made up of much more than just buildings, streets, and shops it is made up of all the people he knows and loves. People like his grown-up cousin Tita, who learns how to make people laugh in clown school, and his aunt, who paints murals to brighten up the streets. Everyone in the neighborhood has an important job, and each friend and neighbor knows and values everyone else.Jose Ramirez's jewel-like paintings vibrate with life and energy, and bring Quinito s charming neighborhood journey to life. Quinito's Neighborhood will inspire readers to explore and appreciate their own neighborhoods, and show them the boundless array of different jobs in their communities."

Esta es una historia bilingüe. Habla de la Soledad y el Miedo. Aborda un tema sensible. Se da en el marco de los procesos migratorios que viven familias enteras, en busca de una mejor situación económica. A veces los hijos sufren la peor parte de este proceso desgarrador y triste. Ellos deberán aprender a convivir con una realidad nueva y diferente y tendrán que adaptarse a lo desconocido. Como le sucedió a Soledad, la protagonista de este cuento. Ella todavía no se acostumbra a la casa vacía; pero todos los días deberá enfrentarse a sus propios demonios. También se siente sola, los padres ahora se ocupan demasiado tiempo del trabajo. La niña sabe que no puede hacerles ningún reclamo. Tendrá que arreglárselas sola.

A collection of four stories presented in both English and Spanish: "No Way, José! ("De Ninguna Manera, José"), "Mariposa, Mariposa," "The Terrible Tragadabas" ("El Terrible Tragadabas") and "Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Oh!" ("Lunes, Martes, Miércoles, O!").

Children, parents, and teachers learn about the traditions of rural Mexico and the importance of respecting nature.

It is the winter of 1929, and cousins Hildamar and Santiago have just moved to enormous, chilly New York from their native Puerto Rico. As Three Kings' Day approaches, Hildamar and Santiago mourn the loss of their sunny home and wonder about their future in their adopted city. But when a storyteller and librarian named Pura Belpre arrives in their classroom, the children begin to understand just what a library can mean to a community. In this fitting tribute to a remarkable woman, Lucia Gonzalez and Lulu Delacre have captured the truly astounding effect that Belpre had on the city of New York. GRL: O

Retells the Zapotec legend of Lucia Zenteno, a beautiful woman with magical powers who is exiled from a mountain village and takes its water away in punishment. GRL: O

In English and in Spanish, four generations of mothers and daughters participate in family traditions-within a Costa Rican culture in which they share such things as tortilla making and flower gathering. Extraordinary folk-art painting by "Corazones Valientes," an organization of women artists in Costa Rica, accompany this universal and unforgettable story of family love.

In vivid and poetic detail, she recalls exploring with her brother the old haunted house of the legendary revolutionary Juan Sebastian, discovering the music that came from the jukebox at the local cantina, and getting caught by their mother for their mischievous adventures. Most of all, she remembers the ballads her father sang and the stories her grandmother told.

English - Haitian Creole

English - Cree