30 Best Spanish-Language Books for Kids, From Beginners to Fluent Readers
Reading is a good way to help kids learn (and remember) a language.
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Adding Spanish language books to your home library enriches a child’s literary journey in many ways. For bilingual children, it helps strengthen their Spanish vocabulary and helps them see both languages as equally important. If your child is just beginning, Spanish books are an easy way to immerse them in a fun, educational activity where they are learning new words simply by exposure. Either way, adding Spanish language books to their routine opens the doors to a new world of learning, and our list is full of fun titles.
Here, we round up some of the best Spanish books for kids. Whether you’re drawn to familiar classics translated into Spanish or want your child to hear the same words in English and Spanish and pick up on the differences, there’s a book for you, including favorites from celebrated Latinx authors and illustrators.
Can kids learn Spanish just by reading books?
Learning a second language comes from exposure in many different forms. "Speaking two languages is like any other skill," the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association notes. "You need a lot of practice to do it well." However, reading books in Spanish is a good way to start. It builds a child’s vocabulary, and the younger kids are, the more their minds are able to soak in new words.
What is the benefit of learning a second language?
You might have heard the old wives' tale that learning a second language as a young child can stunt reading and speaking development, the opposite is true. Studies show bilingual kids have advantages when it comes to learning to read later on. According to waterford.org, kids who learn two languages simultaneously are quicker to pick up on word structure, have a higher vocabulary range and even have ave stronger working memories and attention spans.
Looking for more great kids' book recommendations? Check out these Good Housekeeping guides:
Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards | 50 Best Kids' Books of All Time | The Best Books for 3-Year-Olds
Sofía Valdez, presidenta tal vez
Sofia Valdez is going to be the next President of the United States because she is ready to fix her city and the world. The book tells the story of Sofia, school and her loving grandparents, who support her in her dreams. It's based on Los Preguntones (the Questioneers) series of books, which also includes Ada Magnífica, científica and Rosa Pionera, ingeniera. Ages 5+
My Party, Mi Fiesta
In this bilingual book, it's a party, and your family is invited! Kids are introduced to every element of the celebration in both English and Spanish. Good Housekeeping testers loved this so much, it earned a Kids' Book Award. Ages 0+
Federico is an outdoor cat who jumps from roof to roof visiting his “families” each day. From Todeo and his grandparents to Anna and her two moms, there’s lots for him to do and see. All of the families are different, yet Federico loves them all unconditionally.
Daisy loves to ride on her father’s motorcycle, and together they go on many adventures. This sentimental book is full of beautiful illustrations, so the reader feels like they are right on the bike with Daisy and her dad. Ages 4+
Little People, Big Dreams is a series of books introducing kids to important figures in Latinx history. This one is about the Mexican abstract painter Frida Khalo and talks about her life, talents and famous works. Ages 4+
Milo imagina el mundo
Milo has a big imagination, and he uses it to keep himself occupied on long bus rides. As he sees the people along his route, he imagines what their lives must be like. This imaginative book is full of illustrations and shows that the world isn’t always as it seems. Ages 4+
Alma, the beloved star of the Caldecott Honor Book Alma and How She Got Her Name, teachers readers about the names of body parts in both English and Spanish. She has fingers that she uses to pat her pet bird and feet for dancing. Ages 2+
Juana loves many things — drawing, eating Brussels sprouts, living in Bogotá, Colombia, but especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. But there are things she doesn't like, like her itchy school uniform and her math problems. This book will help children learn to compare and contrast in the Spanish language, and it’s totally relatable for school-aged kids. Ages 5+
From the Emmy-nominated, award-winning bilingual preschool series Canticos comes a fun way to celebrate your baby’s first birthday. Learn Las Mañanitas, the traditional Spanish birthday song, then celebrate with cake, presents and favorite Canticos characters. Ages 1+
If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit in, this is the book for you. Through colorful illustrations and uplifting words, the story shows that everyone is smart in different ways. Ally, the main character, has dyslexia, but her teacher helps her to understand that while she might learn in a different way, she is still special. Ages 10+
Kids, with their natural unruliness, will be able to relate to Simón, a dog who tries to be good but can't in the face of so many temptations. They'll feel for him when he says, "No pueda evitarlo!" ("I can't help it!") Ages 2+
With simple language, this board book seeks to teach kids the Spanish words for colors. But parents can also appreciate that it also tells the story of the legendary figure of Emilio Zapata at the same time. Pages include images of his caballo blanco (white horse), sombrero café (brown hat) and cesped verde (green grass). Ages 0+
A little girl wants a pet, and her family says no until she brings home a strange egg. When it turns out to be a dinosaur, everyone's shocked! This is from José Carlos Andrés, a famous author, a professional clown and children's theater actor from Spain. Ages 4+
This book features a collection of traditional Spanish nursery rhymes that celebrate childhood and culture. There are 29 rhymes in all, and each is accompanied by vibrant illustrations. Ages 4+
Here, readers will find out just how much this mama mouse loves her baby mouse. Through a series of sweet stanzas, the love between mother and child is beautifully rendered. Ages 2+
In this delightful little book, children will learn the days of the week through exploration of foods, places and things. There’s something special about every day. Ages 0+
Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelas
Use this book to delve into 12 Spanish folktales, or as the title describes them, "tales our grandmothers told." They were interpreted by Alma Flor Ada, who's an expert in multicultural and bilingual education. Ages 5+
La Sombrerería Mágica
This book is all about learning to be yourself. Characters encounter a series of magical hats and bonnets that bring out the best in the people who wear them. Ages 5+
El Monstruo de Colores
Children are full of emotion, but they can’t always tell us exactly how they are feeling. El Mostro de Colores explores complex feelings in a way that all of us can understand. Ages 3+
The Fabulous Lost & Found and the Little Mouse Who Spoke Spanish
Young readers are introduced to 50 new Spanish words with the help of a young mouse who enters a lost and found. The problem is that he only speaks Spanish, but the staff does not. Will little mouse find what he is missing? Ages 2+
Christina Montoya Fiedler is a Los Angeles-based freelancer with over 15 years of experience writing for online publications. Her work can be seen in Good Housekeeping and Woman's Day, where she covers everything from gift guides to personal essays. She holds a B.A. in English from Chapman University and is working toward her Early Childhood Education teaching credentials. She is proud to be of Native American (Ohkay Owingeh) and Mexican American descent.
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