It is important for children to identify with their culture, and feel a connection with it early on. Raising your child bilingual can even set him or her up to be more successful in life. These bilingual books will help your child speak English and Spanish, all while teaching them some important life lessons along the way.
Around the world with/Alreadedor del mundo con Cantinflas
Lil’ Libros are a wonderful collection of books that celebrate Latino culture. A new addition to its offerings is a book about legendary Mexican comedic actor Cantinflas, who went Around the World in 80 Days in a film by the same name. In this children’s book, he takes little ones to different points on the globe, teaching them words in both English and Spanish along the way.
Bad Hair Does Not Exist/Pelo Malo No Existe
Sulma Arzu-Brown wrote a book that would help little girls everywhere embrace their beautiful, natural hair no matter what the texture. It’s especially notable because of the representation of AfroLatino children. Most importantly, it teaches your little boy or girl that there is no such thing as “bad hair”!
My Name is Celia/Me Llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/La Vida de Celia Cruz
Celia Cruz is a legendary singer who remains an inspiration to Latinas everywhere. Her life is the topic of this kid’s book written by Monica Brown, which won the Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature.
First 100 Words Bilingual: Primeras 100 palabras
A baby is never too young to learn words in both English and Spanish. This colorful book shows 100 everyday items that are part of a child’s environment, with corresponding words in both languages.
All the Colors We Are/Todos los colores de nuestra piel: The Story of How We Get Our Skin Color/La historia de por qué tenemos diferentes colores de piel
Kids are curious, and wonder about why people look different from them, or the same. This book explains the different ways our skin color is determined, in a manner they can understand. This in turn, protects children from stereotypes, and instead prepares them to celebrate diversity.
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina
A lof of children come from mixed backgrounds. This book tells the story of a young girl, who is both Peruvian and Scottish, giving these multicultural children a tale they can identify with.
Mi Sueno de America/My American Dream
Children like to hear stories from other children, peers they can learn from and relate to. This story, by Yuliana Gallegos, puts a face to the numerous kids that have had to immigrate to the United States from other countries. Yuliana shares her experience moving from Mexico to Texas, and how she was affected by that change in her life.
