6 Easy Books for Your Spanish Learner
Bilingual learning is all the rage these days! Looking to get your little one started? Or are they already learning the ropes and you want to give ‘em a boost and bond over reading at home? Jessica Swartz Amezcua of Portland Early Learning Project (PELP) gives her recs for Spanish and English learners alike.
¡Pato! ¡Conejo! (Duck! Rabbit!) by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld is both clever and delightful. The same, simple outline appears on (almost) every page with just the colors and background changing. Depending on the perspective, however, it looks like a duck or a rabbit! The language is simple and repetitive, yet the story line is hilarious, not to mention the cute twist in the end which will lead to a whole new argument all over again!
¡Yo quiero una mascota! (I want a pet!) by Lucía Serrano is about a child who carefully considers the merits of potential pets. As she contemplates each one, she recognizes that the rhino is too big, the giraffe is too long, the crocodile has too many teeth, and the penguin would get too hot. She finally comes up with the (almost) perfect pet because it does not have any of those problems. The simple drawings are wonderfully charming and expressive. This is a great read aloud because it’s fun, simple and uses repetitive language that introduces new (and interesting!) vocabulary on each page.
Silencio Ruido (Quiet Loud) by Leslie Patricelli* is super fun to read because it provides the perfect excuse to be really loud. Children will love alternating between making lots of noise (banging on pots, barking like a dog, and clicking around in high heels) and doing quiet activities (making snow angels, reading books, and shuffling in slippers). The simple, bright, and entertaining illustrations perfectly reflect the short, descriptive Spanish phrases; so you don’t even need to be well-versed in Spanish to understand the text. As a bonus this book introduces extra vocabulary words at the end in case you want to act out even more quiet vs loud scenarios.
Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead by Judy Goldman, Ghost Wings by Barbara M. Joose, and Calavera Abecedario by Jeanette Winter*, are a wonderful trio of children’s books that illuminate the many and varied ways that this special holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico. These books not only provide a vivid depiction of Mexican traditions, they are a wonderful way to connect with your child about the loss of a loved one and how they can be tenderly remembered, and even celebrated. Although these books are written in English, they are full of rich Spanish vocabulary including cempazuchitl, ofrendas, papel picado, mole, calaveras, and pan de muerto.
Por favor, Sr. Panda (Please Mr. Panda) by Steve Antony* is a wonderfully entertaining story about a panda with a box full of colorfully delicious donuts. On each page Panda asks another animal if s/he’d like a donut. But alas alack! One after another they each lose their chance at receiving the delectable treats because they respond so rudely! Finally, the ring-tailed lemur remembers to say por favor, as a result, he is justly rewarded. This is a clever and humorous way to remind children the importance of being polite.
I like It When… Me gusta cuando by Mary Murphy, is the perfect book to snuggle up with your young child before bedtime. The crisp, clean illustrations and the simple, sweet phrases of this bilingual book illuminate the ordinary, yet special everyday interactions between parent and child.
*Follow links to local bookstores where you can find the book and also participate in Spanish Story and Play Times, hosted by PELP!
Jessica Swartz Amezcua, the director of Spanish Language in Play at Portland Early Learning Project (PELP), started offering free Spanish Story & Play Times throughout Portland because of her passion for reading to children. PELP also offers an array of Spanish classes and camps for children 18 months through 5th grade. Their programs are taught by an elite team of bright, talented, and engaging teachers. PELP’s goal is to open children’s eyes to other cultures and ways to live, enriching their lives and providing them with skills to better communicate in a global world. Check out their website at portlandearlylearning.com.
