The Best Spanish Bilingual Books for Kids by Age

Teach your children how to count numbers, one to 10, in both English and Spanish while they get to learn about one of Mexico’s most iconic and influential painters, Frida Kahlo. The Lil’ Libros company has an eclectic variety of bilingual books for different ages to celebrate Latin American culture and encourage bilingualism.

This charming bilingual book is filled with endearing illustrations of Mami and Papi giving their bébé muchos besos. It’s a sweet story of love transcending any language.

A cute little penguin shares all the fun things it likes to do with its loved one. The story is heartwarming and will inspire you to dance and play peekaboo with your own little one.

Sing along to this traditional Spanish folk song in both languages. You and your child will join the mother hen, her baby chicks, and the rest of the farm animals in the “peep”-ing and “pio”-ing, exploring adventures on the farm.

It’s fulfilling when we can find the words to express how we’re feeling, but even more fulfilling when we can do it in more than one language! This heartwarming story of two giraffes who discover a baby ostrich is an adorable, straightforward way to learn how to engage in compassionate dialogues at an early age. All feelings are expressed in both English and Spanish, so your little one will be able to describe how they’re doing bilingually in no time.

Your little explorer will hop on an adventure with the monarch butterflies as they flutter from Canada to Mexico on their annual pilgrimage to their ancestral forest home. The butterflies have many delightful encounters in their migration on this tale of cross-cultural connections and the power of belonging.

Savor in the joys of the paleta, the delicious fruit-flavored popsicle cherished by Mexican and Mexican-American children for many generations. Children jump with excitement when they hear the “ding-ding” of the paleta wagon making its way around the neighborhood. The hardest part is choosing which yummy flavor to devour: coconut, tamarind, or strawberry?

Who doesn’t need a hug? A tiny porcupine certainly does, but he’s struggling to find someone to cuddle with him. Then, he finds friendship in an unlikely creature. This heartfelt picture book will give your little darlings all the feels!

This is another gem from Carmen Tafolla about a quintessential element in Mexican culture: the rebozo (shawl), which mamas and abuelitas (grandmothers) use for many magical purposes across generations. Symbolic articles of clothing, like the rebozo, are physical manifestations of unconditional love in families.

For those with children who are notoriously picky eaters, this charming book will definitely resonate. Ceci is only willing to expand her bland palate thanks to the advice of her wise abuela, who teaches her how to eat colorful foods that correspond with the colors of the rainbow. Not only does this story speak to the special connection between grandmothers and granddaughters, but it shows the central place of family, sharing, and well-being. Plus, it offers children a chance to learn (and learn to eat?!) a variety of healthy foods as they expand their Spanish/English vocabulary.

Learning self-love at an early age is an invaluable skill for nurturing a positive spirit as we grow. This special book celebrates diversity by teaching little ones to love who they are—the color of their skin, the languages they speak, the cultural traditions they honor all swirl together to make nobody else quite like them! It also promotes the important belief that your love and happiness starts with you, before you can spread it to everyone else you care about.

The 2021 enchanting release of the movie Encanto has had us adoring Mirabel and her family’s sparkling energy ever since, and this is a joyful book adaptation of it. For those unfamiliar with the story, the Madrigals live in a tucked away Colombian mountain town–Encanto–where every child is blessed with a special gift… except Mirabel! When she’s tasked with protecting her community from a threatening darkness that could disrupt Encanto’s magic, it turns out she has more power to tap into than she thinks. Written in both English and Spanish in a manner that caters to early readers, children will love chiming in to sound out the story while witnessing a Latina protagonist who courageously stands up for her family.

Families are separated regularly because of immigration issues in the U.S., and this story brings one of these heartbreaking and hope-filled stories to life. José misses his mamá greatly ever since she was deported because she didn’t have the documentation to stay in this country. But hope still exists as he travels with his papá to Mexico to be reunited with his beloved mamá.

Señor Calvera, a skeleton from the Day of the Dead festivities, is having trouble finding the perfect present to give to his abuelita (grandmother) on her birthday. Due to a misunderstanding, he decides to give her multiple gifts—one for every letter in the alphabet. Señor Calvera learns along the way that the best gift is something that cannot be wrapped with a bow.

This collection of Latin American nursery rhymes is a lovely way to experience a fresh collection of stories that contrast the English ones we’re so used to seeing. For nursery rhymes steeped with a rich history and endearing illustrations, this is a delightful read for snuggling up at bedtime or a cozy ‘library’ session at home. Some rhymes also include instructions for finger play to create an interactive reading journey. And while it’s not a vocabulary-oriented storybook per se, since each rhyme is translated into both English and Spanish, you will be able to select plenty of uplifting keywords for learning.

Isabel is heading to a new school, and finds herself at odds with its cold-colored English ways. She cherishes the warm colors of her Spanish language roots, yet has to learn how to make inroads for connecting with her new peers. Coloring becomes a welcomed path to communication, showing how bonding can transcend language. Heading into an English-speaking school when it’s not your first language can be scary—this book serves as a hopeful reminder that even as you make efforts to learn a new language, you can still find surprising and creative ways to befriend others.