Best Bilingual Books for Spanish Story Time ｜Books in English and Spanish

Whether you are a bilingual family, or are just starting out on your journey learning Spanish with your children, these bilingual books are wonderful additions to your library! They are all mainly in English with Spanish added throughout, and are a great way to bring new language into your reading if you aren’t quite ready for a full Spanish book. My children and my students absolutely love these bilingual books and they are fun for adults to read aloud too!

Skippyjon Jones Series

Skippyjon Jones is a sweet little kitty-boy who thinks he is a chihuahua and loves adventure! These books are seriously so much fun to read out loud and will have you all giggling with the sweet stories and goofy word play. There is a really fun Spanglish element to this book that not only brings Spanish words into the story but also adds a Spanish flair to English words throughout it. As a Kindergarten teacher, my students would ask for these books again and again and my own children love reading them almost every day. This is a great series for any family wanting to bring some fun Spanglish into their reading time.

Book of… Series

These books from Roseanne Greenfield Thong are some of my favorites for introducing and reviewing basic concepts en Español like colors, numbers and shapes. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I love the way Spanish is woven into each page. Whether you are already a bilingual family or you are just beginning your journey with language learning, these books are a must have! They also bring great cultural elements into each story which takes your story time to a whole new level.

Gazpacho for Nacho

Oh this book is so much fun! It is about a little boy who loves gazpacho and wants to eat it for every meal. I love this book because it introduces so many Spanish food words with a great rhyme and fun illustrations. If you are talking more about la comida with your families, this is a great Spanglish book to add to your bookshelf!

Where Are You From?

I can’t get enough of this sweet story that can open up conversations about inclusion, diversity and belonging with your children. While this book is mainly in English, there are some Spanish words incorporated throughout and the whole book takes you on a mini-cultural voyage of Argentina with a sweet story about a grandfather explaining to his granddaughter where she comes from. The ending message will bring tears to your eyes when he points out that at the end of it all, we all come from the hearts of those that love us. This book is also available in Spanish!

Abuela

I just adore this sweet story of adventure with a young girl and her grandmother. It weaves Spanish in throughout each page in such a thoughtful way and is perfect for any Spanish speaking family. It is also really special if you have a family member that primarily speaks one language, this book shows just how special it can be when you are able to really speak with them in a way they would understand. I can’t get enough of this story and we read it all the time at home.

The Adventures of Lily Huckleberry in Mexico

My children are obsessed with Lily Huckleberry and this is such a sweet story. I love that the Spanish words all come with a mini pronunciation guide as you read so you can figure out how to say them if they are new to you! This book takes you on a journey to Mexico with Lily Huckleberry and her new friend María Marisol Mariposa Monarca (seriously so fun to say!) as they search for María’s family. It weaves in little bits of Mexican culture and so much whimsy while also introducing migration of the Monarch butterfly. The illustrations are also so much fun. We read it over and over again!

La Princesa and the Pea

Oh this is such a sweet story that weaves Spanish into each page in a beautiful way. I love this updated classic and it even has a glossary of all the Spanish words to help you as you read! I love that it has a Peruvian twist as well which adds a great cultural element that you can dive into even more with your children as you read.

Mango, Abuela and Me

Oh this story pulls on my heartstrings. It is a wonderful journey of an English speaking granddaughter getting to know her Spanish speaking grandmother and shows the power of language and connection. I love that this book not only tells a heartwarming story but it also is a wonderful example of the joys of being bilingual. This is a great story especially for any families with relatives who speak other languages!

Just a Minute – A Trickster Tale and Counting Book

I absolutely love this story and it would be great to ready around the Día de Muertos to introduce Calaveras! This book weaves in counting words as a sneaky abuela tries to trick Señor Calavera. I love that it incorporates bits of Mexican culture to explore more with your children. It is a great way to reinforce Spanish counting!

I love Saturdays y domingos

This is such a sweet story! It follows a little girl who visits her grandparents on the weekends. We explore her multi-cultural background as she explores her city with her different sets of grandparents- one with a European-American heritage and one with a Mexican-American heritage – though they both have many differences I love the way this book brings love of family to the center of it all. A great book to celebrate heritage and connecting with family.

Fire! Fuego! Brave Bomberos

This is such a great story for any children that love firetrucks! With lyrical verses and captivating illustrations, your family goes on a journey as a fire truck races to save a burning casa. As with most of Susan Middleton Elyr’s books, there is a glossary of the Spanish words to help you learn as you read!

These are just some of my favorite Spanglish bilingual books that we read as a bilingual family. Am I missing any? What are some that you love?