Is there anything sweeter than little board books all set up in the nursery, just waiting for a baby to love (and slobber on) them?
Today I’m sharing the very best Spanish board books, the ones that all three of my babies have loved. Several of these are translations of English books, BUT they’re so well done that you won’t mind rereading them 600 times (give or take).
If you’re interested in Spanish board books at all, you’ve probably heard of Lil’ Libros already. We’ve loved those books too! But all of the recommendations below have a little more of a story, so they’re nice for babies and toddlers who can probably benefit from longer books but are still in page-ripping territory.
BEST SPANISH BOARD BOOKS FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
I think it’s important to note that our copy of this is looking preeeetty rough because of how many times we’ve read it (and how many times it’s been packed in a bag or backpack to take on adventures and trips). The Spanish translation is incredibly well-done! All of the different fish characters make it easy to do different voices, and when the book ends with a bunch of fish smooches? That is DEFINITELY a good reason to also smother your baby with kisses. 🙂
A little book about mama and baby animals who dance together, perfect for the tiniest babies! Extra points for a subtle vocabulary lesson as each adult and baby animal is named (gallina/pollito, paloma/pichón, oveja/cordero, etc.). You can also find the song for this book online and sing the words instead of read them. This book is a current hit with my 15-month-old who loves to make all the different animal sounds when we read it.
Dos en el zoológico/Two at the Zoo
We’ve also loved this bilingual book about a grandson/grandpa duo who visit the zoo. From one “oso pardo” to ten warthogs with “mucho pelo, dientes y pies,” they visit each zoo animal until “el abuelo está cansado” and it’s time to go home. (Love that that line is accompanied by an illustration of the little boy giving a big yawn, haha). The translation between English and Spanish isn’t literal, which is amazing because it rhymes so well in both languages.
El pequeño gato is so hungry! He has four pieces of fruit to choose from, but when he goes to eat… someone has already taken a bite of ALL his fruit! Will there be anything at all left for him? This is a cute story with bright illustrations and flaps you open to reveal which animal has eaten each fruit (conejo ate the pear, just FYI).
This book comes with a QR code on the back that you can scan to hear the song that goes with it! You can sing along as la jirafa Rafa lives his best life in the savanna. The song is super catchy and adds a lot to the bright illustrations and simple rhymes.
It’s a classic for a reason! The Spanish translation of “Are You My Mother?” is a well-done translation of the story we all know and love, as a baby bird looks everywhere for the mama bird. Extra points if you bounce your child on your knee when the egg is hatching and do your best animal voices while you read!
This book is a lovely version of this classic story. It’s a little larger than most board books and has a fairly significant amount of text. One very cool thing about it is how the illustrations are either raised or indented, so that they have inviting texture for babies to touch.
We also have this version of the three little pigs story, by the same author as Caperucita Roja above. Again, a big, sturdy book with lovely illustrations. Fair warning that the pigs put the wolf in a pot at the end (spoiler alert!) and one Amazon reviewer said it was too scary for her kids so… YMMV.
Perritos: Un libro para contar y ladrar
When I asked for Spanish board book recommendations on Instagram, this book came up more than any other! Sandra Boynton is always a hit. The Spanish version of this book is very cute, and it’s so fun to count (and bark) along with all of the perritos.
Canticos Books
We also have really loved all of the Canticos books that bring Latin American nursery rhymes and songs to an American audience. Each book is bilingual English/Spanish! There are a lot to choose from, but Little Chickies / Los Pollitos , Little Mice / Ratoncitos, Little Sunny Sunshine / Sol Solecito, and All the Colors / De colores are my personal favorites.
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And there you have it! Did I miss any of YOUR best Spanish board books? It’s never too early to start reading to your baby, so I hope these books will help start that crucial habit as soon as possible. And any of these options would make great baby shower gifts for proud new papás!
P.S. I am also a very, very big fan of reading picture books to a baby!
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Love this list – thank you!