• Parenting

    My Moment of Doubt

    We were in the living room when it happened.

    “You know, [name omitted to protect the innocent] is just like you were when you were a kid—he’s completely bilingual! His English and Spanish are both really good.”

    We were visiting my aunt and one of my family members made this offhand comment. It came on the heels of watching my toddler struggle to communicate in English. She had gotten her point across (mostly), but it was the first time I wondered, are we doing the right thing?? Focusing on Spanish and trusting that she’ll pick up English through school, friends, relatives and, well, basically everywhere (except at home)?

    This is a family member who I love, respect, and admire, so her opinion holds weight with me. And the truth is that for me, this is a big experiment. I was raised speaking both languages equally since birth. My family’s situation in Mexico is different than the reality we live here in the States, which is why we decided to do things differently with our kids.

    I have faith that their English will catch up and probably eventually be their dominant language—that was my husband’s experience after his family moved here from Ecuador.

    But still, it breaks my heart a tiny bit to see my daughter try to communicate with little strangers on the playground and be met with a blank stare (although, they are toddlers so… that could happen even if she was speaking perfect English I guess).

    Raising a bilingual kid can feel lonely at times, even though I know that families all around the world are doing the same thing every day. It’s these little slivers of doubt that, if left unchecked, can start to erode your commitment and make you wonder if it’s even worth it.

    It was the first time I felt unsure whether we’re making the right choice about our kids’ language journeys, but I’m certain it won’t be the last. In the end, I think it comes down to trusting your instincts and finding support. Luckily, there’s a great big Internet full of people, resources and services to help those of us raising bilingual bebés.

    But I still want to know—has something similar ever happened to you? How did you react? We’re really all in this together, you know.

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  • Reading

    How to Read More Books

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    Thanks to my job, it’s pretty clear how much I love books. And I hear from a lot of adults that they also love books and reading (book nerds of the world, unite!). But what I also hear often (and feel myself, to be honest) is that even though many of us love to read, we don’t do as much reading as we’d like to or as we used to.

    It’s just hard to squeeze it in sometimes, you know? (Although I’m always amazed at how, when I have a really good book that I can’t put down, suddenly I can find several extra hours a day to read it.)

    If “read more” is on your to-do list or is one of your resolutions, I have a few little tricks that help me get through my ever-growing TBR list. I thought I’d share them here in case they might work for you!

    1. The Kindle app. The Kindle app is the best thing that ever happened to my reading. I resisted getting a Kindle for ever (“it’s just not the saaaame as a book with real pages!”) until my partner, Josh, convinced me that my piles of grad school reading would be so much easier if I had one. Post-grad school, I don’t read so much on my Kindle anymore because I never remember to charge it (#adulting), but if I have a book in my Kindle app on my phone, it’s sooo much easier to resist the siren song of mindless Instagram/Facebook/Pinterest scrolling. I go straight to the book instead.
    2. Skim, skim, skim. The Internet is full of so many interesting things to read! But skimming is your friend here. Most things don’t really require an in-depth read (same goes for magazines).
    3. Read on your break. A while back I read something that’s really stuck with me as the primary caregiver of small children. It was something to the effect of: claim your breaks! Meaning, a normal office-type adult worker gets a couple of short breaks and maybe an hour for lunch every day, during which she/he doesn’t have to work. So (theoretically at least) I also aim for a couple of short, child-free breaks while I’m home with the girls every day. Sometimes this looks like me standing next to the pantry speed-stuffing graham crackers into my mouth while I procrastinate trying to make naps happen… but on my better days I crack a book and read for 20 minutes while my kids entertain themselves.
    4. Have a few different books you can read. This one probably depends on the person—I know some people are “one book at a time” readers—but for me it helps to have at least a couple of books that I’m reading at the same time. That way, I can read whatever I’m in the mood for at the moment. Sometimes, if you only have one book there and you’re not interested in it, you’ll just not read. And at least for me, it’s so much easier to make time to read something that I’m enjoying rather than something I’m kind of slogging through (this is the part where I confess that I have one book I’ve been reading for A YEAR. It’s not even a long book! Or a bad book! I just can’t seem to finish it).
    5. Keep a reading list a la mano. One of the most frustrating things is to suddenly find yourself with time to read but then realize you have no idea what to read. And for me at least, because I have limited reading time, I definitely want to make sure I’m not wasting it on mediocre books. So keep a reading list! And (very important) keep it on-hand. I use the Notes app on my phone so that it’s easy to pull up if I’m in the library or in the airport about to board a flight (the two main times I panic-search for a book).

    I think about adult reading a lot, mainly because I think about kid reading a lot. And one thing I know for sure is that it’s super important to model reading for your chiquitos because of course, if they don’t see you doing it, they probably won’t think it’s that great, either.

    And it’s not just about the kids, either—reading is fuuun! I mean, tell me what’s more pleasant than an hour spent with a great book on the couch while it rains outside / in the hammock in the sunshine / in bed on a lazy Saturday? NOTHING, that’s what.

    I’d love to hear what helps you read more books! I’ve also heard of people keeping track of how many books they read each year, which is something that I haven’t tried but I think would be super interesting (or maybe more like “oh desilusión,” not sure).

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  • Bilingual Kids, Parenting

    Four Ways to Be Consistent about Teaching Your Kid Spanish

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    A few weeks ago I asked for your biggest struggles as you raise bilingual niños. I got soooo many insightful and thought-provoking answers, but one issue came up over and over. People used different words, but basically it boiled down to:

    “My kid is doing great! The problem is… ME. I have a really hard time being consistent about speaking Spanish with my kid.”

    Totally relatable! As parents we have like 10 million other things on our minds so it’s easy to slip into English (or just get burned out with the extra effort of keeping a minority language going at home).

    But! The rewards of staying consistent are huge! So I’ve thought of a few simple steps that will help you stay more consistently… consistent (¡valga la redundancia!) with keeping Spanish in your home.

    Remember your why.
    My oldest daughter is in a big “¿¿porque??” phase right now—always wanting to know why we’re doing or saying things—so this one is top of mind for me! It’s so much easier to do something when you have a clear and compelling vision for WHY it matters.

    Maybe you want to make sure your kids can understand their Abuelitos. Maybe you’re taking a trip to Mexico this summer (can I come?). Or maybe you’re committed to raising kids that can communicate with more of the human family. Whatever your reason, reminding yourself what it is will give you the motivation to keep going when things feel hard or frustrating.

    Make it part of your routine.
    One of the best tips I’ve ever heard is to choose an activity that you do with your kid(s) only in Spanish. Maybe you go out for ice cream every week and only speak Spanish. Maybe you have Spanish Movie Night every Friday. Maybe you read together en español every night! Pick something fun and relevant to your child’s interests so that Spanish is deeply connected to something enjoyable, and make sure it happens on a regular basis.

    Small steps are ok.
    It’s not a secret that exposure to Spanish is key to your child’s language learning (and the more exposure, the better). But I’m here to say that a little bit of Spanish is always better than no Spanish! It’s ok to pick one thing and focus on that until it becomes a habit, and then add more Spanish speaking activities to your life. Just like with so many things that seem daunting at first, a bunch of small things that build on each other eventually make something big.

    You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to keep going. 
    You can’t have an “all or nothing” mindset. If you’ve had an English-heavy day (or week, or month) when you meant to focus on Spanish, well, there’s always tomorrow. Starting right away after a lapse avoids losing all of the progress you’ve made. It’s a marathon, amigos míos! And what you do all the time matters more than what you do occasionally.

    ….

    I hope these simple tips help you get (and stay) motivated. I promise it’s worth the effort.

    And I’d love to know what has worked best for you to consistently build up your kids’ Spanish!

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  • Bilingual Bookworm, Parenting

    The Crazy Easy Way to Help Your Kid Speak Like a Genius

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    Child learning vocabulary by reading, in socks

    It was dinnertime and we were playing a vocabulary game with our toddler.

    “¿Qué palabras empiezan con ____?”

    We were asking her to think of words that started with different letters of the alphabet. Here’s what she came up with:

    A: anillo

    U: uva

    S: sigilosa

    O: oculista

    When she busted out those last two, my partner Josh and I had one of those parent moments (you know, the kind where you look at each other with a mixture of amusement, pride and astonishment at how marvelous your kid is). I mean, she’s two! To be honest, I don’t know many adults that use the word “sigilosa” in everyday conversation.

    Here’s the thing though: I can tell you exactly which books she learned her big words from. Sigilosa? That one is from Daniela Pirata.

    As her parent, obviously I think she’s extraordinary (!) and I’m sure that helps. But I also know that I am just a regular parent doing my best.

    By which I mean, if my kid can learn to speak Spanish like this, your kid can, too.

    The best part about learning a language as a kid is that there are no vocabulary drills, no quizzes, no studying. It’s as easy as this: you get to learn snuggled up on or next to your favorite person, looking at beautiful pictures, listening to an interesting story.

    And I happen to know a good book or two you should check out. 🙂 I share them over on my instagram if you’d like to follow along!

    And now I’d love to know… what’s your favorite big word (or “palabra de 20 pesos” as my Abuelito used to say) that your kid says/said?

    P.S. How I helped my friend do a Spanish reading challenge with her kids, in case you’d like some inspiration & motivation!

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  • Top Stories

    Want to Raise Bilingual Kids? Let’s Talk!

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    “She only answers in English.”

    “He only wants to read low-quality TV character books— ¡y en inglés!”

    “My kids’ grandparents are native Spanish speakers, but will only talk to my kids in (not wonderful) English.” In conversations I’ve had with friends, subscribers and others in this fantastic tribe of people raising bilingual readers, the same sorts of challenges seem to come up over and over.

    As a parent, you are your kid’s first and best teacher. I know you know this! But if you’re the only native Spanish speaker in your house (and your partner can’t speak or understand you), I totally get that it can feel heavy to be the only one in charge of keeping your kids bilingual in a mostly-English world.

    And if your partner is the native speaker, it can feel like he/she isn’t doing enough to get your kids the Spanish exposure they need to be truly bilingual. You want to be supportive, but you’re not really sure how to help (and maybe feel like it’s really your partner’s responsibility).

    I get it! I really do. And the whole point of my business is to help you, support you, and make your life easier as a parent of bilingual kids. So I’ve been thinking—wouldn’t it be nice if we had a practical, short guide with helpful tips and tricks to address these common concerns?

    It was one of those things I thought, and then couldn’t STOP thinking. So, I’m doing it. I’m diving deep into research, turning to experts in bilingual parenting and literacy, and pulling it all together in a concise, easily actionable (and free!) guide.

    This is where you come in. I would love, love to hear what problems/concerns/challenges you’re facing as you raise bilingual kids and little readers! You can tell me in the comments, or email me at hola@solbookbox.com.

    I can’t wait to hear from you!

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  • Bilingual Bookworm, Book List, Reading

    Phenomenal Picture Books Featuring Afro-Latinx Characters

    The first time I ever heard or thought about the concept of Afro-Latinx was when I was in college (the small town in Chihuahua, Mexico where I grew up was pretty homogenous). My junior year, I left the U.S. to do a summer internship in Honduras where I made some great Afrohondureño friends. When I came back to the States, I realized that I knew tons of people that identified as both Black and Latinx—I always just paid attention to their Latinx side!

    Since starting Sol Book Box, one of my goals has always been to find books that act as “mirrors” for kids, the kind where they can read authentic stories that reflect their own lives and families. My revelatory experience from all those years ago has been on my mind as we’re about to start Black History Month, because I don’t know about you, but I don’t often see Afro-Latinxs featured during this month that we celebrate achievements by Black people in U.S. history.

    I definitely don’t want my kids to be in college before they realize that lots of people are BOTH Black and Latinx (a Pew Research Center survey of Latinx adults shows that one-quarter of all U.S. Latinxs self-identify as Afro-Latinx, Afro-Caribbean, or of African descent with roots in Latin America), so I thought I’d go on the hunt for great books in Spanish that feature an Afro-Latinx protagonist to read this February. And then I decided I needed to share here!

    Best picture books with Afro-Latinx characters

    You should know that I never recommend books that I haven’t personally read with my kids and enjoyed. These 7 books highlighting Afro-Latinx characters are the ones that made the cut!

    Lola by Junot Diaz (Spanish), also in English as Islandborn

    Most of the kids in Lola’s class are “from somewhere else.” When their teacher assigns them a project to draw a picture of the place where their families immigrated from, Lola is excited– until she realizes she doesn’t remember The Island, because she left when she was just a baby. So she draws on the memories of family and friends to discover the place where she’s from. This is a beautiful and sensitive story of culture, identity and belonging.

    Blanca Nieve y los siete gigantones by Yanitzia Canetti (Spanish)

    If you’ve been reading for a minute you already know that I’m a huge fan of Yanitzia Canetti’s “Había otra vez” series. This book reimagines Blanca Nieve as una niña “con los ojos rasgados y de color caramelo, su piel como chocolate y muy crespo su pelo,” and replaces the forest with a tropical island. It’s one of my favorites because of Canetti’s rhymes, which are precise, musical, and hilarious. (Also it doesn’t hurt that in this version Blanca Nieve tells the dwarfs they can do their own housework, and later informs the prince that while she’s grateful he saved her life, she can’t reciprocate his love until she gets to know him a little better!)

    Última parada de la calle Market by Matt de la Peña (Spanish)

    This book has won all kinds of awards, and happily the Spanish translation was exceptionally well done and retains the magic of the English version. Every Sunday after church, Jackson and his grandma, Nana, board the bus to go to la calle Market. Jackson has a lot of questions: Why don’t they have a car like his friend Colby? How come they always have to get off in the dirty part of town? Nana, who with every answer encourages Jackson to see the beauty of the city and the people they encounter, is one of my very favorite children’s book characters. (I’m also rather partial to the heavily tattooed man on the bus who spends the whole time looking at his cell phone, ha!). Definitely a can’t-miss book for any list featuring

    Nochecita by Yuyi Morales (Spanish)

    This gorgeous book is the perfect bedtime story, with its palette of rich purples, blues and reds. I was hooked from the first line: “Al final del largo día, Madre Cielo llena la tina con estrellas fugaces y llama, ‘¡Hora de bañar a Nochecita!’” Both the images and the imagery are gorgeous, and I really loved the sweet relationship between the mother and her daughter (who insists on a little round of hide and seek before bedtime). This book also won a bunch of awards, ¡muy bien merecidos! Definitely a can’t-miss book for any list of Afro-Latinx centered stories.

    Letras al carbón by Irene Vasco (Spanish)

    In Palenque, a small town in Colombia, nobody (except the shopkeeper) knows how to read or write. But when our protagonist’s older sister, Gina, begins to receive letters from Miguel Ángel—who had visited the small town previously—the girls’ need to read and discover what these mysterious epistles say gets real. I can never resist a book about reading and books, and I really like the illustrations in this one. Also I like that this book was recommended to me on Instagram, yay for the internet!

    Draw! by Raúl Colón (Wordless)

    This book is technically wordless, but I’m going to go ahead and count it as Spanish! (As a side note, I used to not be a huge fan of wordless picture books because I felt like I was “reading” them in the most boring way ever… but I’ve come around thanks to the fact that I can make them all Spanish and that makes me happy.) This book, about a boy who begins in his room with a sketchbook and ends up drawing all sorts of animals in the jungle, is cute and great for animal lovers (so basically every kid ever).

    Pelé, el rey del fútbol/King of Soccer by Monica Brown (bilingual English/Spanish)

    Ideal for the soccer-loving crowd, and a nice tribute to Pelé, a poor boy from Brazil who grew up to become the world’s greatest soccer star. The text itself is ok (though I must admit I found the random italicized paragraphs weird and distracting), but the illustrations are what really make this book, with high-energy, full-bleed pictures throughout. Brown describes Pelé’s humble background (he and his friends didn’t have enough money to buy a soccer ball so they used a grapefruit; they also couldn’t afford shoes so the soccer team played barefoot), but doesn’t dwell on it.

    I go through periodically and update this list as new books featuring Afro-Latinx protagonists are published, so if you have a recent favorite, I’d love to hear about it!

    Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning that if you click a link and make a purchase I may get a (very) small commission. It won’t change how much you pay for an item.

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  • Uncategorized

    A very special Christmas announcement

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    We can’t tell you how much we’ve appreciated your business and support over the last year.

    We have some exciting news and a change we hope you’ll love. We’ve heard your feedback, and for 2018, we will focus primarily on books and therefore we’ve been able to cut the price of our subscription.

    While we’ve loved our current model of sending boxes themed around our beautiful Spanish or bilingual books, we are switching to a “book of the month” model.* Each month our subscribers will receive one very carefully curated hardcover Spanish or bilingual picture book kids will love, gift-wrapped like a present.

    We will also be discontinuing our board book subscription box. This business decision was not an easy one to make, because we believe so strongly in creating readers from a very young age. However, we’ve noticed that most of our customers purchase board book boxes as one-time gifts for special moments in their little ones’ lives. What this tells us is that the board book box makes a great gift! So stay tuned, because while we won’t be offering board books on a monthly basis as a subscription product, we do have plans to offer one-time boxes in our shop that will be rotated every few months and available as long as supplies last!

    Our guiding principal is that reading is an investment in your child’s future. Reading makes for confident, smart, and emotionally healthy kids. Reading in Spanish does all of this, plus exposes your niños to new vocabulary and creates a love for the language! As much as we’ve loved the toys and other objects we’ve sent, we want to make sure that these books get the importance (and attention) they deserve.

    With a simplified model we’re able to lower our price considerably compared to our current model. We truly want to make the high-quality books that we source from all over Latin America and Spain available to as many families as possible and are always working to make our price point more accessible!

    Once again thank you for being our customer! If you have any questions about the new model, please let us know.

    Wishing you felices fiestas and a Merry Christmas!

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  • Parenting, Top Stories

    Four Halloween Costumes Inspired by Books

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    Happy Halloween! I’ve mentioned before that Halloween is slowly growing on me now that I have kids and get to dress them up (and eat their candy after they go to bed). Today I thought I’d share a few ideas for Halloween costumes that were inspired by our favorite books!

    First up is a mini Frida, delighted by life and Monica Brown’s darling book “Frida Kahlo Y Sus Animalitos.” Eyebrows on point, right?

    My favorite kinds of costumes are the ones I can cobble together with things from around the house (preferably with no sewing required). So I’m totally counting these skeleton PJs inspired by “Esqueletitos,” our favorite Halloween and Día de los Muertos book!

    “Hay un ratón en la casa” is a very sweet little interactive book, and we paired it with this little mouse that’s even sweeter!

    And last but not least, we have Caperucita Roja reading “Caperucita descolorida,” which was one of the very first books in Spanish we were given when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter. Two and a half years (and hundreds of picture books) later, it’s still one of my favorite Spanish children’s books of all time!

    I really love all of these books, and this little exercise has filled me with so many costume ideas for next year! Which children’s books do you think would make the best Halloween costumes for your kiddos?

    *Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning that if you click a link and make a purchase I may get a (very) small commission. It won’t change how much you pay for an item.

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  • Uncategorized

    Cinco Minutos con Susie Jaramillo

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    We were in the library when my daughter handed me a stack of board books that she had pulled from the shelves to read to her. As I absentmindedly picked up the stack, I noticed a book that didn’t look quite like the others: it bilingual, it had all kinds of flaps you could unfold to reveal hidden images, and most importantly it was based on the lyrics of “Los Pollitos Dicen!” Um, what?!

    That was my first experience with Canticos, books that celebrate Latinx culture through nursery rhymes and songs. I’m super excited to start a fun new series here called “Cinco Minutos,” 5 questions answered by some incredibly inspiring authors, moms and/or business owners. I couldn’t think of anyone better to kick it off than Susie Jaramillo, cofounder and chief creative officer of Canticos. I especially loved her advice about raising bilingual/bicultural kids (that last point! So true and something I’m already experiencing con mi hija now that she’s in preschool). ¡Que disfruten!

    Hi Susie! Tell us a little about yourself…

    Hello there! I’m an eternal student of culture, a child at heart who loves to draw and paint and bring stories to life. I’m also the mother of two fun-loving kids and the wife of a musical mathematician.

    What has surprised you most about the experience of building the Canticos brand and company?

    I was mostly surprised by the broader reception of these books by non-Hispanic or Spanish speaking families, librarians and educators. They really appreciate what we are doing and have come out in full force to support. As a company I appreciate the talent and the partners we are attracting – partners like Sol Book Box, Burt’s Bees Baby, Target!! These are all great partners to have.

    What is your favorite thing about your job? What is the most challenging?

    I have 2 favorite aspects of my job:

    1. When I illustrate the books and write the rhymes (singing them out loud to anyone who will listen until I am completely sure they sound great.)
    2. When I get to see little kids enjoy my books, whether I am reading to them or someone else is. Its especially exciting when the children know the song and their eyes light up with recognition and excitement.

    What is the biggest thing you hope your kids learn from you?

    The thing I hope for most is that these kids take pride in their language and their culture. That they see these songs and this world as aspirational!! Something that represents them that they can be proud of.

    Give us your best advice for parents raising bilingual and/or bicultural kids.

    I regularly seek out ways to expose my children to my language and my culture. Why? Being bilingual is truly good for their brains. That said I also want my children to be proud of their roots, and gain confidence from their ability to navigate between cultures.

    My best advice would be this:

    • Speak Spanish at home – either both parents or at least one.
    • If you hire a caregiver, hire a Spanish dominant one and ask them to only speak to your child in Spanish.
    • Find Spanish dominant kids for them to play with if possible.
    • Read and sing to them in Spanish regularly.
    • When they watch TV, or play with apps, let them play/watch in Spanish. Most streaming services have this capability.
    • Take them to Latin America when you can. Family immersion trips are key.
    • Last but not least, don’t force it. Don’t let it become a thing the kids feel stressed about. Keep things light and fun. It’s not the end of the world if they answer you in English once they start going to school.

     

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  • Bilingual Bookworm, Book List, Reading

    5 Spanish Halloween / Día de los Muertos Books to Love

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    I’m going to confess something.

    Ready?

    Día de los muertos is not my favorite holiday. There! I said it!

    I’m definitely not opposed to remembering and celebrating our ancestors, of course, but I mean… DEATH. In my family we didn’t build altares covered in flor de cempasúchil (although I did very much enjoy the pan de muertos and my mom, former Spanish teacher, can write a mean calavera). Being from northern Mexico probably contributed to this lackadaisical attitude re: Día de los Muertos festivities (in southern Mexico it’s a much bigger deal and the celebrations are beautiful!).

    However, now that I’m here in the U.S. raising my little mexicanitas I want to make sure they learn about and appreciate this important tradition and that it doesn’t get totally eclipsed by Halloween (also not my favorite holiday, though gaining in favor now that I get to eat all my kids’ Halloween candy).

    And you better believe I want books en español as we celebrate both! Here are my top picks, whether you’re looking to build your collection of Halloween / Día de los Muertos children’s books or just grab a few new titles from the library:

    Board books:

    La Llorona by Patty Rodriguez and Adriana Stein

    Like all Lil’ Libros books, this one has a simple one word/one image per page format and focuses on counting spooky illustrations (rather than the actual story of La Llorona). My tolerance for spooky things is very low, but even I can handle this one!

    Dibuja a la bruja by Monica Campadabal

    This book comes with a pen and invites kids to draw different faces on the witch (sad, surprised, etc.) mirroring the illustration of her making that face on the opposite page. This is a cute little interactive book and I love the unusual shape!

    Boo! / ¡Bu! by Leslie Patricelli

    This is a year-round favorite at our house. The first year my hija mayor was old enough to grasp the concept of carving a pumpkin, she ran to get this book and straight up used it as a manual while supervising the pumpkin-face-carving process (“¡Ahora tienes que hacer la boca así!”).

    Picture books:

    Las zanahorias maléficas by Aaron Reynolds (Spanish)

    I first read the English version of this book (Creepy Carrots!) and was super happy to see there is a Spanish translation! It reminds me of an old-timey horror film, with its ominous black and white illustrations peppered with a pop of orange. El conejito Jasper won’t stop eating carrots, so the carrots decide to go after him! Or is he just imagining things?

    Rosita y Conchita by Erich Haeger and Eric Gonzalez (bilingual English/Spanish)

    Sweetest story of Rosita and Conchita, twin sisters (one living, one dead) who connect on Día de los Muertos. I was sweating for a second thinking I was going to have to explain to my two year old what “se murió” means, but she’s still a little too young to grasp the concept. However, if you DO want to discuss grief or death with young kids, this is the perfect book for it since it focuses more on the sisters’ emotional connection than the sadness of death. This book also goes through every aspect of the altar so it’s great for contextualizing what is traditionally added to ofrendas. (Looks like this one is now a million dollars on Amazon, but I’m leaving it on the list in case you run across it somewhere else!)

    The Day of the Dead / El Dia De Los Muertos by Bob Barner (bilingual English/Spanish)

    In this book we follow two children as they celebrate their ancestors by making an ofrenda of marigolds, sugar skulls, pan de muertos and other delicious foods. This is a basic Día de los Muertos primer with bold, colorful illustrations.

    Bonus:

    Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras by Duncan Tonatiuh (English)

    This book isn’t in Spanish, but I couldn’t not include it because it’s pretty great, especially for older kids. It has won all kinds of awards and was on the New York Times Best list for illustrations in 2015. In it, we learn the story of Mexican artist José Guadalupe (Lupe) Posada, who created the calavera (skeleton) illustrations that have now become synonymous with el Día de los Muertos.

    Any of your favorites I missed? Let me know because there are not many books in Spanish out there for these holidays- dear authors and publishers, there’s a market opportunity for you!

    P.S. Three more (newer!) Halloween books in Spanish that we love.

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