Spanish Children’s Books To Read in Your Classroom
Spanish children’s books can be a great tool for teaching young students Spanish vocabulary words and culture. With a focus on concise writing and engaging art, the right children’s book can combine entertainment and education in a better way than most worksheets will. Here are three of the best Spanish children’s books to read in your classroom.
Maria Had a Little Llama or Maria Tenia Una Llamita by Angela Dominguez
This delightful tale is perfect for preschool students because it’s an adaptation of a famous children’s song they’re probably already familiar with—Mary Had a Little Lamb. The artwork is cute, and the vocabulary words inside range from animals to colors and beyond. Thanks to that catchy tune from the original song, getting these vocabulary words stuck in your students’ heads shouldn’t be too troublesome.
Growing up With Tamales or Los tamales de Ana by Gwendolyn Zepeda
This story introduces readers to Ana, a six-year-old girl making Christmas tamales with the family. Throughout the book, readers follow Ana over the course of twelve years as tamales continue to play a significant role in her life. Aside from the sweet tone and warm artwork, this bilingual tale teaches young students words pertaining to family, numbers, and food.
Counting With Frida or Contando Con Frida by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein
As the cover states, Counting with Frida is a bilingual counting book that introduces young students to numbers and a bit of Mexican culture as well. This colorful book uses the life of painter Mexican Frida Kahlo to teach counting in a fun, informative way. Before introducing young students to this book, make sure you know exactly how each topic inside relates to Frida so that, as you’re teaching students about the numbers and vocabulary, you’re also providing that touch of culture and history.
Reading one or more of these books during your preschool Spanish lessons will allow students to absorb the information in a creative, fun way. What makes the books above, in particular, such great Spanish children’s books to read in your classroom is the wide range of topics they cover. From family to food and far beyond, these books illustrate Spanish lessons in an effectively engaging way.