Read Across America Books in Spanish

Read Across America Books in Spanish – Looking for the perfect books to celebrate Read Across America in Spanish? You’re in the right place! Whether you’re a bilingual teacher, a Spanish teacher, a bilingual parent, or just want to add more Spanish books to your reading routine, I’ve got you covered. In this post, I’m sharing amazing book ideas by category, along with fun activities to make reading even more engaging. Let’s dive in!

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Books about Animals

Animals are always a hit with kids! Spanish books about animals can teach fun facts, introduce new verbs, and make learning more interactive.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Señorita Mariposa – por Ben Gundersheimer
• Cali’s Fun Bilingual Tales (written by me!!) – Jorja Colley
• Dragones y Tacos – por Adam Rubin
• La hormiguita – por J.S. Pinillos
• El pulpo se escapa – por Maile Meloy
• Topito terremoto – por Anna Llenas
• No hay nada más chistoso que leer con un oso – por Carmen Oliver

Fun Ideas:

• Act out the animals in the book—have kids jump like a frog, waddle like a penguin, or slither like a snake.
• Play an animal sound guessing game in Spanish.
• Make an “animal habitat” craft to go along with the story.
• Dress up as your favorite animal character

Books about Family

Family-centered books help kids relate to characters and appreciate their own families.

Here are some of my favorites:

• I love Saturdays y domingos – por Alma Flor Ada
• Un puñado de botones – por Carmen Parets Luque
• La manta de maya – por Monica Brown y David Diaz
• Un graznido en español – por Gabriella Aldemna
• El pañuelo amarillo – por Donna Barba
• La panza de mamá – por Isabel Quintero
• Martina tiene muchas tías – por Emma Otheguy
• Mi papi tiene una moto – por Isabel Quintero

Fun Ideas:

• Make a family tree in Spanish
• Write or draw about a favorite family memory
• Talk about how families are alike/different

Books about Bilingualism

My favorite topic for this week!!

Here are some of my favorites:

• A veces en inglés, a veces en español – por Josefina Cabello
• The Cow That Went Oink – por Bernard Most
• Margaret and Margarita – por Lynn Reiser
• El español es la lengua de mi familia – por Michael Genhart
• Pepita talks twice – por Ofelia Dumas
• Mango, abuela y yo – por Meg Medina
• ¡Leche chocolatada, por favor! – por Maria Dismondy
• Mi perro solo habla español – por Andrea Cáceres

Fun Ideas:

• Create personalized bookmarks with favorite Spanish book titles.
• Have kids “recommend” a book to a friend by drawing the cover and writing a short reason why they love it.
• Set up a cozy reading nook with pillows, blankets, and a variety of Spanish books.

Books about Food

Food is such a fun and relatable topic for kids! Books about food in Spanish can introduce new vocabulary, teach about different cultures, and even inspire some hands-on activities.

Here are some of my favorite books to use during Read Across America in Spanish:

• Que tu vida sea deliciosa – Michael Genhart y Loris Lora
• Los plátanos van con todo – por Lissette Norman
• Paletero Man – por Lucky Diaz
• Los plátanos son amor – por Alyssa Reynoso Morris
• Cómo se come un mango – por Paola Santos
• Un plato de esperanza – por Erik Frankel
• Gracias, Omu – por Oge Mora
• Abuelas fideo – por Gabriela Tijerina

Fun Ideas:

• Host a mini “food tasting” inspired by the book. Try snacks or ingredients mentioned in the story.
• Create a “restaurant” where kids design menus, take orders, and describe their favorite foods in Spanish.
• Do a simple cooking activity related to the book—think making tortillas, fruit salads, or hot chocolate.

Books about Colors

Books about colors are perfect for younger learners and help build basic vocabulary.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Rosa no es un color por Lindsay Ward
• Amor de colores por Melanie Romero
• De colores – por David Diaz
• El día que los crayones renunciaron – por Drew Daywalt
• El rojo no está enojado, el azul no está triste – por Luis Amavisca
• El monstruo de colores – por Ana Llenas Serra

Fun Ideas:

• Go on a color scavenger hunt—find objects that match the colors in the book.
• Do a simple painting or coloring activity where kids name the colors in Spanish.
• Play a color-matching game with flashcards or objects around the room.
• Wear your favorite color Day!

Books about Personal Growth/Identity

These books teach perseverance, self-confidence, and emotional intelligence—important lessons for all kids.

Here are some of my favorites:

• Amor de pelo – por Matthew A. Cherry
• Marisol McDonald no combina – por Monica Brown
• El collectionista de palabras – por Peter H. Reynolds
• ¡Di algo! – por Peter H. Reynolds
• No abrazar a Gaspar (no le va a gustar) – por Carrie Finison
• En realidad, es Yefferson – por Katherin Trejo y Scott Martin-Rowe
• Nadie como tú – por Linda Kranz
• Sana, sana, colita de rana – por Citlali Reyes
• Escuchando a mi cuerpo – por Gabi Garcia
• Alma y cómo obtuvo su nombre – por Juana Martinez-Neal
• El Mooch de Laxmi – por Shelly Anand
• El año en que aprendimos a volar – por Jacqueline Woodson

Fun Ideas:

• Write “I am” affirmations in Spanish (e.g., Soy valiente, Soy amable, Soy inteligente).
• Have kids set small personal goals and create a simple “growth tracker.”
• Role-play scenarios from the book to practice problem-solving and confidence-building.

Books with Fun Characters

Books with silly, adventurous, or unique characters make reading extra engaging!

Here are some of my favorites:

• Super torta! – por Eric Ramos
• La mala pipa – por Jory John
• Un huevo muy bueno – por Jory John y Pete Oswald
• Leila, la brujita perfecta – por Flavia Drago
• Me rompí la trompa – por Mo Willems
• Grumpy monkey ¡Está gruñon! – por Suzanne Lang

Fun Ideas:

• Have kids draw their own fun character and describe it in Spanish.
• Act out scenes from the book using props or puppets.
• Make a “character trait” chart in Spanish, describing what makes the character special.
• Dress up as your favorite book character day!

Books about Culture

Reading books about different cultures helps kids appreciate diversity and learn about traditions from around the world.

Here are some of my favorites:

• ¡Corre, pequeño Chaski! – por Mariana Llanos
• La frontera, el viaje con papá – por Debora Mills, Alfredo Alva, Claudia Navarro
• Mi ciudad canta – por Cynthia Harmony
• Los Mariachis de Adela – por Denise Vega
• De aquí como el coquí – por Nomar Perez
• El barrio se levanta – por Maria Dolores Aguila
• Areli es una dreamer – por Areli Morales

Fun Ideas:

• Make a craft inspired by the culture in the book—papel picado, molas, or worry dolls!
• Have a mini “culture day” where kids share something special about their own heritage or research a new tradition.
• Create a class or home “travel journal” where kids write and draw about places they “visited” through books.

Read Across America is the perfect time to explore books in Spanish, celebrate bilingualism and make reading extra fun. No matter which category you choose, adding activities to your read-alouds helps kids engage with the stories in a deeper way. So grab some great books, get creative, and enjoy a week full of Spanish reading adventures!

What are your favorite Spanish books for Read Across America? Let me know in the comments! Do you need more lists of books? Find them here.