Books Levels for Children's Picture Books

LEVEL A

We are Cousins / Somos primos
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Christina Rodriguez

A simple bilingual text paired with colorful illustrations tells a loving, humorous story about playmates who are more than just friends

LEVEL C

The Desert is My Mother / El desierto es mi madre
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Daniel Lechon

A playful, poetic picture book that celebrates a child's connection with her desert home

The Empanadas that Abuela Made / Las empanadas que hacia la abuela
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

This whimsical look at the making of empanadas serves up the festive fun of a family's effort to concoct the delicious pastries

Mis Papitos: Heroes de la cosecha / My Parents: Heroes of the Harvest
Author: Samuel Caraballo
Illustrator: Obed Gómez

A touching, bilingual ode to a young boy’s hard-working parents

LEVEL D

Delicious Hullabaloo / Pachnga deliciosa
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Francisco Mora
Spanish Translator: Alba Martínez

Colorful creatures dance the night away in this simple story of a desert dinner party

Do You Know the Cucuy? / ¿Conoces al cucuy?
Author: Claudia Galindo
Illustrator: Jonathan Coombs
English Translator: John Pluecker

This book brings to life a character known to generations of Latino children. Although this time, the Cucuy isn’t a scary monster but instead is a fun playmate.

It's Bedtime, Cucuy / A la cama, Cucuy
Author: Claudia Galindo
Illustrator: Jonathan Coombs
English Translator: John Pluecker

Little Cucuy is back in this entertaining bilingual picture book that touches on a subject familiar to all children and their parents

Salsa
Author: Lilian Colón-Vilá
Illustrator: Roberta Collier-Morales

Young Rita spends the day with her family learning about the vibrant music known as salsa and dreams of someday becoming a salsa band director

Sip, Slurp, Soup, Soup / Caldo, Caldo, Caldo
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange

This delightful bilingual picture book celebrates the joy of a simple family ritual — cooking everyone's favorite vegetable soup, or caldo

LEVEL E

Chave's Memories / Los recuerdos de Chave
Author: María Isabel Delgado
Illustrator: Yvonne Symank

This bilingual picture book depicts the beauty of life on the U.S.-Mexico border as a gateway between two cultures, and will open children’s eyes to two lifestyles, two sets of traditions and customs

Estrellita se despide de su isla / Estrellita Says Good-bye to Her Island
Author: Samuel Caraballo
Illustrator: Pablo Torrecilla

Estrellita’s song of her home gives readers aged 3 to 7 a peek at her world, introducing them to a love of the island and the love of a home

Family, Familia
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Pauline Howard

This bilingual picture book finds young Daniel reluctant about his family reunion and teaches young readers the delights of the extended family

Icy Watermelon / Sandia fria
Author: Mary Sue Galindo
Illustrator: Pauline Howard

When Abuelo begins to reminisce about about the watermelons his family raised long ago, Hugo, María, and Sarita recognize a curious adivinanza, or riddle, in the telling

Lupita's Papalote / El papalote de Lupita
Author: Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Illustrator: Pauline Howard
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

A colorful bilingual picture book inspiring children to let their dreams soar

Magda's Tortillas / Las tortillas de Magda
Author: Anne Vega
Illustrator: Becky Chavarria-Chairez
Spanish Translator: Julia Mercedes Castilla

Seven-year-old Magda has watched her abuela make perfect tortillas her entire life and feels confident that she can do it, too

Pepita Finds Out / Lo que Pepita descubre
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange
Spanish Translator: Carolina Villarroel

Popular bilingual heroine Pepita is back and learns that while her family may not be very, very "exciting," they love her and are very, very "important"

My Tata’s Guitar / La guitarra de mi tata
Author: Ethriam Cash Brammer
Illustrator: Daniel Lechon

Readers will treasure this bilingual picture book about the transmission of musical heritage

Tina and the Scarecrow Skins / Tina ya las pieles de espantapajaros
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange
Spanish Translator: José Colín

This bright bilingual picture book will teach children about acceptance, imagination, and friendship

Un dia con mis tias / A Day with My Aunts
Author: Anilú Bernardo
Illustrator: Christina Rodriguez

Saturdays are special for young Isabel because she spends them her three loving aunts who shower her with special attention

LEVEL F

The Last Doll / La ultima muneca
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo
Spanish Translator: Alejandra Balestra

This charming bilingual picture book teaches children about an important rite of passage in Mexican culture and that sometimes people save the best for last

I Am Rene, The Boy / Yo soy Rene, el nino
Author: René Colato Laínez
Illustrator: Fabiola Garullera

Young René is dismayed to discover that his newest classmate, a girl, is also named Renee

Mimi's Parranda / La parranda de Mimi
Author: Lydia Gil
Illustrator: Hernán Sosa

A Puerto Rican holiday tradition comes to life on the pages of this colorful bilingual picture book

Remembering Grandma / Recordando a Abuela
Author: Teresa Armas
Illustrator: Pauline Howard
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

A poignant bilingual picture book about the death of a grandparent

The Rowdy, Rowdy Ranch / Alla en El Rancho Grande
Author: Ethriam Cash Brammer
Illustrator: D. Nina Cruz

A sparkling bilingual picture book that celebrates frolicking family fun

The Stranger and the Red Rooster / El forastero y el gallo rojo
Author: Victor Villaseñor
Illustrator: José Jara

A colorful story set in a small California barrio about acceptance and community

Tomasa the Cow / La vaca Tomasa
Author and Illustrator: Pietrapiana

A whimsical bilingual children’s picture book celebrating individuality and curiosity

Uncle Chente's Picnic / El picnic de Tio Chente
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Pauline Howard
Spanish Translator: Julia Mercedes Castilla

The Cárdenas kids soon discover that it takes more than a summer thunderstorm to ruin a beautiful day of fun-filled stories and time spent together at their Fourth of July picnic

LEVEL G

The Bakery Lady / La senora de la panaderia
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Pablo Torrecilla
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

A deliciously sweet bilingual tale about a young girl who works to make her dreams come true

Big Enough / Bastante grande
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Enrique O. Sánchez
Spanish Translator: Yanitzia Canetti

When her mother says she is too little to help around the restaurant, young Lupita sets out to prove that she is big enough after all

Chiles for Benito / Chiles para Benito
Author: Ana Baca
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo
Spanish Translator: José Colín

A special fable about Benito and the chiles that crawled all over his family's simple homestead

The Golden Flower
Author: Nina Jaffe
Illustrator: Enrique O. Sánchez

An enchanting English-language picture book that recreates the indigenous legend of how Puerto Rico became an island

Also available in Spanish as La flor de oro: Un mito taíno de Puerto Rico

Goodnight, Papito DiosGoodnight, Papito Dios / Buenas Noches, Papito Dios
Author: Victor Villaseñor
Illustrator: José Ramirez
Spanish Translator: Carolina Villarroel

Everyone knows that the trick to putting children to bed is creating a bedtime routine, and in this children’s story from Victor Villaseñor, he recreates his own family’s bedtime tradition

Growing Up with Tamales / Los tamales de Ana
Author: Gwendolyn Zepeda
Illustrator: April Ward
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

This charming bilingual picture book for children examines sibling rivalry and the important Hispanic family tradition of making tamales

Marina's Muumuu / El muumuu de Marina
Author: Evangelina Vigil-Pinon
Illustrator: Pablo Torrecilla

Through the stories and the pictures of the Hawaiian side of her family, Marina dreams of the dresses they wear and yearns for her very own, full of brilliant colors and dazzling images

Mis abuelos y yo / My Grandparents and I
Author: Samuel Caraballo
Illustrator: D. Nina Cruz
Spanish Translator: Ethriam Cash Brammer

This ode to family depicts the special influence of a young Puerto Rican boy's grandparents in his life

La tierra de las advinanzas / The Land of the Riddles
Author: Cesar Elizondo
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo
English Translator: Nasario García

A magical bilingual picture book that teaches children the value of cleverness and oral traditions

The Triple Banana Split Boy / El nino goloso
Author: Lucha Corpi
Illustrator: Lisa Fields

An engaging story that will resonate with children and their parents as they struggle to balance healthy eating habits with the natural desire for sweets

LEVEL H

Butterflies on Carmen Street / Mariposas en la Calle Carmen
Author: Monica Brown
Illustrator: April Ward
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

This bilingual picture book entertains and educates about the forces of nature as well as the migration of insects and people

Benito's Bizcochitos / Los bizcochitos de Benito
Author: Ana Baca
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo
Spanish Translator: Julia Mercedes Castilla

The charming fable that shares the delicious secret of how this bizcochito first came to be

Benjamin and the World / Benjamin y la palabra
Author: Daniel Olivas
Illustrator: Don Dyen
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

A thought-provoking bilingual picture book that explores racism on the playground

Dancing Miranda / Baila, Miranda, Baila
Author: Diane de Anda
Illustrator: Lamberto Alvarez
Spanish Translator: Julia Mercedes Castilla

A young girl learns to dance for her mother's joy in this enchanting children's picture book

Kikirikí / Quiquiriqui
Author: Diane de Anda
Illustrator: Daniel Lechon

When Marta and Celia overhear Abuela telling their parents about dinner plans that involve the rooster strutting around their backyard, they know they must act fast to save their new friend

Little Crow to the Rescue / El cuervito al rescate
Author: Victor Villaseñor
Illustrator: Felipe Ugalde Alcántara
Spanish Translator: Elizabeth Cummins Muñoz

A colorful inter-species folktale about the natural world

Mayte and the Bogeyman / Mayte y el Cuco
Author: Ada Acosta González
Illustrator: Christina Rodriguez

A spunky young girl takes on the bogeyman in this exciting bilingual picture book

Mother Fox and Mr. CoyoteMother Fox and Mr. Coyote / Mama Zorra y Don Coyote
Author: Victor Villaseñor
Illustrator: Felipe Ugalde Alcántara
Spanish Translator: Guadelupe Vanessa Turcios

In this enchanting bilingual picture book, this traditional folk tale is a celebration of cunning and mother nature in all her beauty

Muffler Man / El hombre mofle
Author: Tito Campos
Illustrator: Beto & Lamberto Alvarez
Spanish Translator: Evangelina Vigil-Pinon

One person's garbage is another's gold in this bilingual children's tale of hope and renewal

Ricardo's Race / La carrera de Ricardo
Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo

This inspiring bilingual biography for children recounts the story of an All-American athlete and scholar who ran his way to success in school and his career

Waiting for Papá / Esperando a Papa
Author: René Colato Laínez
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo

A heartwarming bilingual picture book about a boy's reunion with his father

Zulema and the Witch Owl / Zulema y la Bruja Lechuza
Author and Illustrator: Xavier Garza

An entertaining bilingual picture book featuring a the meanest little girl in the whole wide world and spooky character from Mexican-American folklore

LEVEL I

Benito's Sopaipillas / Las sopaipillas de Benito
Author: Ana Baca
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo
Spanish Translator: Carolina Villarroel

This tantalizing story explains how a scarecrow and puffed pillows of fried bread known as "soup catchers" once helped bring rain to dry and dusty fields

César Chávez: The Struggle for Justice / La lucha por la justicia
Author: Richard Griswold del Castillo
Illustrator: Anthony Accardo
Spanish Translator: José Colín

The life of the legendary Latino who cultivated the roots of our future is layed out for young children and their parents

The EGGbees: A Story about Family
Author: Olivia Echeverria-Bis
Illustrator: Charmaine Gyorkos

This entertaining English-language picture book for children humorously explores the differences and similarities between us and teaches children that the color of your skin, or shell, doesn't really matter after all

Estrellita en la Ciudad Grande / Estrellita in the Big City
Author: Samuel Caraballo
Illustrator: Pablo Torrecilla

A young girl recounts her experiences in the Big Apple to her Abuela in this homage to loved ones who stay behind

The Frog and His Friends Save Humanity / La rana y sus amigos salvan a la humanidad
Author: Victor Villaseñor
Illustrator: Edna Ochoa
Spanish Translator: José Ramírez

A boisterous fable by a modern master of Latino literature about the animal kingdom's first encounter with humanity

The Gift of the Poinsettia / El regalo de la flor de Nochebuena
Author: Pat Mora & Charles Ramirez Berg
Illustrator: Daniel Lechon

This beautifully illustrated picture book depicts a poor Mexican boy in his search for a special gift for the Baby Jesus and sheds light upon the Mexican tradition of las posadas in which villagers reenact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter for nine nights

Isabel Allende: Recuerdos para un cuento / Memories for a Story
Author: Raquel Benatar
Illustrator: Fernando Molinari

This intriguing biography introduces young readers to the life of an important author of our time and demonstrates how they, too, can use their experiences to write their own family stories

Juan and the Chupacabras / Juan y el Chupacabras
Author & Illustrator: Xavier Garza
Spanish Translator: Carolina Villarroel

This exciting picture book highlights the storytelling traditions of the Mexican-American community by relaying the timeless story of a creature called the Chupacabras, who lurks in the fields looking for fresh victims

Magda’s Pinata Magic / Magda y la piñata magica
Author: Anne Vega
Illustrator: Becky Chavarria-Chairez
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

Clever Magda must find a way for the neighborhood children to break her brother Gabriel's perfect birthday piñata without breaking his heart

Pepita Packs Up / Pepita empaca
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange
Spanish Translator: Gabriela Baeza Ventura

In this fifth installment of the popular bilingual, young Pepita must learn to say goodbye and make the transition to a new home, friends, and neighborhood

Pepita on Pepper Street / Pepita en la Calle Pepper
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange

The intrepid Pepita is back with another entertaining tale about making new friends in her new neighborhood

Pepita Takes Time / Pepita, siempre tarde
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange

This time around, spunky heroine Pepita must learn to be considerate of other people's time — before it's too late

Pepita Talks Twice / Pepita habla dos veces
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange
Spanish Translator: Alejandra Balestra

This colorful picture book charmingly explores the joys and benefits of bilingualism through the experiences of a little girl at the crossroads of the English- and Spanish speaking worlds

Pepita Thinks Pink / Pepita y el color rosado
Author: Ofelia Dumas Lachtman
Illustrator: Alex Pardo DeLange
Spanish Translator: Yanitzia Canetti