Book Reviews: Gift-worthy Bilingual Children’s Books

Reviews by Ashley Hope Pérez

It’s an ongoing challenge for our family to find high-quality books in Spanish, and it is even more difficult to find bilingual editions where Spanish and English are presented as equals. This beautiful children’s book offers a novel solution: its sturdy cardboard accordion-style construction can be read from either side. One side offers the classic words to “Las mañanitas,” and the other presents an English version. The same design can be found in three other Canticos books, which you can discover here.

The Birthday Book / Las Mañanitas by Susie Jaramillo

DESCRIPTION FROM THE PUBLISHER: The fourth book in the Canticos series of bilingual nursery rhymes was inspired by the most popular birthday song in Spanish. Fans of the series will recognize a cast of characters from the Canticos collection who wake up their bunny friend on his special day and then partake in a joyful, cake-filled, celebration in The Birthday Book / Las Mañanitas. Like other Canticos books, The Birthday Book / Las Mañanitas has a unique, interactive, accordion design that presents the Spanish version of the book in one direction and its English adaptation in the other. Children can sing the song straight through, lift the flaps, or stand it up and surround themselves with the story.

I loved the look of this book, but I didn’t know if Ethan Andrés, our board book reader, would take to it. At first, he was most interested in unfolding all the pages and spreading the book out across the floor. Then he spent time lifting all the flaps on the pages. (His favorite part is the peek-a-boo hands of the monkeys.) Now, it is a bedtime staple, and we usually read it like a “regular” book rather than spreading it out.

The novelty of the liftable flaps has not worn off for Ethan Andrés, and he loves “uncovering” the sleeping bunny to wish him feliz cumpleaños. Other sweet details abound, from a drawing of a chick that says “pío, pío” (the sound chicks make in Spanish), to the friendly animal cast.

The high-quality construction and simple elegance of the book make it excellent for a gift for a beloved child. The book comes in a sturdy box for added protection. A free app provides grown-ups and kids alike with the tune that accompanies the song, so there’s no need to worry if you don’t know it already. And as you can tell from the video below, I’m no singing diva, but my kiddo doesn’t mind… he’s too busy “finding” the animals under the flaps.

I look forward to adding more of the Canticos books to our collection, especially “Los pollitos,” as that traditional song is one of Ethan’s favorites. “Las Mañanitas/The Birthday Book” won’t be for sale until mid June, but you can preorder it now. And you should!

*Note: a copy of this book was provided by the publisher for our review.

Liam Miguel reads to his baby brother, Ethan Andrés.

As a bilingual mother and early literacy advocate, I’m always on the look out for high quality baby books in Spanish. The selection at big-box bookstores is often limited to simple board books with titles like La ropa, La comida, and so on, some of which I’ve found to have spelling or accent errors. And anyway, I want something richer and more interesting, something that will invite Spanish into the interaction. Which is why I was thrilled to discover these beautiful books to read, touch, and hear with babies. The books featured here are distributed through IPG, Independent Publishers Group. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Librarians, teachers, and interested parents should check out the IPG Spanish-language catalogs for many more options.

IPG titles are now my go-to when it’s time to pick out gifts for new babies in bilingual or Spanish-speaking households. Here are a few baby books that have become favorites in our household.

Uno, Dos, ¡Cucú! by Anette Rusling, with illustrations by Katie Saunders

DESCRIPTION: This ingenious lift-the-flap book about numbers also features peepholes to give children a clue as to what lies beneath. The rhyme on each page encourages young readers to discover what’s hiding and to count the objects.

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT IT: The page-size flaps are oh-so-inviting for chubby little baby fingers–and sturdy enough to stand up to their vigorous “loving.” This is one of Ethan’s go-to bedtime books, and he enjoys the bright colors of theillustrations and the way that the set of objects that appears when the flap is closed changes when the flap is opened. For example, underneath the flap, the mice on the page for “7” become skittish elephants surprised by the rodents. The face of each elephant is partially concealed by the cut-out that creates the shape for each mouse’s body. Loads of fun.

Los pequeanimales al dedillo, with illustrations by Julie Mercier

DESCRIPTION: Colorful illustrations, flaps that can be lifted, and varied textures combine in this engaging book to introduce children to a range of baby animals. As kids interact with the elements on each page of this didactic and fun book, they’ll learn more about foals, fawns, bear cubs, and a number of other animals.

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT IT: This book has beautiful images and wonderful textures, which our baby loves. It also has interesting science information that keeps my older son engaged and asking questions. The page on mammals–complete with animals nursing–is especially fun to talk about since his baby brother is breastfeeding.

Los sonidos de la noche, with illustrations by Emily Bolam

DESCRIPTION: Nocturnal animals such as the owl, the bear, and the wolf come to life for little hands in this delightfully interactive book. Each page spread presents a different animal that children can touch and a sound button that lets them know what noises the animal makes. This book is an engaging, entertaining way for very young readers to start learning about the natural world.

WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT IT: This is a book with something for everyone. Ethan Andrés loves the furry critters, and Liam Miguel “helps” his brother press the sound buttons. I don’t know if it’s the night sounds or the tickle of his brother’s hand on his, but the experience always gets Ethan giggling. I’m not usually a fan of books or toys that make noise, but these sounds are pleasant and last a reasonable duration.

P.S. The books featured here were received from IPG, which does an excellent job of curating and distributing some of the most beautiful and distinctive Spanish-language materials available in the U.S. I’m a fan.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER: Ashley Hope Pérez is a writer and teacher passionate about literature for readers of all ages—especially stories that speak to diverse Latino experiences. She is the author of three novels, What Can’t Wait (2011) and The Knife and the Butterfly (2012), and Out of Darkness (2015), which won a Printz Honor. A native of Texas, Ashley has since followed wherever writing and teaching lead her. She completed a PhD in comparative literature from Indiana University and enjoys teaching everything from Spanish language and Latin American literature to the occasional course on vampires in literature. She can also be found on Twitter and Facebook.