September 15 marks the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month in the US. Items that we use every day, food we love to eat, technology we can’t live without, and more are used all over the world thanks to the innovations of Hispanic and Latin Americans. This annual celebration aims to educate and show appreciation for the contributions and advancements of the Hispanic and Latino communities. 

While there are some huge achievements to recognize such as the civil rights advancements of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez or life changing inventions such as the cardiovascular stent by Julio Palmaz there are also some everyday meaningful moments to reflect on. For children to see the culture, heritage, and language they experience daily with characters who look like them are just as important a reflection as the monumental achievements of historic figures.

The following six bilingual children’s picture books highlight special cultural traditions and meaningful milestones that all young readers can relate to, learn from, and enjoy for Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Pepe and the Parade: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage

What a great way to kick off National Hispanic Heritage Month with a read of Pepe and the Parade: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage. Written by Tracey Kyle, who is also an eighth-grade Spanish teacher and the author of Gazpacho for Nacho and A Paintbrush for Paco, and illustrated by Mirelle Ortega. Children will delight in seeing many Hispanic cultures proudly honored in this joyous picture book.

Pepe wakes up energized to take part in his first Hispanic Day parade. Complete with new food to taste, music to dance to, and a parade to watch. Along with sharing his Hispanic heritage, many of his friends will also join to celebrate their own Latin American cultures. Mexican, Dominican, Panamanian, Colombian, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Chilean, Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Cuban cultures are all represented in the parade and throughout the book. This joyous and prideful book honors the diverse cultures and identities included in Hispanic Heritage Month.

With Spanish words effortlessly included throughout, this book is a great introduction or practice of the Spanish language. It includes a glossary of Spanish words with English translations, and an educational author's note with useful tools for further learning and discussion.

Dalia’s Wondrous Hair / El cabello maravilloso de Dalia 

Embracing and loving our textured hair in it’s naturally beautiful form has become an increasingly important message for kids (and adults too). Dalia’s Wondrous Hair / El cabello maravilloso de Dalia is Rapunzel reimagined with its main character boasting dark, thick, and curly hair. The tale is written and illustrated by Cuban-born Laura Lacámara with a Spanish translation by Gabriela Baeza Ventura, an associate professor of Hispanic literature.

As the book’s main character Dalia sleeps on her soft satin sheets her lustrous hairs grows overnight. At first it appears to look like a palm tree then her hair sprouts butterflies the next day, exciting everyone around her. With a focus on family accompanied with vibrant illustrations of animals, palm trees, and flowers this book tells a fun and celebratory story of the magic and beauty of hair. An audio version accompanies the book to listen to the author narrate the book in Spanish.

El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!

El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! details a very relatable story for young readers that incorporates a historic Mexican folklore. The story, written by Donna Barba Higuera and illustrated by Juliana Perdomo, sees little Ramón too excited for his first day of school in a new place to sleep. In a surprising twist, his bedtime monster who lives in his cactus pot, El Cucuy, also can’t sleep. The duo embark on a journey to face their fears that results in an unlikely friendship.

 El Cucuy is known as the Mexican boogeyman and whose name has different variations in different Latin countries like A Cuca in Brazil or El Cuco in different regions of Mexico. At some point many kids face their own scary monster under the bed or hiding in the closet. El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! makes those monsters seem relatable and not so scary after all.

In My Family/En mi familia

With a story told and illustrated by one of the most prominent Mexican American painters Carmen Lomas Garza, In My Family / En mi familia was a highly anticipated follow up to her first book Family Pictures. The Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honoree is a heartfelt tribute to the author’s family. 

Its pages are filled with sweet moments and traditions like making empanadas with the family or cleaning nopales. This special glimpse into the everyday life of a Mexican American almost feels like flipping through the pages of a family photo album. Not only is this relatable read entertaining and engaging for kids but it also features familiar Spanish words or gives them the opportunity to learn a new language. 

Mango, Abuela, and Me 

The generational divide in many families can be made wider by language barriers but Mango, Abuela, and Me shares the creative way that one granddaughter discovers to help with that. Written by Meg Medina and illustrated by Angela Dominguez the endearing story touches on the love across multi-generational families that needs no words. 

In the book, Mia sees her Abuela move in with her and her family from her sunny house under palm trees but she realizes that her Abuela doesn’t know a lot of English. Throughout their day-to-day activities Mia helps Abuela learn English and Mia learns a few Spanish words but it’s still tough for Abuela to share stories. Mia finds creative ways to communicate with her Abuela including with the help of a parrot named Mango, a sweet reminder of where Abuela used to live.

Coquí in the City

Coquí in the City shares another relatable experience for young readers who have relocated from a different place. The pages filled with colorful imagery of life in Puerto Rico as well as New York City and details the differences and similarities between the two are based on the experiences of author and illustrator Nomar Perez.

The story opens with Miguel bouncing down the streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico with his faithful sidekick, his pet frog Coquí. Suddenly he learns that his family is moving to the mainland US. Moving to NYC was quite overwhelming at first but after a bit of exploring with his Mamá he finds a few foods, architecture, and people that remind him of and make him feel at home. English and Spanish are effortlessly intertwined throughout the story and there’s also a completely Spanish edition.

Stayed tuned throughout the month as we share even more picture books to read and support for National Hispanic Heritage Month.