6 Bilingual Children's Books for the Christmas Season
¡Felices fiestas! Celebrate Christmastime with the children in your life with these bilingual books.
The holiday season, including Christmas for those that celebrate it, can be a special time of family fun, delicious food, and decorating. Books can be part of the festivities too, since they can be gifted and/or read during this season. There are many stories to share, and below you’ll find six bilingual children’s books that explore and observe Christmastime.
It’s Navidad, El Cucuy!: A Bilingual Christmas Picture Book by Donna Barba Higuera (Author) and Juliana Perdomo (Illustrator)
The main character, Ramón teaches Cucuy, the monster that lives under his bed, what Christmas is about in a story that highlights friendship. This particular book accompanies El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!. Donna Barba Higuera is a Newberry Medal and Pura Belpré award winning author who’s had both middle grade and picture books published.
‘Twas Nochebuena by Roseanne Greenfield Thong (Author) and Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
It’s the night before Christmas and a family is getting ready for a Christmas Eve celebration, which includes food at midnight and unwrapping gifts.
Merry Christmas, Little Hoo!/Feliz Navidad Buhito by Brenda Ponnay (Author, Illustrator) and Lenny Sandoval (Translator)
This book features Little Hoo — a little owl — as the main character who is trying to fall asleep despite hearing many sounds. It’s billed as a “Bilingual Picture Book for Preschool and Kindergarten” on Amazon, and there are more Little Hoo books for other holidays such as Be Mine for Valentine’s Day, and Who’s There, Little Hoo? for Halloween.
Celebrate-Celebramos Las Posadas by Marisa Boan (Author)
Celebrating Las Posadas is an important nine-night tradition leading up to Christmas Day for folks in Mexico, Guatemala and other places, honoring the journey that Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem, which is the birthplace of Baby Jesus. The book offers readers and opportunity to learn about this holiday, how it’s celebrated, and also includes some pages that kids can color.
A Bilingual Christmas/Una Navidad Bilingüe by Carolyn Martins (Author)
Part of A Bilingual Picture Book series, this colorful book helps kids to learn Christmas-related words in both English and Spanish.
Llama Llama holiday helper/el ayudante de las fiestas by Anna Dewdney (Author), Adriana Dominguez (Editor), JJ Harrison (Illustrator) and Isabel Mendoza (Translator)
Llama Llama is a popular animated character, and, in this story, Llama Llama helps his friends get their celebrations ready after helping his mom, Mama Llama.
Which other bilingual books would you recommend for the holiday season?