9 Children's Books about the Day of the Dead in English and Spanish
A day of remembrance and celebration for millions of people.
The Dia de Muertos — or Day of the Dead — is an important holiday observed by Mexican people all over the world, to honor loved ones that have passed away. Annually, the Day of the Dead is celebrated on the 2nd of November (the 1st is All Saints’ Day).
Among the ways in which families celebrate, is “to place offerings and altars decorated with marigold flowers, confetti, sugar skulls, bread of the dead, mole or some dish that their relatives liked to whom the offering is dedicated, and just like in pre-Hispanic times, incense is placed to aromatize the place,” according to the Mexican government.
Below are 9 books that share information on this tradition with children:
Our Day of the Dead Celebration by Ana Aranda (Author and Illustrator)
Mar and her family celebrate the Day of the Dead, and different family members learn about how they’re connected to their ancestors — including Mar. Check out the Spanish-language version: Nuestra Celebración del Dia de Muertos.
Abuelita’s Gift: A Dia de Muertos Story by Mariana Ríos Ramírez (Author) y Sara Palacios (Illustrator)
Join Julia as she tries over and over to find the perfect gift to honor her beloved Abuelita.
Mi Familia: Celebrating the Day of the Dead by Camila Hernandez (Author) and Anahita Tamaddon (Illustrator)
The Day of the Dead is Valentina’s favorite celebration, and this story explores what her and her family do on the special day; like other books in this list, telling stories about family members is an important part of their remembrance.
The Day of the Dead on Sesame Street! by Random House and Barry Goldberg
In this story, Rosita (the bilingual, Mexican muppet) introduces the Day of the Dead to some of her muppet friends. Who doesn’t love Sesame Street? Click here for the Spanish-language book: ¡El Día de los Muertos en Sesame Street!
I Remember Abuelito: A Day of the Dead Story/Yo Recuerdo a Abuelito: Un Cuento del Día de los Muertos by Janice Levy (Author), Loretta Lopez (Illustrator) and Miguel Arisa (Translator)
Follow along as the main character and her family carry out preparations for the Day of the Dead, and she has her grandfather on her mind.
¡Siempre and Always! by Valeria Mar (Author) and Carlos Aguilar (Illustrator)
This book, which Amazon describes as “perfect for readers aged 4-8, has a mix of Halloween and the Day of the Dead, as Zac apparently celebrates both.
Baby’s First Bilingual Day of the Dead — Día de los Muertos by DK
Babies and toddlers can enjoy this book, which features images relevant to the Day of the Dead, like skulls and marigold flowers.
Let’s Celebrate Día de Muertos by Paulina Suárez (Author) and Priscilla Moreno (Illustrator)
Like the book listed as #7, this is a board book, meaning that its target audience is the youngest children and has many elements that are part of the holiday. The title in Spanish is: ¡Celebra el Día de los Muertos!
The Ofrenda that We Built by Jolene Gutiérrez and Shaian Gutiérrez (Authors) and Gabby Zapata (Illustrator)
Check out how these characters build an ofrenda through the rhyming text, inspired by “The House that Jack Built.”