Spanish Bilingual Initiative

Initiatives for Spanish-Speakers
A wealth of Spanish bilingual children’s books and other resources are available for use in literacy classrooms. The Humanities Center offered two workshops in Fall 2004 to help professionals connect to these resources.

Motheread®, Inc. and the California Council for the Humanities have developed Angel's Kite, a list of children's books that are rooted in the culture or history of Spanish-speaking people. All the books in the list are printed with bilingual text and are available in libraries, schools, and bookstores.

In addition, the Humanities Center's "Tips for Reading with Your Children" is available in Spanish.

Angel's Kite: Spanish/English Bilingual Booklist

Motheread, Inc. and the California Council for the Humanities have developed Angel's Kite, a list of children's books that are rooted in the culture or history of Spanish-speaking people. All the books in the list are printed with bilingual text and are available in libraries, schools, and bookstores.

Angel's Kite/La Estrella de Angel by Alberto Blanco
A magical tale about how perseverance and hope transform a kite and a town

The Bossy Gallito/El Gallo de Bodas retold by Lucía M. González
This Cuban folktale set in Miami's Little Havana tells the tale of a rooster who needs his beak cleaned.

Brother Anansi and the Cattle Ranch/El Hermano Anansi y el Rancho de Ganado by James de Sauza, adapted by Harriet Rohmer
In this contemporary tale, naïve Tiger quickly learns about trust and trickery from his soon-to-be rich business partner, folk hero Anansi.

Carlos and the Cornfield/Carlos y la Milpa de Maíz by Jan Ramos Stevens
Carlos comes up with a shortcut to plant the many rows of corn seed for the year's harvest.

Chave's Memories/Los Recuerdoes de Chave by María Isabel Delgado
Chave loves to visit her grandparent's large ranch in Mexico, playing with her cousins and listening to stories in Grandpa's barn.

Delicious Hullabaloo/Panchanga Deliciosa by Pat Mora
Lizards, armadillos, and other desert creatures enjoy a hullabaloo, complete with mariachi band and tasty treats.

A Gift From Papá Diego/Un Regalo de Papá Diego by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
Little Diego finds that grandfathers can also be super heroes.

Hairs/Pelitos by Sandra Cisneros
A girl ponders all the different kinds of hair in her family.

Half-Chicken/Mediopollito by Alma Flor Ada
This traditional Spanish folktale features a confident one-legged, one-eyed Half-Chicken who's off to see the Viceroy's court in Colonial Mexico.

The Harvest Birds/Los Pájaros de la Cosecha by Blanca López de Marsical
In this Mexican folktale, Juan Zanate shocks the townspeople by growing the biggest ears of corn and the most delicious beans.

In My Family/En Mi Familia by Carmen Lomas Garza
Garza celebrates her Mexican-American heritage and her family's place within that tradition.

The Invisible Hunters/Los Cazadores Invisibles by Harriet Rohmer
In this Nicaraguan legend about duty, responsibility, and greed, three hunters discover a vine which gives them a very special power.

The Lizard and the Sun/La Lagartija y el Sol by Alma Flor Ada
A lizard perseveres to find the sun after it has disappeared from ancient Mexico.

Margaret and Margarita/ Margarita y Margaret by Lynn Reiser
Margarita can only speak Spanish, and Margaret can only speak English, but that doesn't stop them from discovering all that they have in common.

Moon Rope/ Un Lazo a la Luna by Lois Ehlert
Fox and Mole come up with a plan to get to the moon.

Sip, Slurp, Soup, Soup/Caldo, Caldo, Caldo by Diane Gonzalez Bertrand
The making of a pot of soup becomes a celebration of family.

Uncle Nacho's Hat/El Sombrero de Tío Nacho adapted by Harriet Rohmer
When Ambrosia buys her Uncle Nacho a new hat, friends and neighbors keep returning the old hat he tries to throw away.

With My Brother/Con Mi Hermano by Eileen Roe
Two brothers share a game of catch, a good book, and conversation.

The Woman Who Outshone the Sun/La Mujer Que Brillaba Aún Más Que el Sol from a poem by Alejandro Cruz Martinez
Lucia Zenteno, a mysterious newcomer to Oaxaca, Mexico, is rejected by the villagers because of her extraordinary appearance and gifts.