In this post: A round-up of the best children’s Spanish books for beginners, including board books for toddlers and picture books for preschoolers.
Do you want to start reading in Spanish to your child?
Reading aloud is an effective way to increase a child’s target language input but finding quality children’s books that are age and level appropriate in Spanish can be a challenge.
So this post focuses on the best Spanish books for beginners from toddlers to preschoolers and elementary.
This post includes affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Spanish First Words Books
These are SO fun for introducing basic vocabulary on a variety of topics, and a great addition to a bilingual bookshelf.
The books are differentiated by level:
1- 3 Years: My First Spanish Word Book
4-8 years: First Hundred Words in Spanish
8+ years:Â First Thousand Words in Spanish
Related Post: Best Spanish Usborne Books
Spanish Nursery Rhyme Books
As toddlers and preschoolers learn faster and more joyfully with music, I have included music based books here also.
We have found music and songs to be a great tool for vocabulary acquisition.
Related Post: Best Spanish Nursery Rhymes on YouTube
We love the Canticos bilingual books which are all based on classic Spanish nursery rhymes!
Visit the Canticos World website to learn the tunes if you are unfamiliar- they are super catchy and easy to sing along to.
Canticos Little Chickies / ...Shop on Amazon
A beautifully illustrated collection of traditional Spanish and Latin America nursery rhymes.
What I love most about this bilingual book is that the English translations are not always literal, which allows for them to also be read as rhyming, lovely poems. ‘De colores’, ‘Tortillitas para mama’ and ‘Cucu’ are some of our favorites.
Pio Peep! Traditional Spani...Shop on Amazon
Each sing-along board book has 6 songs.
From classic lullabies, to traditional Latinx songs, you will LOVE their selection.
These musical bilingual books are absolutely stunning! There are currently four books in the Binibi collection, including two sound books and two musical books.
Use coupon code MAMALLAMA to save 20% with Binibi.
We have the full set of four books! They are beautifully designed and are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers.
Spanish Board Books for Beginners
This is the board book translation of the classic ‘Brown Bear, Brown Bear, what do you see?’
The vocabulary focuses on animals and colors, which keeps it simple and the repetition throughout of the question allows for easy recognition.
I’m also a big fan of Eric Carle’s illustrations- they are so eye catching for kids!
Oso pardo, oso pardo, ¿quÃ...Shop on Amazon
Related Post: How to Read in Spanish: 5 Tips for Beginners
Habbi Habbi Bilingual Reading Wand Books
Tappable listen & read style books with a bilingual Reading Wand!
Habbi Habbi provides interactive bilingual books to support bilingual parenting and education at home.
Their Reading Wand brings the books to life as your child taps on any part of the book to hear words, phrases or sentences read aloud in the target language.
The books are also thoughtfully curated with important themes of kindness, diversity, empathy and self-care being just a few they touch on.
This story repeats the phrase ¡Pero el pastel está tan arriba!.…but also repeats a sequence of animal names that climb on each other one by one in order to reach the cake. The ending is so sweet, and unexpected!
El pastel está tan arriba ...Shop on Amazon
My toddler giggles so much at the ending (let’s just say someone makes a pedo!) and they have learnt some great phrases that are repeated throughout, like the names of the 6 animals and ‘Están dormidos/ está despierto/ abre la puerta/ cierra la puerta’.
An absolute must have for every Children’s Spanish library!
Muy dormido, muy despierto ...Shop on Amazon
Throughout the book, Sr. Pez meets several sea creatures who tell him to stop pouting and cheer up.
We sure have a good laugh reading this book and I always use a different voice for each sea creature! Plus, the ending is absolutely adorable!
El Pez Pucheros / The Pout-...Shop on Amazon
‘Salà de paseo. ¿Qué fue lo que viste? Esto es lo que vi. Vi a un gato negro mirándome a mÃ.’
It’s great for practicing first person and also animals and colors. It pairs really well with Oso Pardo.
Sal¡ de paseoShop on Amazon
Everyone is sound asleep, that is until the flea bites the mouse, that wakes the mouse and the cat and the dog and the boy and abuela!
La casa adormecidaShop on Amazon
Eric Carle books in general are GREAT for repetitive phrases, and this one is our favorite. Mrs Spider is so busy making her web that she doesn’t have time for the passers-by who try to engage her in conversation.
‘Pero la araña no contestó. Estaba muy ocupada, tejiendo su tela.’
This is also a touch and feel book! The web is raised so my toddler loves to run her finger along it each page as it grows bigger and bigger.
Keep reading! Related posts:
Diverse Children’s Books in Spanish
Spanish Chapter Books for Kids
Founder of the Llamitas Spanish® Curriculum and former Spanish teacher. Corrie holds two Master Degrees in Spanish and Education. She lives in San Diego, California with her husband and two bilingual children.