31 Days, 31 Lists: 2024 Bilingual Books for Kids

A word or two to begin on what I constitute as “Bilingual” on this list. To my mind, there are two distinct types of “bilingual books for kids” (by my own definition). The first include books in which the text of the book is in two different languages. The second, is where you’ve an entire book in one language and then that same book, entirely, in a different language. This list today encompasses both types of books, and hopefully I’ll have noted which of the two designations applies to each. Enjoy!

Click here for a full PDF of today’s list.

This book list has only appeared once before in 2020. I am delighted to bring it back in 2024.

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2024 Bilingual Books for Kids

Agreement Under the Stars / Acuerdo Bajo Las Estrellas by Susana Rosique

Woohoo! Stone paper! Ever felt a stone paper book? These are the darndest things. European, by all accounts. Apparently if stone paper, “replaced coated and uncoated graphic printing stock in Europe, it could potentially reduce CO₂ emissions by 25% to 62%, water consumption by 89% to 99.2%, and wood usage by 100% compared to current European consumption, which is mostly of virgin paper.” The environmental benefits of stone paper relative to recycled paper are much less substantial, but it’s neat that they’re making an effort. The story in this particular book itself has a distinct folktale feel, but with an environmental message. When day separates from night, animals are assigned to one time of day or another. Those deemed less attractive or interesting are given the night shift. However, when the night creatures see a threat and have to save the day creatures, things take a turn. The night creatures are ultimately offered their own choice of living in the daytime or the night, and the book ends with this rather nice note: “They’d gotten used to the peace and quiet of the night. They didn’t crave frills or flattery. Under the silver moonlight, the world wasn’t black or white; there was room for all the shades of gray.” Oo. Good writing. Plus the toad’s eyeballs amuse me. 

Alma: At Home/ Alma: en casa by Juana Martinez-Neal

Alma: Where Is Pajarito? / Alma: Dónde está Pajarito?

It would take a steelier heart than my own to resist the allure of the Alma’s Words / Las Palabras de Alma series that Candlewick conjured up. These little bilingual books (which began last year with Alma, Head to Toe / Alma, de pies a cabeza and Alma and Her Family / Alma y su familia) have returned with two more in the series in 2024. In both books the Spanish and English share space on the pages. Sometimes the Spanish is directly below the English. Sometimes on an opposing page. In Alma at Home / Alma en casa, we’re introduced to a typical day in Alma’s life. 500 points to Martinez-Neal for the brother’s incredible fro. That thing has its own satellite system, I swear. Meanwhile, in Alma: Where Is Pajarito? / Alma: Dónde está Pajarito?, Alma searches all around the house for her missing pet bird. No brother graces these pages, but there is a purple frog toy wearing the world’s most disgruntled expression that won my love on sight. Seriously. Come for the incredible art and writing for a board book. Stay for the world’s grumpiest amphibian. 

Be Careful, Xiao Xin! by Alice Pung, ill. Sher Rill Ng

I am not as well tapped enough into the world of children’s literature research as I would prefer to be. Were I, perhaps I would be able to tell you if anyone has ever done a study on changes in bilingual picture books over the years. Have they improved in quality? Which languages have been the most common? Which haven’t? Which publishers have taken them on and which publishers would really rather not bother? Publisher Crown is an imprint of Random House Children’s Books so, y’know, kind of a big deal. They don’t really do that many bilingual books. What sets this one apart is the fact that it makes no bones about the fact that it is simultaneously written in both English and “traditional Chinese”, stating this before the start of the story. The “Note to the Reader” is rather awesome in a number of ways. It states that “Bilingual readers will pick up the nuances and jokes in both stories,” which is just pretty cool. “Both languages are integral in giving the characters greater depth and in reflecting the reality of children living between cultures.” In the story, Xiao Xin is smothered. I mean, he literally cannot do almost anything. He looks around at other kids and feels jealous of how much they get to do, going so far as to say, “Sometimes I think my parents might not love me as much as other parents love their kids” (clearly this kid needs to read When Love Is More Than Words by Jocelyn Chung, illustrated by Julia Kuo). It’s a cultural difference thing, but try explaining that to a little kid. In complete knowledge of his abilities (more so than his guardians since he’s the kind of kid who says stuff like “I can do infinite things”) he sets off on his own. Illustrator Sher Rill Ng is the one to watch here. She’s done a lot of middle grade novel covers and the occasional picture book, but in this title she truly shines. You don’t want to miss this.  

Call Me Roberto! Roberto Clemente Goes to Bat for Latinos / Llámenme Roberto! Roberto Clemente Alza La Voz Por Los Latinos by Nathalie Alonso, ill. Rudy Gutierrez

The highs and lows of one of the greatest baseball players of all time is told here with a special focus on how Clemente fought racism throughout his whole career. A bio of a hero. Also available in Spanish! I’m always on the lookout for good sports books for kids and the fact that this is illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez is just the icing on the cake. Ms. Alonso takes a slightly different tactic with this Clemente book than, say, all the other Clemente picture book bios that have come out over the years. She doesn’t skimp on the fun baseball details, but at the same time she balances them out expertly with what the man had to go through as a Black Latinx professional ball player living through Jim Crow times. Great writing, beautiful art, and the backmatter is to die for.

Charlie Super F / Carlitos Súper M by Margarita del Mazo, ill. Guridi

Three Charlie books were released simultaneously in both English and Spanish this year, but of them only this particular story captured my heart. Coming to you via Spain itself, the story centers on Charlie (or Carlitos, if you prefer) who has determined that the best course of action for him is to grow up and become a superhero. This, he figures, is a good plan. Having befriended Big Mike in another book (Charlie’s Great Big Backpack) Charlie is told precisely what he needs to do to become one. Basically, become big and tough. Training and a cool outfits (the cape is knitted by his grandmother but alas, we don’t get to see the knitting process itself) ensue. When informed that superheroes don’t wear glasses, Charlie skirts that little detail by declaring that he’ll be the first. When Charlie determines his superpower will be invisibility, though, it’ll take the dog next door to correct him on the matter. The dog, for the record, is without a doubt my favorite character. Its name is Ghost and it’s one of those animals where the eyes are covered entirely by their own hair/fur. Ghost graces the title page of this book and I wouldn’t mind seeing an entire book about him in the future someday. Hint hint, nubeOCHO. Hint hint. 

Cinco enormes dinosaurios / Five Enormous Dinosaurs by Annie Kubler, ill. Sarah Dellow

Kubler is, essentially, an institution when it comes to board books you can sing and chant to in storytime. Do I know the song “Five Enormous Dinosaurs”? I do not. Do I care? I do not. The book features five toddlers of all kinds in dinosaur suits roaring their little hearts out. I suspect, after a close read, that the tune to this is actually “Five Little Ducks” so go with that one. Each page, each very line, is written in English and Spanish so take your pick on what to read as you go through it. Perfect for bilingual storytimes everywhere!

Colors / Los Colores by Ekaterina Trukhan, designed by Meagan Bennett

Just a word of warning to wise librarians; the flips in this book? They ain’t flaps. They’re little cards that pop right out. You might point out that it will take only a single, solitary circulation for all the little cards to disappear, but the beauty of the book is that, honestly? You don’t need them. Take, for example, the first two-page spread. On the left-hand page is strawberry/la fresca. On the right-hand page is a vibrant red background with the word “red”. The other side of the card says “rojo” (so that if you prefer one word or another to be face forward, the choice is yours). Then both words appear underneath, so that even if you loose the card, the words remain. You could easily just pop out all the cards and use them to quiz kids for fun, if you wanted to. The pages are sturdy, the illustrations simple but keen, and the whole thing a class act. A great, grand, gorgeous bilingual basic boos. Previous Seen On: The Board Book list.

Deseo by Matthew Cordell

This year we’re seeing the Spanish-language edition of Cordell’s 2015 picture book title Wish coming to us via nubeOCHO. I always found the original book interesting, since it is rare to find picture books in which adults with adult desires (like wanting a child of your own) are the focus. I suspect that Cordell’s book has done particularly well over the years with people who have had some difficulty having children of their own, for whatever reason. SLJ was dead on when they reviewed this and said that, “This story can be useful for biological, adoptive, and even found families.” They also pointed out that it was a good companion to a book that certainly reduced me to tears when I was pregnant; Someday by Alison McGhee. I suspect that in its newly transitioned Spanish format, it’s going to get a LOT of attention.  

Desert Song / Canción del desierto by Laekan Zea Kemp, ill. Beatriz Gutiérrez Hernández

Join a desert dwelling family as they dust off their instruments and sing along with the insects and animals found in this arid landscape. This one is definitely about the appreciation of desert life, but within the context of a family making their own music. It doesn’t take much digging to get a feel for the book’s interconnectedness between not just the characters but the landscape they live in. Would have loved backmatter (since I’m a backmatter loving fool) but I can live without it since this isn’t selling itself as nonfiction. I’m very fond of the art by Hernández and the gentle, lyrical writing by Kemp keeps everything flowing nicely. “The sun rules in the desert, telling us when to rise and when to sleep. The sun sits atop the mountain while cracklings snap and hiss on the stove. The sky blushes and it’s time for tea. For porch swings and belly rubs.” As nice a bedtime book as you could wish to have. Bonus: Bilingual!!

El gumbo más delicioso / Yumbo Gumbo by Keila V. Dawson by Katie Crumpton, translated by Carolos E. Calvo

I am so pleased that the Storytelling Math series is coming out in both English and Spanish these days. So remember librarians, if someone comes to you asking for math-based picture books in Spanish, you have at least one resource right here at your fingertips. Warning: Do not read this book on an empty stomach. The “Storytelling Math” series from Charlesbridge is one of the very few from a major publisher to actually focus primarily and exclusively on math. But what makes the series so good is that they cover so much more than counting and subtracting. They delve into pattern recognition, and size comparison and, in this particular case, voting, data, and problem solving. It’s actually one of the cleverer books on the subject I’ve seen, and that’s entirely apart from all the delicious gumbo on its pages. In this story Annabelle is learning to cook gumbo but she wants to make it with okra. Her brother (who, to my mind anyway, is correct) thinks okra is too slimy and wants chicken gumbo. When Annabelle takes a vote from her family, she finds it’s three to three. The introduction of seafood gumbo sounds like the solution, except that then the vote becomes two to two to two. The solution? Annabelle has everyone vote on their least favorite. And when that happens, the vote is split in a good way between chicken and okra. Seafood wins! Backmatter delves into the history of gumbo itself, a glossary of some of the Louisiana Creole terms that pepper the text, info on the math and even a “Try This” section care of Dr. Yvelyne Germain-McCarthy (a Consultant and Professor Emerita of Mathematics Education) on voting with your own family. I never really thought of voting as a math related activity, but this book has definitely convinced me otherwise.

How to Eat a Mango / Cómo se com un mango by Paola Santos, ill. Juliana Perdomo

Can I confess to you that I have never eaten a mango in the way that this book discusses? Carmencita starts the book off in a very negative frame of mind. “I don’t like eating mangoes,” she states right off the bat. Why? Not the taste, actually. It’s more to do with the fact that they’re sticky and have a tendency to get stuck in her teeth. Abuela’s having none of it, though. She ties the mango into their daily lives, the world in which they live, and all the things that the mango tree provides. But none of that answers the central problem: How the heck do you eat these things? That’s where I really came to love the book. It provides some practical advice for peeling the mango and even trying to enjoy the, “Tiny strings” that “play between your teeth.” Now I may never actually eat a mango in this way (it’s a taste thing for me) but I bet you anything that after reading this book there’s going to be more than one kid who is downright curious about trying out their own mango for the munching. Perdomo’s art is all based in the colors of the mangoes themselves, and is a lot of fun to watch. A darn good delicious telling. 

Kende! Kende! Kende! by Kirsten Cappy and Yaya Gentille, ill. Rahana Dariah

Books in both English and Spanish? Abundant. Books in both English and French? Not quite as abundant here in the States. Still, once in a while you may find something and once in a while it’s friggin’ fabulous and impressive. Example A: Kende! Kende! Kende! So, right from the start you open this book up and you’re presented with a gorgeous map of Central Africa and seven QR codes. Each QR code is a different language spoken in this area of the world. You can therefore listen to French, English, Lingala, Swahili, Portuguese, Kinyarwanda, and Arabic. A little note appears underneath reading, “These translations and recordings were created by individuals from the vibrant African community in Maine USA.” Good to know! The story is about a girl named Lolie and her family who are forced to flee their village in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They spend several years in the Rwamwanja Refugee Camp in Uganda before being placed in a home in what appears to be America or Canada (though, judging from the snow, I’d say it’s probably Minneapolis). The art is engaging and the story surprisingly tense even after they arrive in the States. For a picture book with really simple words, this encompasses a LOT! Everything from the difficulties of adjustment to the fact that mama is pregnant and they almost get stuck in a snowstorm on the way to the hospital. Lolie turns out to be the one saving the day in this case since she’s grasped enough English to ask other people for help. The French is so beautifully integrated onto the pages, so a hat tip to the designer of this book. Lots of backmatter at the end gives everything additional context. I particularly liked the QR code that lets you “Explore educator and family engagement materials.” More like this on our shelves, please.

Mercedes Sosa: Voice of the People / Mercedes Sosa: La Voz del Pueblo by Aixa Pérez-Prado

When I tell normal, average, everyday adults that I learn more from the nonfiction picture books that I read than they could ever imagine, I usually get a glance of pity as a result. That’s okay. If you’re reading this statement right now, you probably know that it’s true. And for that reason, I was actually already familiar with the life of Mercedes Sosa before I saw this latest title from Pérez-Prado. Cantora by Melisa Fernández Nitsche originally came out just last year, so already you have a book to pair this with right off the bat. Both books examine Sosa’s voice within both the context of her own personal life and the politics of Argentina. Now personally, this may be a case where I prefer the writing of Pérez-Prado’s book and the art of Nitsche’s. You just can’t beat the fact that this book was published simultaneously in Spanish, or the sheer glorious backmatter that includes everything from and Afterword and Glossary to a full impressive Bibliograpy (and each direct quote cites its source as well). Wouldn’t have said no to a Timeline as well, but you can’t ask for everything in this world. Worth adding to your shelves in any case. 

A Plate of Hope / Un Plato de Esperanza by Erin Frankel, ill. Paola Escobar

By all accounts 2024 is the year for picture book bios to focus squarely on José Andrés. First we had José Feeds the World: How a Famous Chef Feeds Millions of People in Need Around the World by David Unger, and now another by Erin Frankel. What sets Frankel’s apart from Unger’s? Amongst other things, there’s the fact that publisher, Random House Studio decided it was worth it to release the book simultaneously in both English and Spanish, in a single year. Now celebrity chefs get picture book bios all the time. Frankly, if I never see another one about Alice Waters I will die a happy soul. But Andrés is an interesting case. His World Central Kitchen, insofar as I can tell, does good work feeding hungry people in places that have suffered. That’s probably more than you can say for Jamie Oliver, that’s for sure. Frankel and Escobar make a good pairing too. Just one warning, though. Don’t eat this if you ever have a yearning for paella. This book is gonna make you want that delicious meal and want it bad. Hungry stuff, good backmatter, and a lovely Selected Bibliography. 

Sheep Number 19 / La Oveja 19 by Blanca Lacasa, ill. Jorge Martín

I like a book that takes a familiar concept (in this case, counting sheep before you fall asleep) and gives it a clever spin. Extra points if the entire thing is just a massive metaphor for parity. Mrs. Ophelia often has a hard time falling asleep at night (that shot of her staring at her phone made me feel very akin to her) so when things get bad she counts sheep. Trouble is, Mrs. Ophelia is very reliable when it comes to sheep. She always gets to number 18… leaving number 19 and everyone after her out in the cold. Sheep number 19 consistently tries to find clever ways to up her status but they all fail. All fail, that is, until she rallies her fellow woolly brethren and calls for a change of order. Now what’s so clever about this is that they actually come up with a range of different methods for determining who gets to go next and when. Sometimes the last become first and the first last. Sometimes they jump in pairs. Sometimes it’s done on a lottery system. There’s no real capper to the book, but I greatly enjoyed the creativity that the sheep employ to establish fairness. Fairness, after all, is a concept that even animals understand. A clever take on an old standard. 

SOS Water / SOS Agua by Yayo

One day a sailor meets a fish in a fishbowl and the two become instant friends. The fish (named Rosa) dreams of a better life outside her bowl. As the two talk about her different options of where to live, you see plastic water bottles. At first they’re not so noticeable, but soon it seems that everywhere Rosa and the sailor go, bottles clutter up everything. Yayo integrates the bottles into each scene cleverly, so that they’re ubiquitous. If you look at the cover you can see that the sea there isn’t all it appears to be. Finally, the sailor and some friends set about cleaning things up, and Rosa finds a home with a gentle garden gnome who tends a pond next to his house. There’s a tiny note at the bottom of this page that reads, “To protect the ecosystem don’t leave goldfish in waterways because they become invasive” which I greatly appreciated. Bilingual AND environmentally conscious? A beautiful combination (and funny too!)

The Wild Ones / Los Bravos by Megan Lacera, ill. Jorge Lacera

Not content to rest upon their zombie laurels (this duo was previously best known for their title Zombies Don’t Eat Veggies) the Laceras return with a tale published simultaneously in both English and Spanish that sets up an epic storyline. Honestly, reading through this, I was half convinced that I was reading a middle grade graphic novel and not just a picture book. Four kids, who all live in the same small apartment complex, are obsessed with the nearby Steelburg forest. Surely some kind of monster is lurking in one of its caves, but which monster could it be? Everyone has their favorites, whether it’s La Tunda, Loogaroo, Banshee, or Vetal, and no one can agree on who their resident cryptid might be. When their apartment is threatened with eviction thanks to evil developers, the kids figure that locating the monster and enlisting its help is the only solution, so it’s off to the woods on Halloween night. Will it work? Jorge uses a comic book style to tell the story, getting creative with the art so that when the kids discuss their monsters the page is riddled in the Ben-Day dots you associate with old comics (or Roy Lichtenstein prints). There’s a good surprise ending and plenty of colorful clues, plus who doesn’t love evil developers? They make for darn good villains, they do. Fun and exciting and just a little bit creepy. A perfect mix, no matter what language it comes in.  Previously Seen on the: Holiday list.

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So with all that in mind, here are the other lists for 2024:

December 1 – Great Board Books

December 2 – Picture Book Readalouds

December 3 – Simple Picture Book Texts

December 4 – Transcendent Holiday Picture Books

December 5 – Rhyming Picture Books

December 6 – Funny Picture Books

December 7 – CaldeNotts

December 8 – Picture Book Reprints

December 9 – Bilingual Books for Kids

December 10 – Math Books for Kids

December 11 – Books with a Message / Social Emotional Learning

December 12 – Fabulous Photography

December 13 – Translated Picture Books

December 14 – Fairy Tales / Folktales / Religious Tales

December 15 – Wordless Picture Books

December 16 – Poetry Books

December 17 – Unconventional Children’s Books

December 18 – Easy Books & Early Chapter Books

December 19 – Comics & Graphic Novels

December 20 – Older Funny Books

December 21 – Science Fiction Books

December 22 – Fantasy Books

December 23 – Informational Fiction

December 24 – Gross Books

December 25 – Science & Nature Books

December 26 – Unique Biographies

December 27 – Blueberry Award Contenders (Celebrating the Environment)

December 28 – Nonfiction Picture Books

December 29 – Nonfiction Books for Older Readers

December 30 – Middle Grade Novels

December 31 – Picture Books

Filed under: 31 Days 31 Lists, Best Books, Best Books of 2024