The fun thing about being an audiobook narrator is getting to meet many different people in the industry. Not too long ago, I struck up a conversation on Facebook with Arnold Rudnick, the author of a sweet new book for early elementary students, entitled Little Green. A small frog hops around asking if he can be a goose, a horse, or a koi fish. While readers and listeners both learn about animal groups, skills, sounds, and traits, Little Green learns that he can be special, but he has to be himself first. Little Green teaches that “almost” anything is possible and “almost” opens up conversations on goals and how to achieve them.

In addition to Little Green, this month’s booklist includes picture books that have integrated Spanish words and phrases into the story, though they are not exclusively in Spanish. The following are suggestions for adding a more multicultural twist to your reading routine. Enjoy!

Ada, Alma Flor – I Love Saturdays y Domingos. Also Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English
“A little girl recounts the joy of her weekends: Saturdays spent with her Euro-American Grandma and Grandpa and Sundays (los domingos) with Abuelito and Abuelita, her Mexican-American grandparents. She does different things in each place and…hears different stories that reflect her grandparents’ heritages. However, on her birthday, it is clear that both sets of relatives are united in their love of their granddaughter.” (K-3)

Brown, Monica – Waiting for the Bliblioburro
“When Ana, the little girl, has time to her own, she spends it with her libro - her book, her only book, a book gifted to little Ana by the only teacher in their village, who has since moved away. One day a man - a librarian - with two donkeys (burros), Alfa and Beto, carrying books, visits Ana’s village. [Now] Ana has all the books she can carry. Ana can’t wait until the bibliotecario on the burro, the Biblioburro, returns. This endearing short story is inspired by a real-life biblioburro the author met - Luis Soriano Bohorquez, in Columbia, who delivers books to children in remote villages on his two donkeys.” (K-3)

Bunting, Eve – A Day’s Work
“Francisco, trying to find work for his grandfather, who has just arrived from Mexico, acts as a liaison between Abuelo, who doesn’t speak English, and Ben, who wants to hire a gardener for a day’s work. Eager to earn the badly needed pay, Francisco assures Ben that his grandfather is a skilled gardener (Abuelo is in fact a carpenter). Returning at day’s end, Ben is shocked to discover that Francisco and Abuelo stripped his field of the plants and left the weeds. Abuelo is also angered, learning only now that Francisco had lied to Ben, and refuses payment until they have done the job correctly. Recognizing the older man’s integrity, Ben rewards Abuelo and Francisco with the promise of “more than just one day’s work.” (K-3)

Castaneda, Omar – Abuela’s Weave
“This story about the importance of family pride and personal endurance introduces children to the culture of Guatemala through the eyes of Esperanza, who works with her abuela – grandmother – on weaving to sell at the public market.” (Grades 2-5)

Dorros, Arthur – Abuela
“While riding on a bus through Manhattan with her grandmother, a little girl imagines that they are carried up into the sky and fly over the sights of New York City, in an evocative study of the loving bond between child and grandparent.” (K-3)

Dorros, Arthur - Abuelo

“A young boy and his abuelo (grandfather) together would go camping, ride horses, and even confront a mountain lion. When the boy’s family moves away to the city from the country, the boy’s memories help him adust to his new life.” (K-3)

Elya, Susan – Rubia and the Three Osos. Also Little Roja Riding Hood.
“A marvelous retelling of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” with a lively bilingual twist. Rubia makes herself at home while the three osos go out for a stroll. Where the original story concludes with confrontation and flight, Elya’s surprise ending offers conflict resolution and friendship.” (K-2)

Johnston, Tony & Morales, Yuyi – My Abuelita
“Abuelita’s hair is the color of salt. Her face is as crinkled as a dried chile. She booms out words as wild as blossoms blooming. She stuffs her carcacha, her jalopy, with all the things she needs: a plumed snake, a castle, a skeleton, and more,” after all, Abuelita is a storyteller. This story is a celebration of family, imagination, and the power of story.” (Grades 1-4)

Kyle, Tracey – Gazpacho for Nacho
“Nacho likes to eat only one thing—gazpacho! Gazpacho for breakfast, gazpacho for lunch, gazpacho for dinner, for snacks, and for brunch. Nacho won’‛t even try other dishes—until he discovers miles and piles of mouthwatering vegetables at the market.” (K-3)

Mora, Pat & Martinez, Libby – I Pledge Allegiance
“Libby and her Great Aunt Lobo are learning the Pledge of Allegiance at the same time, but for different reasons. Lobo is practicing it in order to become a citizen of the United States. She is proud of her Mexican heritage but is also grateful to be in America. In school, Libby has been chosen to lead her class in saying the pledge. Lobo and Libby decide to practice together at home and talk about what it means to both of them.” (Grades 1-3)

Mora, Pat – Tomas and the Library Lady. Also The Rainbow Tulip
“Tomás and the Library Lady is the wonderfully illustrated tale of Tomás Rivera and the kind librarian who helped him learn to love books. Tomás started his life as a migrant worker and became a university chancellor. (The UC Riverside library now bears his name.) This tribute to Tomás and his mentor reminds us of the power of stories and those dedicated librarians who have changed the lives of so many people.” (K-5)

Ramirez, Antonio - Napi
“Napí is a young Mazateca girl who lives with her family in a little village on the bank of a river in the state of Oaxaca in Mexico. Each afternoon the family sits beneath the shade of a huge ceiba (the ‘pachota’) tree and listens to the grandfather’‛s stories. The importance of nature in her people’s lives is clear. When night comes, the pachota sends her dreams. In them, she is a heron flying over her village, observing the people and her beloved tree.”
(K-3)

Soto, Gary – Chato’s Kitchen. Also Chato and the Party Animals.
“Chato (the cat) is so happy to see that a family of mice has moved into the area, he decides to invite them over for dinner, but the mice know he has something else in mind and so bring one additional guest along.” (K-4)

Soto, Gary – The Old Man and the Door
This is a “silly story of an old man who thinks his wife told him to bring a door (‘la puerta’) to a friend’s barbeque. Of course, she said bring ‘el puerco’ - a pig - to the party. But the old man is too busy to listen carefully, and off he goes down the street with the door on his back! By the time he gets to the barbeque, he has a few special gifts - and a funny story - to contribute. (But still no pig…)” (Grades 1-3)

Vamos, Samantha – The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred
“This is the story of how the farm maiden and all the farm animals worked together to make the rice pudding that they serve at the fiesta. With the familiarity of “The House That Jack Built,” this story bubbles and builds just like the ingredients of the arroz con leche that everyone enjoys.” (K-3)