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Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico and Mexican communities around the world from October 31 to November 2. It is an important holiday that honors deceased loved ones.
It is believed that the deceased return during this time to rejoice with the living. families visit their graves and build altars decorated with flowers, candles, bread of the dead, sugar skulls and paintings. They bring the favorite dishes and treats of their loved ones, as well as drinks to quench the thirst of the dead after their long journey home.
Teach your kids about this joyous celebration that includes singing, dancing, and storytelling!
19 day of the dead children’s books
babies and young children
day of the dead: a manual for counting and finding by greg parocki
Introduce your toddler to Día de los Muertos/Dia de los Muertos with this colorful basic counting book! day of the dead is an engaging board book featuring popular day of the dead activities and objects, from 1 comparsa (a carnival-like celebration) to 6 pan de muertos (“bread of the dead”) ), and more. and there are even more hidden objects to search for within the illustrations, which are listed at the end of the book. ~ babies & small children
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la catrina: emotions – emotions by patty rodriguez
Based on familiar symbols of the day of the dead, the bilingual la catrina teaches little ones to recognize feelings such as excited (excited), sad (sad), and confident (confident). ~ babies & small children
Related: 21 Multicultural Children’s Books About Feelings
preschool
the day of the dead/the day of the dead by bob barner
two children celebrate their ancestors with marigolds, sugar skulls, special bread and other delicious foods. scattering marigold petals, they lead the dead home to join in the song and dance. With bilingual lyrical text and vibrant collage illustrations incorporating traditional symbols, El Día de los Muertos is a playful introduction to this important Mexican holiday. ~ preschool
day of the dead by roseanne greenfield thong
“it is the day of the dead, / the sun is rising, / while the children are getting ready in each / town and town…” the children from all over the town are decorating with streamers and sugar skulls, making bread for the dead and covering the altars with marigolds and sparkling candles. With simple rhymes sprinkled with Spanish words and vibrant illustrations for children, dia de los muertos is a charming introduction to the holiday. ~ preschool
harvest elves (4) (seasonal magic) by hayley nystrom
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“when a freshness crosses painted skies / with aromas of leaves and hay… it means that autumn is here! / fall is a magical time of year, / filled with explosions of color, crackling fire, tricks, treats and much more. As part of the beautiful series The Magic of the Seasons, Harvest Elves celebrate fall activities (such as picking apples and pumpkins) and festivals (including Day of the Dead). ~ preschool
more in the series: sun gnomes, flower pixies, frost fairies
day of the dead by hannah eliot
Featuring vibrant illustrations by Mexican Golden Globe-winning illustrator Jorge Gutierrez, Day of the Dead is a holiday picture book that teaches young readers about the traditions of this ancient holiday that truly commemorates the cycle of life — from sugar skulls to altars and papel picado. ~ preschool
day of the dead by tony johnston
“wait/wait. even when? Soon.” Two brothers in a small Mexican town are eager for the day’s celebrations to begin. They watch with anticipation as the fruits are picked, the food is cooked, and the flowers are picked. with eye-catching illustrations framed by decorative borders, day of the dead is an engaging introduction to a fascinating holiday ~ preschool
beat! a day of the dead celebration by richard keep
“Hello! hello! hears! what party! ¡hurra!” with a cheerful rhyme sprinkled with Spanish words clatter bash! follows a group of playful skeletons as they celebrate the day of the dead. they have fun all night long, rattling their bones, singing , dancing, telling stories and playing. at dawn they get ready and go back to their coffins until next year. ~ preschool
skeletitos: make every moment count by susie jaramillo
tomba-la-ca, tomba-la-ca, tomba-la! Enter the spooky, mischievous and mysterious world of the skeletitos, where being on the other side of life is never an excuse not to have a good time! skeletitos is a Day of the Dead themed tale with a comic twist, encouraging children to be cautious, conscientious, playful, and self-aware. Features a moving clock for little fingers to change the time along with the story as they learn to count and tell time. ~ preschool
alphabet skull: jeanette winter’s day of the dead alphabet
on a rooftop patio in mexico, the skulls of don pedro come to life. The whole family helps make the papier-mâché skeletons for the Day of the Dead party. there is a special skull for each letter of the alphabet, from the angel and the doctor to the mariachi and the unicorn. alphabet skull is an unusual alphabet with fun illustrations in folk-art style. ~ preschool
gustavo, the shy ghost by flavia z. dragon
gustavo is good at doing all sorts of ghostly things: walking through walls, making objects fly, and glowing in the dark. and he likes nothing more than playing beautiful music on his violin. But Gustavo is shy and has a hard time befriending other monsters. every time he tries to get close to them, he realizes that they just can’t see him. Now that the day of the dead is fast approaching, what can you do to get noticed? With imaginatively detailed art and visual humor, Gustavo the Shy Ghost is a sweet tale of loneliness, bravery, and friendship. ~ preschool
Related: 18 Multicultural Children’s Books About Friendship
elementary school
rosita y conchita by eric gonzalez &erich haeger
Follow little Conchita as she celebrates the life of her deceased sister by erecting a memorial altar on the Day of the Dead. Rosita y Conchita is her heartfelt story with bilingual rhymes and colorful illustrations. Includes instructions on how to make your own sugar skulls. ~ primary school
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the dead diaz family of p.j. bracegirdle
unlike all the other skeletons in the land of the dead, little angel doesn’t feel like celebrating day of the dead with the living. he is afraid of their bulging eyes, red tongues and soft skin. when angelito is separated from his family during the celebrations, he is petrified, until he befriends a living child. the dead diaz family is a fresh and humorous take on the mexican holiday, brought to life with vibrant tim burton-style illustrations. ~ primary school
the day of the dead adventure of chicano jr by raúl jiménez
follows the lovable little Mexican-American protagonist as he celebrates the day of the dead in mexico for the first time. Featuring cartoon-style illustrations and a fun story, Chicano Jr.’s bilingual Day of the Dead Adventures teaches children the history and symbolism of this ancient holiday, as well as the common roots that shares with halloween. ~ primary school
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gift for granny / a gift for granny by nancy luenn
A Gift for Grandma tells the story of a young woman’s bond with her deceased grandmother. Grandma taught Rosita how to braid, make tortillas, and grow chili peppers. On the day of the dead, Rosita makes a beautiful braid as a gift to her beloved grandmother. Featuring unique paper pulp illustrations, this is a loving image about loss and the healing power of remembrance. ~ primary school
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Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead by Judy Goldman
When the monarch butterflies return to her Mexican town, Lupita knows that it will soon be the day of the dead. Ella’s uncle, her urban uncle, reminds her that she should never hurt a monarch because they are believed to be the souls of the departed. A few days before the festival, the urban uncle dies. The Monarch Uncle and the Day of the Dead is a heartfelt story of loss and remembrance, beautifully illustrated with soft colored pencil illustrations. ~ primary school
Celebrating the day of the dead (history of our holidays) by theodore jones
Celebrating the Day of the Dead teaches children the history and traditions of this important Mexican holiday. Fostering cultural understanding and exploration, this colorful book is written with beginning readers in mind. ~ primary school
funny bones: posada and its day of the dead skulls by duncan tonatiuh
Funny Bones tells the story of artist José Guadalupe Posada, famous for his skeletons in the park, skeletons in fancy hats, and skeletons for the Mexican Day of the Dead. With a stunning mix of biography and art, young readers are invited to look at the deeper meaning behind Don Lupe’s artwork: his critiques of social class, rapidly changing technology, and violence during the Mexican Revolution. . This 2016 Americas Award-winning book lends itself to classroom use. Includes an author’s note, glossary, and bibliography. ~ primary school
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day of the dead by rachel grack
day of the dead seems like it should have a morbid and depressing tone. but the Latin American holiday is really focused on love and memory. yes, people gather in cemeteries, but to dance and decorate graves! The Day of the Dead shows children a holiday that honors the lives of lost loved ones.
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