The best books to learn Spanish for elementary school children not only teach the language but also motivate, inspire and ignite the imagination.
Elementary students love discovering the world through books: it’s where they get first impressions and are introduced to new and interesting concepts.
You are reading: Spanish books for 1st graders
Spanish learning books have been proven to attract students’ attention and keep them interested.
In this blog post, I will tell you all about eight amazing books to learn Spanish for elementary school children.
Join me as I explore the subject and author of the book, tell you where to buy it, and share some activities you can enjoy with your Spanish learners as you read together!
index:
- using books to learn spanish for primary school children
- the little prince by antoine de saint-exupéry
- everything is a song: poetic anthology (everything is a song: poetic anthology) by alma flor ada
- traditional games (traditional games) by maría angélica ovalle
- xochitl and the flowers (xochitl, the flower girl) by jorge argumenta
- passing pages: the story of my life (passing pages: la historia de mi vida) de sonia sotomayor
- de colores (of colors) and other latinoamerican folksongs for children by josé luis orozco
- piñatas and paper flowers: parties of the americas in english and spanish (piñatas and paper flowers: parties of the americas in english and spanish) by lila perl
- rainbow weaver (tejedora del rainbow) by linda elovitz marshall
- find the right support for your children to learn spanish
using books to learn Spanish for elementary school children
Using books to learn Spanish is a successful strategy to support young language learners.
Spanish books for elementary students often contain compelling stories and vivid illustrations. They are ideal for repeating sounds and words, contextualizing characters, using numbers, identifying shapes, and teaching valuable lessons.
As you support your children on their Spanish journey, you need clever ways to keep them motivated, and books do the trick in a variety of ways.
Elementary Spanish books are available in a variety of styles. you can find literary classics, poetry, biographies and interactive narratives.
As a parent or educator, when you read with your students, you can ask questions, point out concepts, and have children read and say vocabulary words in a real-world context. this is great for improving sentence construction and reading comprehension.
With books in Spanish, children begin to build even more vocabulary and begin to become familiar with cultural norms, while being exposed to constant immersion in Spanish.
Here are my trusted recommendations on the best books to learn Spanish for elementary school children.
1. the little prince (the little prince) by antoine de saint-exupéry
the little prince is an essential book for primary school students. Reading this masterpiece in Spanish is guaranteed to elevate your child’s imagination and language skills to a whole new level.
It is no secret that the inspiring story of the little prince has traveled the world and conquered the hearts of many readers. It is a very entertaining story with moral lessons that are useful in all stages of life.
Being one of the best books to learn Spanish for elementary school children, The Little Prince tells the story of a little prince who visits various planets and has different observations about humanity on each visit. is a conversation starter to talk to kids about friendship, love, loss, loneliness, and other emotions.
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I would recommend this book in Spanish to children ages seven and older. it has an advanced reading level and is a great support for language learners to understand social scenarios and reflections.
get the book
- kindle hardcover version
- paperback
Spanish class activities
- Combines reading about the planets in The Little Prince with an entertaining astronomy lesson in Spanish vocabulary.
- Listen to the melodies and dream words of Sofi Vargas in her song The Little Prince.
2. everything is a song: poetic anthology (everything is a song: poetic anthology) by alma flor ada
everything is song is from the defender of bilingual education alma flor ada. Ella’s educational anthology is a collection of poems ideal for enriching vocabulary about body parts, numbers, food, vowels, nature, and more.
The book is intended for readers ages seven to ten. the poems are well written and easy to read. having them divided into categories and topics gives you many possibilities to combine this book with specific vocabulary lessons.
It also allows young learners to understand the dynamics of poetry in Spanish as the author includes a brief introduction to the literary art form.
get the book
- rustic
Spanish class activities
- Use the “my body and I” section of the book for a fun lesson on body parts in Spanish for children.
- sing a merry round of head, face, shoulders, feet (head, shoulders, knees, and toes).
3. traditional games (traditional games) by maría angélica ovalle
traditional games is one of the best books to learn Spanish for elementary school children. it’s so diverse and results-oriented, you can even use it for preschoolers and kids of all ages.
The book is a compilation of Spanish children’s games. It has fantastic visual content and encourages children to practice speaking as they review the rules of each game together.
These games are productive and are the perfect opportunity to take your Spanish class outdoors. supports educators in teaching Spanish students commands and verbs.
get the book
- kindle
- hardcover
- paperback
Spanish class activities
- play a round of the blind man’s game with an original and complete song. To play you will need at least three students and a scarf to cover the player’s eyes.
- Improve Spanish playtime with 10 classic schoolyard games played by children in Latin America.
4. xochitl and the flowers (xochitl, the flower girl) by jorge argumentta
xochitl, the flower girl is one of those memorable and folklore-inspired books to learn Spanish for elementary school children.
is written for language learners ages six to nine and comes in a bilingual format that makes it very easy to read and follow.
The nostalgic tale tells the story of Xóchitl, a young Salvadoran woman who has just moved to the United States with her family. Initially, Xóchitl misses her life at her house, her friends, her garden, and her beloved family’s flower shop.
As they adjust to American life, Xóchitl and her family decide to start a new plant nursery to once again sell their plants on the street.
Throughout the story, Xóchitl begins to build new connections and make friends. she understands that a home is where the heart is and draws from the different immigration histories of American society.
is a fantastic story to teach children about overcoming challenges, building community and the value of friendship. side-by-side bilingual texts are great for strengthening reading comprehension and vocabulary in Spanish.
get the book
- rustic
Spanish class activities
- play and sing the flower game after reading this captivating story.
- plan an outdoor Spanish lesson using our free printables and pdfs on gardening tips and ideas for kids .
5. turning pages: the story of my life (turning pages: the story of my life) by sonia sotomayor
sonia sotomayor is the first Latina woman to serve as a u.s. supreme court judge. her autobiography was written for readers ages four to eight and is one of the most inspiring books on learning Spanish for elementary school children.
the narrative focuses on sonia’s love for books and how they have supported her to overcome different challenges in life and achieve her dreams. The book cultivates the motivation to read and embrace as a productive habit at an early age.
turning pages is a wonderful teaching aid and can even help adults who are learning Spanish. it is beautifully illustrated, well written, and uses a lot of Spanish vocabulary that you can reinforce.
get the book
- kindle
- hardcover
Spanish class activities
- have your students put on a show and say where sonia sotomayor is using adjectives and descriptives in spanish. you can use this massive list of Spanish adjectives while giving them a vocabulary lesson for the activity.
- tell your students more about sonia sotomayor and her impressive impact as a hispanic woman and leader.
6. de colores (of colors) and other latin american folk songs for children by josé luis orozco
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This is one of the most cheerful and vivid books to learn Spanish for elementary school children that you will find.
de Colores is a compilation of Latin American songs where children learn rhymes, sleight of hand, and traditional Spanish songs.
Singing and playing are attractive ways to learn a language. children immerse themselves in Spanish while having fun.
The colorful book also fosters an appreciation for Latino diversity and culture. is an ideal book for children to begin to embrace the richness of the Spanish language. It comes with English-Spanish text and has songs for any mood and occasion.
get the book
- school bookbinding and library
- paperback
Spanish class activities
- prepare different exercises for the children to fill in the blanks in the lyrics of the different songs in the book. This is a foolproof activity to test your student’s listening and reading comprehension in Spanish.
- The title of the book comes from the color song inspired by Cesar Chavez. Teach your elementary students all about this local hero with 11 classroom activities to celebrate Cesar Chavez.
7. Piñatas and Paper Flowers: Fiestas de las Américas in English and Spanish (Piñatas and Paper Flowers: Fiestas de las Américas in English and Spanish) by lila perl
piñatas y flores de papel is an unforgettable part of the different books to learn Spanish for elementary school children that you can find in this list.
The book comes with parallel text in English and Spanish that allows readers to better understand its concepts and complex descriptions. it is for advanced primary.
tells the reader about the particular and different festivals that children celebrate in Latin America. This book talks about carnival, fireworks, the day of the dead and many more unique, colorful and special Latin American celebrations.
provides a great opportunity to teach language learners about traditions and folklore as they also receive immersion in Spanish.
get the book
- rustic
Spanish class activities
- make shells in class and create decorations inspired by the stories in the book to set the mood for reading.
8. rainbow weaver (rainbow weaver) by linda elovitz marshall
rainbow weaver is an essential part of this list of books to learn Spanish for elementary school children that comes with bilingual text. this makes it very effective for language learners to understand complex vocabulary and social settings in narrative.
tells the story of ixchel, a young Mayan woman from Guatemala who wants to follow the women of her family in the weaving tradition. however, her family struggles to find time to teach her and buy materials for her. despite her difficulties, ixchel’s creativity allows her to find a fantastic solution.
I highly recommend this book, it shares a lot of details and insights about Guatemala and the Mayan culture. is excellent for cultivating an appreciation for Latino heritage and ultimately for improving reading comprehension in Spanish and English.
get the book
- hard cover
Spanish class activities
- Use the Spanish song el arcoiris and use our printables for an interesting lesson about the rainbow in Spanish.
- Share more cultural knowledge about Guatemala with your Spanish students after reading about it. the 10 most impressive Guatemalan textiles.
find the right support for your children to learn Spanish
I am confident that after reading this unique list of books to learn Spanish for elementary school children, your children will be on the right path to fluency.
If you are a homeschool parent and need support in your chosen Spanish curriculum, have your children join a free trial class with us at the Homeschool Spanish Academy.
Our team of certified Guatemalan teachers has a decade of experience teaching children confidence and conversation. the different programs at affordable prices apply effective learning methods and practical materials for you to follow at home.
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