Children's Picture Books with Latino and Hispanic Characters

This list of children's picture books with Hispanic and Latino characters contains books for babies through elementary school, including poetry! They are a great addition to your Hispanic Heritage Month lessons, but will be enjoyed any time of year.

At the bottom of the post, I've linked to more book lists with Hispanic and Latino children's books. (Note: book titles are affiliate links that earn commission from qualifying purchases.)

Babies and Toddlers

Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Amy Cordova. The lively, rhyming text and illustrations feature aspects of Latino and Hispanic culture like music, fiestas, food and of course, besos and abrazos. I really appreciated that illustrator Amy Cordova recognized that not all Latino Americans have the same skin color! Includes a short glossary.

Besos for Baby: A Little Book of Kisses by Jen Arena, illustrated by Blanca Gomez. A sweet little board with repetitive and rhyming text. In English with a few Spanish words.

Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games by Lulu Delacre. This is a wonderful bilingual resource, even for parents with no Spanish language experience. Short songs and interactive games (think: Pat-a-cake, and "To Market, to Market") will encourage caregivers to spend special one on one time with their children.

Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía Una Llamita by Angela Dominguez.  This classic nursery rhyme has a Peruvian twist. The illustrations are delightful. Bilingual.

Un Elefante: Numbers/Numeros by Patty Rodriguez, illustrated by Ariana Stein. The Lil' Libros board book series teaches beginning concepts through Latin American culture, history, and traditions. Bilingual.

MORE: Bilingual books in English and Spanish

Hispanic and Latino Books for Preschoolers

Green is a Chile Pepper and Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Greenfield Thong, illustrated by John Parra. These two concept books with Spanish words sprinkled throughout are perfect for preschoolers. Colorful, folksy illustrations and rhyming text make these great for storytime.

Gracias/Thanks by Pat Mora, illustrated by John Parra. In this joyful book, a biracial boy narrates all the things he is thankful for, from the mundane to the surprising. The illustrations include a range of multicultural children, so kids of all colors will see themselves represented. Bilingual.

Niño Wrestles the World  by Yuyi Morales. Niño imagines himself as a “Lucha Libre” wrestler. He wrestles with stellar moves, like the “tickle tackle” and the “puzzle muzzle” to best alarming intergalactic opponents, but when it comes to his biggest challenge, “Las Hermanitas”, Niño pulls out his very special moves.  An endnote describes this type of theatrical wrestling popular in Spanish-speaking countries.

What Can You Do With A Paleta?/ ¿Qué Puedes Hacer con una Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Magaly Morales. Bilingual. A paleta is a traditional Mexican popsicle treat. This joyful book about kids running to get a summer treat will spark your preschoolers imagination and maybe he or she will even offer to share a paleta with you!

Gilberto and the Wind by Marie Hall Ets. Very few classics, like this one from 1963, have Latino protagonists (look up Jack Ezra Keats' books for a few more!). Gilberto is a boy, like any other boy who enjoys a day playing with the wind. He experiences its effect on objects like bubbles, balloons and his hat, but my favorite part is how the illustrations capture the effect of the wind on Gilberto's emotions. Also available in Spanish.

Hispanic and Latino Books for Kindergarten and Up

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown, illustrated by Sara Palacios. I loved Marisol from the moment I met her, and as a result, she’s made an appearance on several of my lists, including books with diverse characters and books for Hispanic Heritage Month. Red-headed half-Scottish half-Peruvian Marisol bounces off the page with great enthusiasm and loves her mismatched life. When her friend, Ollie, challenges her to “match”, Marisol finds she is unhappy with life as a conformist. This is a great story that emphasizes the importance of embracing and accepting one’s uniqueness. Bilingual.

Mango, Abuela and Me by Meg Medina, illustrated by Angela Dominguez. I love picture books with intergenerational stories! Mia's Spanish-speaking abuela has come to live with the family. Mia and her grandmother now share a room, but they don't know how to communicate. Abuela can't read Mia's English books and Mia doesn't have enough Spanish words to share her experiences. One day Mia brings home a parrot which reminds Mia of her grandmother's previous home and eventually, through practice, the family learns how to communicate fluently with each other.  Also available in Spanish.

Abuela by Arthur Dorros. A girl and her Abuela hop on a bus to the park where she imagines flying high above New York City. On their imaginary flight they take in all the diverse and exciting scenes of city life. The text is peppered with Spanish words and phrases. Those of you looking for good books featuring positive grandparent-grandchild relationships, you will like this one. I also adore the vibrant, colorful illustrations, full of details to pour over. Also available in Spanish.

Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales. I adore trickster tales and this one about a grandmother who outsmarts a skeleton is quite a treat. A skeleton comes to fetch Grandma Beetle on her birthday, but the clever woman thwarts him as she claims to have too many chores to do first.  The tale seamlessly weaves Spanish language numbers into the humorous narrative as grandma counts up the tasks she must do in order to keep the skeleton at bay.

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh. Two cousins—Charlie, who is American, and Carlitos, who is Mexican—write letters to each other describing their lives in their home countries, thus inviting readers to compare and contrast the different experiences. Tonatiuh's illustrations are heavily influenced by Mixtec tradition (Mixtec was a major civilization of Mesoamerica). In English, with some Spanish words, plus a glossary.

MORE: Latino and Hispanic Biographies for Kids

Hispanic and Latino Poetry for Children

Poetry, songs and free verse are wonderful additions to story time!

The Magical Cycle of the Seasons. This is a four book series of poems by Francisco X. Alarcón, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez.

De Colores and Other Latin American Folksongs for Children ed. by Jose-Luis Orozco, illustrated by Elisa Kleven. Okay, so these are songs, not poems, but still! These fun tunes will charm you and your kids.