Are you on the lookout for the best beginner Spanish books out there?
There is nothing more exciting than hearing your children speak Spanish fluently! Even if it’s just a short phrase. This means they are on the right track.
Soon you’ll hear them sing songs in Spanish and even watch movies in Spanish without subtitles.
Eventually, they’ll be ready to pick up a book!
Literature is an entertaining, interesting, and fantastic tool you can use to help your kids master another language. Today we want to share with you some of the best beginner Spanish books for them.
Thrillers, coming-of-age stories, dramas, romance, we got you covered!
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The Importance of Spanish Literacy on Young New Learners
When we study a new language, we learn a lot of vocabulary and grammar rules. We also get exposed to a new culture and art. Language learning doesn’t have to be a boring and tedious process. Through art, we can make it interesting.
Through stories, tales, and even songs, we learn about other people’s traditions, variations in each language, how people think, and the differences or similarities with our own culture. Additionally, art boosts our learning experience.
Books are perfect for this!
Moreover, books will help your kids acquire intercultural skills essential when learning a new language.
Also, reading is a great way to master the first degree of comprehension, with which they’ll get a grasp of the plot and how it unfolds, the theme of the story, and its characters.
The fluidity of thoughts and ideas, which the author used to write the story, will also impact your children’s speaking abilities. So much so that soon they’ll be able to create new ideas in the new language they’re learning.
Surely your kids have heard of Harry Potter or A Series of Unfortunate Events.
They’re lovely books!
But today, we bring you books in Spanish that will reinforce your children’s learning process, and we guarantee they’ll look as much as the Narnia series!
How to Choose the Right Book?
Any teenager will tell you that being in middle or high school is quite stressful. However, it’s also a time for lots of opportunities and physical and intellectual growth.
In fact, books can help your children find a safe place and understand themselves and their surroundings.
We know that choosing the right book for them can be overwhelming.
But don’t worry. Here are some tips to help you find the best book for your kids.
Level: Check that the book you choose is age-appropriate for your kid since it may include themes you might not understand. So, a good idea is to look for children’s books, young adult fiction, etc.
Content: It’s always smart to find books that can teach us how people use a language in real-life situations. Many young-adult books deal with modern ideas and current events, so your kids can easily identify with them.
Format: Do your kids love to listen to podcasts? Then an audiobook can be perfect for them. Also, with audiobooks, they have a chance to improve their pronunciation.
Genre: There are a wide variety of genres in literature, so ask your kids what they would like to read. Ask your kids if they like adventure stories, mystery, suspense, romance novels, or novels that deal with social issues, short stories, etc.
Pages: If your child is not a fan of reading, you can buy them a short book that’s 100 pages long or shorter. Who knows, maybe you have a bookworm at home, and you’ll need to find a one-thousand-page fantasy novel.
Look and Feel: Font size is important for reading. Some kids might want to read a book with pictures, so consider looking for graphic novels.
12 Best Beginner Spanish Books
We hope those tips were helpful. But we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to recommend some great books. So, here’s a list of amazing books written by Spanish-speaking authors or that have been translated into Spanish.
Let’s have a look!
1. Copo de algodón – María García Esperón
Copo de Algodón is the daughter of the princess of Tacuba and the lord of Tenochtitlan, and the wife of the lord of Iztapalapa. She believed in Tláloc and Huitzilopochtli and loved flowers and songs. Learn through her voice about her times, the Cholula massacre, the arrival of Hernán Cortés, and the death of Moctezuma, and immerse yourself in the ancient history of Mexico.
Reading Age: 11 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 134
Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Audiobook, CD
Buy the book here.
2. Devolver al remitente – Julia Álvarez
After Tyler’s father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. However, Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected to American life? In a novel full of hope but with no easy answers, Julia Álvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.
Reading Age: 11 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 368
Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Audiobook, CD
Buy the book here.
3. Mi última clase – Daysi Valls
This book, written in Spanglish, deals with divorce and deportation. Solángel Murillo lives one of the most difficult days of her life when her mother is deported, and she has to leave everything behind and follow her father.
Reading Age: 12 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 112
Format: Paperback
Buy the book here.
4. Esperanza renace – Pam Muñóz Ryan
Esperanza Ortega has everything a girl could want: beautiful dresses, a nice house in Mexico, and the promise that she will someday run the family business. But an unexpected tragedy forces Esperanza and her mother to escape to California, where she discovers what real wealth is with the help of her family and community.
Reading Age: 12 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 272
Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Audiobook
Buy the book here.
5. La casa en Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros
Through short stories and small vignettes, this book tells the story of Esperanza Cordero, a Latina girl who grows up in a Chicago neighborhood, as she interacts with her quirky family, discovers what life is like for an immigrant in the US, and dreams of what she’ll become. This book was originally written mixing English and Spanish, so you can also buy the original version.
Reading Age: 13 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 144
Formats: Paperback and Kindle
Buy the book here.
6. El polizón del Ulises – Ana María Matute
Three single sisters find an abandoned child at their house. Unfortunately, they don’t find the kid’s parents, so they adopt him and call him Marco Amado Manuel or Jujú. Each of the three sisters spends time teaching the boy what she thinks is the most important thing in life so that he becomes “a wise, elegant, and practical man.” But Jujú prefers to lock himself in the attic and spend the day reading books.
Reading Age: 13 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 128
Formats: Paperback and Hardcover
Buy the book here.
7. Aquí estuvimos – Matt de la Peña
Miguel was sent to a juvenile detention center. Since it happened, his mother hasn’t been able to look at him. In the detention center, he met Rondell and Mong, with whom he later plans something that could change his life forever.
Reading Age: 14 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 400
Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Audiobook
Buy the book here.
8. Invisible – Eloy Moreno
Emotional, moving, different… All of us have wished to be invisible at one point. Told through the eyes of a 13-year-old boy, Invisible deals with bullying, social awkwardness, loneliness, and having superpowers.
Reading Age: 14 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 304
Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Audiobook
Buy the book here.
9. Marina – Carlos Ruiz Zafón
In May 1980, fifteen-year-old Oscar Drai vanished from his boarding school in Barcelona. His story begins when he meets the mysterious Marina, the daughter of a reclusive painter. She takes him to a graveyard where they witness a strange event, and even stranger events unfold after.
Reading Age: 15 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 304
Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle, Pocket Book
Buy the book here.
10. Dark Dude – Oscar Hijuelos
Rico Fuentes is 15 years old, lives in Wisconsin, and is a first-generation American. Both his parents are Cuban and have dark skin. Rico, however, has white skin, blond hair, and even a few freckles due to his mother’s Irish grandfather. Rico is the victim of harassment. Other kids consider him “a dark dude.” This exciting coming-of-age story is filled with heartwarming lessons about family and belonging.
Reading Age: 15 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 432
Formats: Paperback, Hardcover, Kindle, Audible Audiobook, CD
Buy the book here.
11. Los Ojos de Carmen – Verónica Moscoso
Daniel is a 16-year-old American boy who wants to enter a photography contest. He travels to Ecuador, where he visits his uncle’s family and he travels to this unique and intriguing country. One day he meets Carmen, a girl with gorgeous eyes. They talk for a while, but each part ways. Daniel is enthralled. He wants to find her again because he thinks he can win the contest with a picture of her. This short book is filled with adventure and offers a unique take on Ecuador.
Reading age: 16 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 79
Formats: Paperback, Kindle
Buy the book here.
12. Como Agua para Chocolate – Laura Esquivel
This novel tells the story of the all-female De La Garza family. Here we meet Tita, a beautiful young woman in love with Pedro. Tita’s mother, however, has forbidden her to marry until after she dies. So, the drama follows; it’s worthy of a Latin American telenovela, except it’s an excellent read for teenagers.
Reading Age: 16 years and up
Category: Fiction
Pages: 304
Formats: Paperback, Kindle, Audible Audiobook
Buy the book here.
Choose the First Book in Spanish with Your Child and Read Away!
Millions of books are out there, and we know that you and your kids will find many amazing stories! But remember, there are other ways to practice reading in Spanish. Magazines, advertisements, newspaper articles, blogs, and even video games can help your kids become fluent in Spanish.
Here you’ll find a list of resources to help your kids improve their Spanish skills.
But if you think your kids still need the help of a teacher, don’t miss our 5-Star Spanish Program!
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So, don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity. Maybe your kid will become the next Daisy Valls or Sandra Cisneros and write a book mixing English and Spanish!
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“HSA offers very affordable, quality, one on one classes with a native speaker. My son has greatly benefited from taking classes. We have seen his confidence increase as well as his pronunciation improve, because he learns from a native Spanish speaker. HSA has quick, personal customer service. Our family has been very pleased with our experience so far!”
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Want more Spanish resources? Check these out!
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7 Spanish Reading Games for Kids: Boosting Literacy Skills
10 Innovative Contemporary Latin American Artists Who Broke the Mold
8 Free Bilingual Spanish-English Books Online
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20 Free Spanish Books, Novels, and Stories in PDF and Printables
13 Famous Hispanic Women in History Who Made Enormous Impact
The post 12 Beginner Spanish Books for Middle School and High School appeared first on Homeschool Spanish Academy.
Read More Are you on the lookout for the best beginner Spanish books out there? There is nothing more exciting than hearing your children speak Spanish fluently! Even if it’s just a short phrase. This means they are on the right track. Soon you’ll hear them sing songs in Spanish and even watch movies in Spanish without
The post 12 Beginner Spanish Books for Middle School and High School appeared first on Homeschool Spanish Academy.
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