I’ve built up a large library of Spanish literature over the years. It spans from baby books to novels by Mutis and Gabrile Garcia Marquez. I love using books in children’s classes. There’s something very special about bringing the language to life with stories, songs, games and drama.
I’ve subscribed to many Spanish magazines including Leo Leo from Spain for children aged 7-10 years old and la Tundra a magazine that celebrates Latin American culture in the UK.
I regularly use Spanish and Latin literature in my lessons with adults and in this blog post I recommend some of my favorite books for adult beginners.
El Principito – Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
This book is perfect for beginners. I was gifted this book by students I taught while I lived in Merida, Venezuela in 2002.
Back then my own Spanish was very limited – I was a total beginner and found the sentence structure and storyline refreshingly simple.
Purchase El Principito on Amazon here El Principito (affiliate link)
Cuentos e La Selva – Horacrio Quiroga
A book I use in my lessons with Improvers. It’s particularly useful to practice the imperfect tense as most of the stories are written in the imperfect.
It’s a series of short stories set in Argentina by Horacrio Quiroga and has a feel of magical realism, similar to Gabriel Garcia Marques’ novels.
There are simplified and child-friendly versions of the same book, however I use the original stories.
Available to purchase via Amazon here Cuentos de la Selva (affiliate link)
El Niño, El Topo, el Zorro y el Caballo
A delightful book for beginners. The great thing about this is that you can read it simultaneously with the English version – translating as you go.
I often gift this to students who graduate with me and it is always warmly received and well read by the whole family.
Purchase a copy via Amazon here El Niño, El Topo, El Zorro y El Caballo (affiliate link)
El Libro de las Preguntas by Pablo Neruda
The original poem (320 questions) The Book of Questions is suitable for intermediate to advanced learners but this bilingual Spanish-English edition children’s edition was launched recently and I made sure I got my hands on a copy. It is the first illustrated selection of questions, 70 in all.
It’s a wonderful read for beginners; adults and children alike.
Available on Amazon HERE (affiliate link)
¿Ya Estoy llegando? & ¡Fernando Baila el Tango! (Kelly Thornhill & Jude Lennon)
Of course I couldn’t write this blog post without recommending my own bilingual books. Written for children they are perfect for adult beginners also and bring culture and language together. Illustrations were provided by the children I teach Spanish to and MP3 recordings are available free of charge to help learners develop listening skills.
Am I Nearly There Yet? ¿Ya Estoy Llegando? is a bi-lingual picture book for children. It follows the adventures of Frida the Monarch butterfly as she tries to find her way to Mexico for the ‘Day of the Dead Festival’. Who will she meet along the way and will she arrive in time?
Available to purchase on Amazon HERE
Valentina is the best dancer in Mendoza. She longs to dance at the Tango Day Celebration in Buenos Aires. But she needs a partner to dance with. She’s heard that Fernando can tango but will she find him in time?
Fernando Baila el Tango is available to purchase on Amazon HERE
Signed copies of both books are available from my website; https://adventuresinspanish.co.uk/bilingual-childrens-book
So, there you have it. A selection just a few books. Hopefully you find this useful and enjoy exploring Spanish and Latin literature. I look forward to hearing your comments on these and any other books you enjoy reading.
If you’re ready to take your learning further visit my website for details of up-coming courses I’m running. www.adventuresinspanish.co.uk and sign up to my mailing list to receive weekly Newsletters with free lessons, articles and Spanish word of the week direct to your inbox: Weekly Newsletter to boost your learning