Every September, we get a chance to honor Hispanic Heritage Month, a celebration of history, culture, and contributions from Hispanic and Latinx communities. But let’s be honest: a single month could never contain all the vibrancy, flavor, and storytelling power these voices bring to the table.
So how do we make the most of it? By opening up our bookshelves.
Children’s books have a way of carrying traditions, sparking conversations, and building cultural pride one page at a time. Here are ten incredible children’s books by Latinx authors and illustrators that will bring warmth, laughter, and sometimes even a tear to family reading time:
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Ages 0–3 (Babies–Toddlers)
I Love You, Baby Burrito I Angela Dominguez
Inspired by that phrase, I Love You, Baby Burrito depicts the love and care that goes into the act of wrapping a little one up: tucking in each piernita, each bracito, everything except the baby's sweet carita.
Nova Knows Numbers/ Nova Sabe los Numeros I Patricia Bellamy-Mathis
This bilingual numbers book is a perfect introduction to the early learning concept of numbers. Children will see themselves counting toys and instruments, fruits and friends!
Ages 3–5 (Preschool–Kindergarten)
Plátanos Go With Everything I Liss
ette Norman
Plátanos are Yesenia's favorite food. They can be sweet and sugary, or salty and savory. And they're a part of almost every meal her Dominican family makes. Stop by her apartment and find out why plátanos go with everything, especially love!
Niño Wrestles the World I Yuyi Morales
Niño Wrestles the World is in English with Spanish vocabulary, and is a fun, colorful story about a boy wrestling with imaginary monsters (including an Olmec Head and La Llorona) and adversaries like his younger sisters. This is a joyful picture book about imagination, play, and siblings.
Lupe Lopez Reading Rock Star! I e.E. Chalton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller
Stuck in Group A with the kids who can’t read, she becomes the object of a rival’s mockery. Will her beloved band and her confidence survive the sting of defeat? Leave it to Lupe to prove that the beat she feels when she taps her pencil isn’t so very different from words and sentences—and that a real rock star is someone who doesn’t give up.
One Whole Me I Dia Mixon
Ages 7–10 (Upper Elementary)
Juana and Lucas I Juana Martinez
Juana loves many things: drawing, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or learning English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense?
Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect I Hilda Eunice Burgos
In the Heights meets Front Desk in this heartwarming and funny illustrated story about the friendship between a bodega owner's kid and his newly adopted furry friend, with a focus on family and community.
Ages 10+ (Middle Grade)
Frizzy I Claribel A. Ortega
Dominican girl whose greatest enemy is the hair salon! Through her struggles and triumphs, this heartwarming and gorgeous middle-grade graphic novel shows the radical power of accepting yourself as you are, frizzy curls and all.
Miles Morales: Shock Waves (Original Spider Man Graphic Novel) I Justin A Reynolds
Miles Morales is a normal kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his mother's birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island.
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💡 Parent Tip: Don’t just read these books during Hispanic Heritage Month. Sprinkle them into storytime all year long so your child’s library reflects the fullness of the world around them.
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Want more? Explore our full collection of children’s books with Hispanic representation and find the perfect reads to celebrate culture, pride, and identity all year long. [Shop the Collection →]
