Bilingual Children’s Books To Start Learning
Encouraging the learning of a second language from the early childhood stage is essential for the development of the child. This learning must be totally adapted to the age and needs of each one, introducing small words at the beginning and then short sentences to continue until complete texts.
Bilingual children will have the most developed cognitive development by being able to speak and understand more than one language at a time. One of the best tools to practice this second language in a fun and entertaining way for them is through children’s books. Therefore, today we bring you a selection of bilingual children’s books, in this case, focused on English as a second language.
Bilingual children’s books
1. If I had a dragon / If I had a dragon
A fantastic book with great illustrations and a simple text suitable for first readers. The structure of the book is ideal for the child to learn English, since each of the pages of the book is structured in the same way. In the first place, the text in Spanish is included, which does not occupy more than two lines and in large print. And secondly, the same phrase is included in English.
In addition to being a bilingual children’s book, its pages contain the story of an older brother who cannot play with his little brother because he is too young. At that moment, he begins to imagine what he would do if instead of having a brother, he had a dragon! And his imagination begins to run.
A fantastic book both to discuss the arrival of a new brother and to learn a new language.
2. Where are the stars when it is daytime? / Where are the stars during the day?
A children’s book recommended for children from five years old with a triple purpose:
- It is a bilingual children’s book that can be read in both Spanish and English
- It is an informative book, as it is included in a collection called Science, which talks about the place of the stars when the day comes.
- Try to solve the questions, so normal in children, of a curious girl.
To solve this curiosity, the protagonist of the story is helped by a group of very funny animals. Will you know what the stars are doing during the day?
3. Ten little fingers and ten little toes / Ten little fingers and ten little toes
Even before starting school, children can become familiar with the readings in English and Spanish with the help of their parents. This book is structured with only one sentence in Spanish and another in English on each of its pages, thus also leaving the illustrations so important for younger children as a protagonist.
The background of the story is also essential in this book as it shows a diversity of babies, all of them born in completely different places, but they have one characteristic in common: they have ten fingers on their hands and another ten on their feet.
A recommended book from two years old since, with its simple and repetitive structure, it will make the child a part of the story in one way or another.
More bilingual children’s books
4. Dear zoo
The protagonist of this story wants to have a pet and decides, to do this, write to the zoo to have one sent. The zoo compliments the boy’s request and begins to send him different animals. However, the child cannot keep any because they do not have the appropriate characteristics.
A wonderful book as its protagonists are animals, which the little ones like so much, as well as being able to discover their different names in English.
Another aspect that will make this bilingual children’s book one of their favorites is that several of the pages have windows to open and thus discover the animals that the zoo sends to the child.
The difference of Dear zoo with the rest of the previous bilingual children’s books is that it does not have its translation in Spanish, but that the text is written only in English.
5. The cat in the hat
The cat in the hat is one of the great protagonists of children’s books. The amount of vocabulary that is included between its pages and the very simple grammar structures that it uses have made many American children learn to read through its stories.
Its illustrations and its text in the form of a verse will entertain the little ones. In the same way as in Dear zoo , this book does not have a Spanish translation next to it, and it is recommended for children from six years of age.
6. What’s in the witch’s kitchen? , one of the best bilingual children’s books
The darkness and mystery that surrounds witches enchants children. For that reason, this book will amuse you by showing everything that a witch can hide between the alcoves of her kitchen.
A fantastic book with flaps on each sheet so that the children, independently, can discover all the elements that the witch has in her kitchen. A good bilingual children’s book with which to learn a lot of vocabulary in a simple and fun way.
