The LBBC's Favorite Books for Día de los Muertos

With Día de los Muertos less than a week away, now is the perfect time to make a little trip down to your local library to pick up some great titles dedicated to this holiday. If you stop by our sister blog, MommyMaestra, we have started a nice list of lesson plans, activities, videos, and more, some of which include one or more of these great books. (You'll also get a sneak peek at an exciting new picture book that I'll be reviewing here on the LBBC next week.)

So in no particular order, here are a few of our favorite Day of the Dead titles for children...

Just a Minute!: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book and

Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book

by Yuyi Morales.

This is a fabulous pair of books, beautifully written and illustrated. Together they make a great set for Spanish learners as each one teaches fundamental concepts (counting and the alphabet) using the same charismatic characters with complementary story lines. Yuyi also has a fun website that is a visual treat and gives additional activities to supplement her books. You can find a review of Just a Minute! here.

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book
By Jeanette Winter

Jeanette Winter's is a consummate storyteller and an extraordinary artist. Calavera Abecedario is one of my daughter's favorite books for it's distinctive illustrations and biographical story. You can read a complete review here.

Day of the Dead

By Tony Johnston

Illustrated by Jeanette Winter

This beautiful tribute to Dia de los Muertos is illustrated in Winter's distinctive style and resembles the papel picado decorations so commonly used throughout Mexico. Written in English, Johnston has carefully embedded Spanish words throughout the text to increase vocabulary. Head over to our amiga Lori Langer de Ramirez's blog for more information about this book.

The Festival of Bones
by Luis San Vicente

San Vicente lets children join the celebration as they watch the skeletons rock, rattle, and roll those long old bones as they get ready for the biggest event of their social calendar. A short and fun essay, directed toward young readers, will explain this important Mexican holiday.

For more books on Día de los Muertos, visit our online store here.