Are you on the hunt for inclusive Christmas books in Spanish to bring some holiday spirit to your bilingual class? Look no further!
I understand the struggle of finding the perfect books that not only celebrate the festive season but also help nurture cultural inclusivity in your classroom. That’s why I’ve curated a collection of 10 delightful Christmas books in Spanish and bilingual formats that will captivate your young learners. I’ve also included some corresponding activities for each Christmas book that you may consider using with your class.
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Let’s check out these fun and engaging Christmas books in Spanish!
Book 1: ‘Twas Nochebuena (Bilingual English & Spanish)
Let’s kick off our holiday reading journey with a family preparing for a Nochebuena celebration in ‘Twas Nochebuena. This bilingual gem invites you to partake in a night filled with laughter, love, and Latino traditions. From tasty tamales to colorful adornos, festive canciones, and champurrado, this book captures the essence of Christmas Eve in a Latino household. As an activity, consider hosting your very own Nochebuena celebration with your students. Make tamales, decorate with adornos, and sip champurrado while dancing to Latino music. It’s a festive adventure that’ll surely warm everyone’s hearts.
Book 2: Zetta: la flor de Pascua
During the holidays, Zetta, the poinsettia, is confident in her worth. But what happens when the holiday season comes to an end? Does she still have reasons to feel valuable?
After reading “Zetta: la flor de Pascua” with your students, encourage them to reflect on their unique qualities and talents. Have a classroom discussion about how they can bring joy to others, not just during the holiday season but throughout the year. You can also incorporate an art project where students create their own poinsettia-themed crafts, reminding them of the valuable lesson they’ve learned from Zetta.
Book 3: A Piñata in a Pine Tree: A Latino Twelve Days of Christmas
This book puts a vibrant Latino twist on “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Piñatas replace partridges, and you’ll find burritos bailando, lunitas cantando, and much more. A little girl receives gifts from a secret amiga, and the identity of this secret friend is a heartwarming surprise. Encourage your students to find and count objects in Spanish on every page, with pronunciations provided right in the pictures. To make this joyous fiesta even more engaging, incorporate counting exercises and explore the glossary and music within the story.
Book 4: ¡Qué montón de tamales!
Join Maria in ¡Qué montón de tamales! as she helps her mother prepare traditional Christmas tamales. However, there’s a twist in this heartwarming tale—Maria accidentally slips her mother’s precious ring onto her finger, leading to a suspenseful search for the missing ring. As an activity, bake tamales with your students and hide a small, safe trinket inside one of them for a delightful, unexpected surprise. This book beautifully weaves the spirit of Christmas with a touch of mystery.
Book 5: Un Coquí de Boriquén con los Reyes a Belén (Spanish and English edition)
Un Coquí de Boriquén con los Reyes a Belén narrates the story of a magical coquí who guided a Puerto Rican girl to the first Christmas. The coquí’s song helps the Wise Men find Baby Jesus, and in gratitude, they promise to search for every child in Puerto Rico or beyond, whenever the melody of a coquí calls. This book is not only a delightful read but also a cultural bridge for young Puerto Rican students, connecting them with their heritage whether they live in San Juan, New York, Orlando, or Juana Díaz.
Book 6: La leyenda de la flor de Nochebuena
In La leyenda de la flor de Nochebuena, you’ll learn the Mexican legend of the poinsettia, called flor de la Nochebuena, the flower of the Holy Night. Discover how a little girl’s unselfish gift to the Christ Child brought this exquisite flower into the world, lighting up the Mexican countryside. This is a perfect book to introduce your students to a touching Mexican tradition. Encourage them to create their own poinsettia-inspired crafts as a hands-on activity.
Book 7: ¡Ya llegan los Reyes Magos!
Celebrate the day before Epiphany with ¡Ya llegan los Reyes Magos! This book captures the excitement of a little Puerto Rican boy as he prepares for the arrival of the Three Kings. As an activity, you can organize a Three Kings Day celebration in your classroom, complete with traditional songs, crafts, and treats.
Book 8: Celebrate Las Posadas – Celebramos Las Posadas: A Bilingual Book in English and Spanish
Celebrate Las Posadas – Celebramos Las Posadas introduces your students to the customs and traditions of this festive holiday. This bilingual children’s book offers a concise, easy-to-read description of the festivities in both English and Spanish. To make it even more engaging, provide coloring pages related to Las Posadas as an activity.
Book 9: Three Kings Day – Día de Reyes Mago: A Bilingual Book in English and Spanish
Three Kings Day – Día de Reyes Mago sheds light on the holiday that honors the arrival of the Three Kings to Bethlehem. Celebrated on January 6th, this special day is filled with meaning, customs, and traditions. You can read about it with your students, discuss the significance of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and engage them in activities like leaving hay for camels and receiving small toys in their shoes.
Book 10: The Christmas Gift / El regalo de Navidad (Spanish Edition)
In The Christmas Gift / El regalo de Navidad, award-winning author Francisco Jiménez invites readers to share in his most poignant Christmas memory, creating a touching narrative that resonates with both children and adults. The book is brought to life through paintings that radiate strength and warmth, with the story told in spare bilingual text. It’s a simple yet powerful tale that celebrates the true spirit of Christmas and, more importantly, highlights how children can find strength in the bonds of their families.
After reading this Christmas book in Spanish with your students, encourage them to reflect on the importance of family and the true meaning of the holiday season. Lead a classroom discussion where students share their own cherished Christmas memories and the ways their families have made the season special. You can also organize a creative project where students write and illustrate their own holiday memories in a bilingual format, emulating the book’s style.
Celebrando la Navidad with Christmas Books in Spanish
Incorporating these enchanting Christmas books in Spanish into your teaching repertoire will not only captivate your students but also foster cultural inclusivity in your bilingual classroom. The holiday season is a perfect time to explore diverse traditions and stories, and these books make it fun and educational. Be sure to share this list with your bilingual teacher compañeros who will enjoy these Christmas books in Spanish as well. Happy reading, and Feliz Navidad!
