It's fun for me to share what your children or I have enjoyed together; please see below! It's easy to make your own discoveries. Ask the children's librarian or book seller or search for bilingual titles. Especially the local book sellar....
Our most recent favorite is from a young author Duncan Tonatiuh. His Dear Primo, A letter to my cousin always captivates a wide range of ages. When I want to have an easy class, I bring out this book. Everyone looks closely at the illustrations, wont let me miss a single word, and has lots of questions about Charlie and Carlitos, cousins - one lives in a US city and the other the Mexican country side. Just today, when given a range of choices, a 3rd grade student chose this book; none of her classmates objected.
CHECK THIS OUT!
Here is Harim, reading aloud La Pelota Perdida ~~ The Lost Ball, He is about your age and does a terrific job! A woman helps him pronounce some of the words. ( LE we read this book last year. )
The books some of you like to read off my cart??
( I don't!!! JA JA JA, Greenough)
Julia Alvarez lives in Vermont! She and her family fled from the dictator of the Dominican Republic when she was a preteen.
Her official site. Some are young adult titles. Some are for all ages. She often presents at the Brattleboro Literary Festival. And she went to the same Secondary School Maestra went to!
Pam Muñoz Ryan
Esperanza Rising Is just one of her wonderful books. Take Scholastic's FUN animated tour !
One of Maestra's favorites is The Dreamer (2010) or in Spanish: El Sonador which tells Pablo Neruda's story, from his point of view when he was a child on the edges of civilization and at the end of the rail line in Chile's mountainous forest. Wikipedia says "a children's fictional biography of Neruda, "a shy Chilean boy whose spirit develops and thrives despite his father's relentless negativity". Written by Pam Muñoz Ryan and illustrated by Peter Sís, the text and illustrations are printed in Neruda's signature green ink.
Esmeralda Santiago wrote the first novel that Maestra read in Spanish: Casi una mujer Almost a Woman. Her story of being the oldest of 11 children who moved to NYC from the island of Puerto Rico when she was 13 years old. Her writing and topics are more difficult and wonderful.