One of my biggest complaints when I became a mom more than seven years ago was that I couldn't get my hands on quality bilingual and Spanish children's books. As an advocate for raising bilingual kids, I'm well aware that reading to our children in the minority language is of extreme importance in order to succeed. Fortunately, things have changed a lot in the last few years, which is why I'm able to share the following list of outstanding publishers you should know if you're raising bilingual kids.
1.Lee & Low____: Check out the books they publish solely in Spanish, as well as their excellent bilingual books with multicultural themes. They've become one of my preferred publishers ever since they acquired Children's Book Press, one of the most respected multicultural children's publishing houses. Favorite title: Marisol McDonald and the Clash Bash/Marisol McDonald y la fiesta sin igual.
2. Piñata Books: This imprint of Arte Público Press, which is "the nation's largest and most established publisher of contemporary and recovery literature by U.S. Hispanic authors" offers bilingual books for children and young adults that cover Latino themes and topics. Favorite title: The Cucuy Stole my Cascarones/El coco me robó los cascarones.
3. Cinco Puntos Press: With roots on the U.S./Mexico border, Cinco Puntos is a wonderful independent publisher you must check out for yourself to see everything it has to offer. Favorite title: Juanito counts to ten/Juanito cuenta hasta 10.
4. Lectorum: Largest U.S. distributor of books in Spanish for adults, teens and children. Their catalog is truly impressive! Favorite title: ¡Ya llegan los Reyes Magos!
5. Heritage Language: A fairly new publisher of bilingual children's books that come with audio CDs so they're perfect for those learning Spanish or English. Favorite title: Un regalo misterioso/A Mysterious Present
6. Barefoot Books: Some of my children's favorite books were published by this independent publisher that has made a commitment to celebrate culture, diversity and a global community. Favorite title: El fandango de Lola.
