Please welcome my guest author, Susie Jaramillo. I know Susie from piles of wonderful bilingual Spanish board books from her Encantos company (which I thought was a publishing company, but it’s actually much more than that). I gifted the Encantos books to my boxing trainer, Rafi, who is Puerto Rican American and he and his wife are using them to teach their young children Spanish. Today, Susie is here with her list of children’s books to celebrate Día de los Muertos!
We are also giving away Skeletina & the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo by Susie Jaramillo! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom
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As the leaves start changing, and kids start anticipating all things spooky and sweet, it’s a great time to add some new seasonal books to your shelf to get excited about fall. When my kids were smaller I always had a hard time finding books that celebrated the Spanish-speaking world and the diverse traditions and cultures from it, seasonal titles were an even rarer find.
As more and more Latinx authors and illustrators have carved out spaces within the world of children’s literature, it’s been amazing to see how their work has been received by families of all kinds. I’ve included two of my own titles in this list, both of which are very close to my heart and capture my love for this time of year and the whimsy, imagination, and fearlessness that it sparks in kids everywhere.
5 Children’s Books to Celebrate Halloween & Día de los Muertos
Skeletina & the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo by Susie Jaramillo
When I was little, I suffered from intense nightmares. I always wished I had a friend who lived in my dream world to guide me through those nightmares, who could make them less scary and add some fun. This inspired the creation of Skeletina, that friend who lives in the “In-Between” world and helps kids navigate their dreams and nightmares. [bilingual Spanish picture book, ages 3 and up]
Skeletitos: Make Every Moment Count by Susie Jaramillo
Skeletitos celebrates the ordinary and the completely extraordinary with Day of the Dead-themed tales encouraging kids to be wary, conscious, funny, and self-aware. With a fun rhythmic beat to the story and a movable clock, kids will love getting into a spooky-kooky groove. [picture book, ages 1 and up]
Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago
With beautifully vivid illustrations, this book tells the heartwarming tale of Gustavo, a shy ghost with a passion for playing his violin. As Day of the Dead approaches, readers join Gustavo as he navigates all the challenges of making friends, being brave, and going out of his comfort zone. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Kid del Toro by Chogrin Muñoz, illustrated by Pakoto Martinez
Based on the childhood stories of award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, this book inspires kids to face -and even befriend- their monsters. As a del Toro fan myself, I love how this book draws on the curiosity, imagination, and courage of his younger self to help kids face their fears. [bilingual picture book, ages 9 and up]
Día de los Muertos (Celebrate the World) by Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Jorge Gutierrez
Whether or not you celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) the whimsical illustrations and fun explanations of this rich cultural tradition make this book worth adding to your library. Learn all about calaveras, papel picado, altares and more. [picture book, ages 2 and up]
Remembering by Xelena González, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia
Review from A Kid’s Book A Day:
“I’m adding this beautiful book to my list about grief and loss. The simple text and realistic illustrations capture the bittersweet experience of grieving the loss of a pet and provide an excellent introduction to Día de Muertos.” [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Skeletina & the In-Between World Bilingual Picture Book GIVEAWAY!
We are giving away Skeletina & the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo by Susie Jaramillo! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter below.
Susie Jaramillo serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Encantos, an award-winning entertainment-driven edtech company creating direct-to-learner family brands that both kids and parents love. Susie is also the creator of Canticos, the Emmy-nominated Latino-inspired bilingual nursery rhyme series which launched in 2016, and is also the author/illustrator of over 20 children’s books.
p.s. Related posts:
Dia de los Muertos versus Obon: 2 Celebrations that Honor the Dead
Top 10 Bilingual Spanish Picture Books
Halloween Multicultural Children’s Book Club
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My books:
Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
- Junior Library Guild Gold selection
- Selected as one of 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023 by dPICTUS and featured at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair
- Starred review from School Library Journal
Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me
Amazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me
BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 is a book that I created to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books.
I am looking so forward to sharing the story of the fun-loving and fearless Skeletina, who lives in the in-between world with her friends, in Skeletina & the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo by Susie Jaramillo.
These are all must haves for my school library! There are so few Dia de Los Muertos books for young students that they would actually enjoy. Adding all of these titles to my next book order.
Skeletitas is such a fun read.
Thanks for sharing some fun picture books to introduce Día de los Muertos to younger children.