A Cat and a Dog/Un Gato y un Perro by Claire Masurel

Translated by Andrés Antreasyan. Illustrated by Bob Kolar. 32 p., Ediciones Norte-Sur, 2001. When you live in the same house, you might have lots of disagreements and fights. Such is the case for the cat and the dog in this bilingual (Spanish/English) story. Of all the things the cat and the dog fight about, they fight most about their toys. Each is very protective of her or his own toys. But one day, the cat loses his/her toy in the water, and the dog loses his/her toy in a tree. Neither can get their own toy - but each can get the other's toy. They both see this solution to their problems, and each gets the other one's toy and returns it. After that, they become friends. With its simple, colorful illustrations, this story shows children an a way to cooperate, rather than fighting, with those they live with. Ages 3-7

My Pal, Victor / Mi amigo, Victor by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Translated by Eida de la Vega. Illustrated by Robert L. Sweetland.32 p., Raven Tree, 2004.

Friendship can include finding similarities when differences are present, and appreciating each other’s uniqueness. In this bilingual (English and Spanish) book, Dominic describes what he values about his friend Victor – his imagination, his jokes, his encouragement, and his scary stories. He tells how they enjoy swimming, riding amusement park rides, and having sleepovers together. What Dominic likes best about Victor is that Victor accepts him just as he is. It isn’t until the last page that we see that Victor uses a wheelchair. The colorful illustrations effectively convey the fun the boys have together. Whether or not they use a wheelchair, children will see that disability is only one attribute among many, and less important than the qualities that make a good friend.

Ages 4-8

Moony Luna/Luna, Lunita Lunera by Jorge Argueta

Illustrated by Elizabeth Gómez. 32 p., Children's, 2005.

Kids' feelings about starting school can fluctuate between excitement and fear. In this bilingual book, Luna is excited to start school for the first time. But on the first day, she wakes up frightened - what if there are monsters at school? She's reassured by her mommy's hugs and kisses and her own knowledge that she's "five years old and as big as the full moon," although her fears come back several times as she gets ready for school. When her mommy drops her off, she's frightened, and hides under a table. But her classmates encourage her to come out and play, and she begins to make friends. She draws, plays, and hears a story. When her parents pick her up, she tells them that there are no monsters at school after all. The colorful acrylic illustrations include crayon renderings of the monsters that Luna imagines. With Luna, children will find empathy for their shifting feelings and reassurance that they will be happy at school.

Ages 4-6
Main character's cultural background: Latina
Cultural context: Latino

Just Like Home / Como en Mi Tierra by Elizabeth I. Miller

Translated by Teresa Mlawer. Illustrated by Mira Reisberg. 32 p., Whitman, 1999.

This bilingual book tells the story of a Latino family's immigration to the United States. The daughter notices what is "just like home" and what is "not like home." The family stays with relatives for about two months until they get their own apartment. Although the kids at school aren't friendly, the girl's cousin helps her to get along there, but doesn't always include her with other children. Finally, when other children invite her to play, the girl has fun, and begins to feel at home. An appendix invites readers to find various objects on each page, encouraging monolingual readers to learn the language they don't know. This story conveys empathy with the experience of immigration, and the upbeat ending offers hope of a positive outcome.

Ages 3-8
Main character's cultural background: Latina
Cultural context: multicultural

My School/Mi Escuela by Ginger Foglesong Guy

Illustrated by Viví Escrivá. 18 p., Rayo, 2006.

When children start school, they need to know what they'll find there. This bilingual (English/Spanish) book uses single words to answer children's questions - "children," "classroom," "teacher," indoor and outdoor equipment and materials, an owie on the playground, and finally, "friends" at "my school." Illustrated with delightful, friendly watercolors, this book can help even the youngest children learn about school, as well as learning some very useful everyday words in another language.

Ages: 1-5
Cultural Context: multicultural

Margaret and Margarita by Lynn Reiser

32 pages. Greenwillow, 1993.

Margaret, who speaks only English, and Margarita, who speaks only Spanish, both tell their mothers it is NOT a beautiful day to go to the park, because there is no one there to play with. Then they find each other, and in this bilingual book, they find ways to communicate and play. They agree to be friends, and they look forward to future trips to the park. This story shows children that they can find ways to communicate with kids who initially seem different from them - and that when they do, it's possible to find a good friend.

Ages: 3-7
Cultural Context: multicultural