In this fun, rhyming tale Abuelita buys a magic carpet at the market and flies around the world. The vivid, kinetic illustrations take readers from Turkey to Peru with stops in Thailand, Mexico, China, Switzerland, Africa, Russia, Australia, and Japan. This book is wonderful for teaching geography, cardinal directions, prepositions, counting, and the verb ir. Accompanies Lesson 13 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. This book paints a beautiful picture of traditional small town Spanish life. A young boy, Salvador, tells of how his family used to eat around a great wooden table every afternoon. The traditional Spanish food and setting in the story make it an excellent choice for a cultural unit on Spain, or use the book to teach food, mealtimes, family, or days of the week. Accompanies Lesson 6 and 12 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 11 of Sonrisas Level II. (9.5 x 9.5)

This is Sam McBratney's classic story of a papa hare and his son trying to outdo each other describing how much they love each other. A charming tale of filial love, it can be used to teach the phrase te quiero, body parts, as well as the word lejos. Accompanies Lesson 33 of Sonrisas Level I. (8.5 x 9.5)

The cast of animal characters in this alphabet book help teach your students the Spanish alphabet with fun pictures that provide lots of opportunity to practice the identification and sounds of the Spanish letters. Can be used throughout Sonrisas Level I or Sonrisas Level II. (8 x 10)

This book is based on a story from Chilean folklore. In it, a young boy is given various farm animals by the different members of his family, and his collection of animals grow as they each bear him baby animals. The book includes a CD on which the text of the book is put into song by Javier Mendoza. This book is an excellent teaching tool for many concepts such as: family members, farm animals, baby animals, numbers, Spanish onomatopoea, exclamations, tengo, and me dio. Accompanies Lesson 14 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. With the author hailing from Spain and the illustrator from Argentina, this book has mucho sabor. It provides a rich comparison of the different senses and how they are perceived by a small boy and his much taller father. In Lesson 19 of Sonrisas Level I we use this book to teach the adjectives arriba y abajo, but it can also be used to teach the five senses as well as colors. (7.5 x 8.25)

Since 1947, this book has been a favorite children's story with universal appeal. Readers feel the peace and serenity as a young rabbit goes to bed and says goodnight to all the things in his room. The colorful illustrations are timeless and completely convey the meaning of the Spanish text. Accompanies Lesson 13 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 23 of Sonrisas Level II. (10.25 x 8.75)

This is a wonderful bilingual board book with engaging illustrations that teach the different modes of transportation. Accompanies Lesson 1 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (5.5 x 7)

From celebrated author Alma Flor Ada, the strength of this book is in its two-part presentation. In the first part we follow a fictional elementary class as they sing and dance the Mexican hat dance for their Cinco de Mayo celebration. In the second part, real-life photographs and informative text answer the question, "¿Qué es el Cinco de Mayo?" The combination of the two parts makes learning about Cinco de Mayo fun and relevant for children. Accompanies Lesson 33 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 5 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (8 x 10)

From celebrated author Alma Flor Ada, the strength of this book is in its two-part presentation. The first part tells the story of how a family's Thanksgiving celebration is almost ruined by a snowstorm—the twist at the end conveys the true spirit of friendship and generosity. In the second part, real-life photographs and informative text provide historical context to the question, "¿Qué es el Día de Acción de Gracias?" Accompanies Lesson 30 of Sonrisas Level I. (8 x 10)

From celebrated author Alma Flor Ada, the strength of this book is in its two-part presentation. The first part tells the story of a little boy Carlitos as he awaits Three Kings Day, and it gives readers an accurate portrayal of how that holiday is celebrated. In the second part, real-life photographs and informative text answer the question, "¿ Qué son la Navidad y el Día de Reyes?" Accompanies Lesson 30 in Sonrisas Level I. (8 x 10)

This fun tale is full of movement, song, and dance in the Indian jungle. Read fun words such as: ¡Mécete!, ¡Deslízate!, y ¡Retumba! The illustrations are colorful and chock-full of jungle animals. Can be used to teach jungle animals, Spanish commands, and colors. We use it in Lesson 16 of Sonrisas Level II to teach the prepositional phrases por aquí y por allá. (10 x 9.5)

This is a version of the traditional Latin American poem Los esqueletos—Cuando el reloj marca la una, los esqueletos salen de la tumba. ¡Chumba la cachumba la cachumbambá! As the hours on the clock increase, the skeletons perform different actions such as singing, launching a rocket, and playing brass instruments. This book is a wonderful addition to any Spanish lesson on Halloween, or it can be used to teach how to say the twelve hours in Spanish. Accompanies Lesson 9 in Sonrisas Level II. (8.5 x 6)

This book is too much fun! Chato, the low-riding cat from East L.A., invites his new neighbors, the mouse family, over for dinner with not-so-good intentions. He and his friend, Novio Boy, spend all day preparing traditional Mexican food in Chato's kitchen. Little do they know the surprise that awaits them when the mouse family arrives. This version of the book is in English, interspersed with Spanish words and phrases. It is a great source for teaching about Mexican food and Mexican American culture. Accompanies Lesson 18 of Sonrisas Level II. (8 x 10)

Cuando estoy feliz, sonrío. This fun board book takes the reader through a range of emotions—feliz, triste, cansado, enfadado, aburrido, y más with pictures and text showing how children react when they feel this way. Great for teaching emotions and ¿Cómo está? Accompanies Lesson 2 of Sonrisas Level I. (5.5 x 7)

We use this book in Lesson 7 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum, and it is an excellent source for information about the history, culture, and people of Cuba. A combination of historical images and real-life photographs give children an accurate feel for Cuban life. This book is in English. (7 x 8.25)

Children love this story, and your "challenging" students will really appreciate it. David can't seem to stay out of trouble at school as he does one thing after the other that he is not supposed to do. This book is great for teaching vocabulary related to school and Spanish commands—especially as they relate to school rules. Accompanies Lesson 2 of Sonrisas Level II. (8.25 x 11)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. Eric Carle's paint and collage illustrations never fail to capture children's imaginations. This kinetically engaging story repeatedly asks the question, "¿Puedes hacerlo tú también?" with the answer ¡Claro que sí! on every page. We use this book in Lesson 10 of Sonrisas Level II to teach the phrase Yo soy. It is also effective for teaching body parts, the phrase Claro que sí, and fun action words such as giro, saludo, arqueo, y muevo. (9 x 12)

Accompany this intrepid explorer as she dicovers different animals and landscapes of the world, and returns home, safe and sound. The vibrant illustrations guide you through all the action in this book—with roaring lions, splashing whales, howling wolves, and more! You could use this book to teach the adverbs cuando and mientras. It would also be a great book to introduce the imperfect tense with vocabulary such as parecía, venía, flotaba, subía, nadaba, iba, y patinaba. Accompanies Lesson 19 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

Kids love this book about Momma dog looking for her puppy, Spot. Readers get to check under the pop-up flaps in the book to see if Spot is there, and there is a fun surprise at the end of the book. Great for teaching prepositions, animals, and the question "¿Dónde está Spot?". Accompanies Lesson 14 of Sonrisas Level I. (7.75 x 7.75)

Set in Spain, this book tells the tale of Ferdinand, a young bull who would rather sit quietly in his field and smell the flowers than fight in the stadium in Madrid. Full of beautiful and detailed black and white drawings, this book gives children a great feel for the Spanish countryside and the costumes and ritual surrounding bullfights. Accompanies Lesson 6 of the Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (7 x 9)

We really like how the real-life photographs in this book effectively convey the images and traditions surrounding el Día de los Muertos. With factual and informative text (in English), this book will help your students understand the relationship between the practices, products and perspectives of Mexican culture. Accompanies Lesson 29 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 3 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (5.75 x 7)

This bilingual book tells the traditional Cuban folktale of the bossy rooster. Full of colorful characters like pink flamingos, toucans, and parakeets the tale instantly transports kids to Little Havana, the heart of Miami's Cuban community. Act out the story as a play with your class or use it to teach about Cuban culture and folklore. Accompanies Lesson 7 of the Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (8 x 11)

A story about a greedy parrot who goes around stealing all the other jungle animals' fruit until he loses it all. But the kind animals forgive him and tell him that he can share the food with them—as long as he dances a little tango for them first! Children love the brilliantly-colored jungle illustrations in this book. It can be acted out as a play as we do in Lesson 22 of Sonrisas Level II, or it can be used to teach jungle animals, fruit, colors, and animal body parts. Accompanies Lesson 9 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum as well. (10 x 9.5)

A Spanish version of the song "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands", this story fosters environmental awareness. The illustrations are whimsical and fun, and the book comes with a CD that contains a song of the text sung by Javier Mendoza. Use El mundo to teach geographical features, animals, or tiene. We use it in Lesson 21 of Sonrisas Level II to teach the plural possessive adjectives mis, tus, sus, y nuestras. (10 x 9.5)

This book is a fun journey through the weather, traditions, food, and clothing of autumn. Use it to teach any of these themes as well as the general theme of seasons. The book also includes a recipe for making a fruit compote and directions for making a paper airplane and a paper-cup bat. Accompanies Lesson 8 of Sonrisas Level I. (9.5 x 8.5)

Azure skies, fluffy white clouds, colorful cactus blossoms, a valley fenced in by jagged mountains, furry mice, and delicate ladybugs: The sun-washed beauty of life in the Sonoran Desert is captured in this gentle story that reads like a poem. Soft watercolors and simple words describe a family, whose lives are interwoven with the environment, and the home they fashion from the earth. Use this book to reinforce lessons about la casa or the desert. Accompanies Lesson 20 of Sonrisas Level II. (9 x 8)

If you do not have this book, get it now! Froggy wakes up from his winter hibernation and wants to play in the snow. When Froggy finally gets all dressed for the snow, his mother reminds him that he has forgotten one very important article of clothing—his underwear! Kids love the punch line and will never forget the words ropa interior. A great book for teaching clothing. Accompanies Lesson 11 of Sonrisas Level I. (10.25 x 8.5)

A classic story, first published in 1956, Harry, el perrito sucio tells the story of Harry, a white dog with black spots, who runs away from home and has some fun getting dirty until he is a black dog with white spots. Upon returning home, Harry has a hard time convincing his family that he is Harry until he tricks them into giving him a bath, and they discover his true identity. Use this book to teach the opposites clean and dirty as in Lesson 18 of Sonrisas Level I. In Lesson 24 of Sonrisas Level II, we have adapted this book into a fun play for Spanish students. (10 x 8.75)

See the different roles the members of Oso's family take as they prepare for a birthday party for the baby. Stella Blackstone's stories and Debbie Harter's illustrations are always a sure bet to engage children. This is a great book for teaching family as we do in Lesson 12 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 11 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

Eric Carle's classic tale of counting, food, days of the week, and metamorphasis. Carle's unique paint and collage illustrations always capture childrens' imagination. We use this book to teach days of the week in Lesson 6 of Sonrisas Level I and then again in Lesson 23 to teach tengo hambre. (7 x 5)

Mamá Coneja's eight little bunnies decide to help her with her Easter egg decorations by collecting different-colored eggs from different birds. This delightful Easter tale can be used to teach colors, birds, as well as Easter. Accompanies Lesson 34 of Sonrisas Level I. (8 x 10)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. You will not find a better book for comparing and contrasting Spanish and English animal sounds. This book tells the tale of a cow who is shunned by the other farm animals because she only knows how to say oink. When she meets up with a pig that says moo, they help each other out and learn a valuable lesson in the process. Use this book to teach farm animals, animal sounds, and the verb decir. Accompanies Lesson 6 of Sonrisas Level II and Lesson 8 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (10 x 8)

Read how the little old woman walks through the forest and is followed by haunted clothing and a jack-o-latern. But she's not scared! In fact, she has a good idea for the haunted items which is revealed at the end of the book. Great for teaching clothing, the concept of tener miedo, and halloween. Accompanies Lesson 28 of Sonrisas Level I. (10 x 8)

Everybody loves Clifford the big red dog! Follow him in this book as his good intentions to do good deeds for others go awry. We use this book in Lesson 17 of Sonrisas Level I to teach the opposites bueno y malo. (8 x 8)

In this charming, traditional rhyme a mother duck has to set out to find her ducklings after they go for a walk and disappear one by one. The cuacs that count down from five and the numbers vocabulary in the book make it very effective for numbers and counting in Spanish. Accompanies Lesson 8 in Sonrisas Level II where we use it to teach simple addition and subtraction. (9.25 x 8.5)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. A fun and lively bilingual book about friendship and the value of being bilingual. Two girls learn each other's language and end up friends after meeting and playing in the park. This is a great book for introducing children to Spanish. You can use it to teach many simple introductory Spanish phrases such as hola y adiós, me llamo, mucho gusto, me gusta, and amigas. Accompanies Lesson 1 of Sonrisas I. (9 x 8.5)

This book (in English) is full of valuable information for kids about the history, geography, and culture of our neighbor Mexico. The table of contents includes: Let's Go to Mexico, A Neighbor Nation, From the Past to the Present, Art at the Heart of Mexcio, Fiestas and Food, and Life in Mexico. Accompanies Lesson 2 of the Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (7 x 8.5)

Butterflies playing accordions, lightning bugs playing trumpets, and grasshoppers playing the marimba are just some of the characters you will find in this fun counting book. Debbie Harter's illustrations are always colorful and engaging. Use this book to teach numbers, counting, insects, and instruments. Includes an informative glossary section with information about all of the instruments and insects in the book. Can accompany Lesson 4 of Sonrisas Level I or Lesson 8 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

Veo, oigo, huelo, saboreo, y toco. The simple text and age-appropriate illustrations make this book very effective for teaching the five senses. Accompanies Lesson 17 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 8)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. Christopher Corr's vibrant, colorful pictures draw children into this adventure from the beaches to the pyramides to the plazas of Mexico. The illustrations are really what drew us to this book. They give you a starting point for lots of fun discussion about Mexico. Accompanies Lesson 27 on El Dieciséis de Septiembre of Sonrisas Level I. (10 x 9.5)

Kids love Oso! Stella Blackstone and Debbie Harter team up to create this lovable character. The clear and focused text along with the colorful, captivating illustrations make teaching the themes in these books easy! Use this book to teach weather as we do in Lesson 9 of Sonrisas Level I. (10 x 9.5)

Kids love Oso! Stella Blackstone and Debbie Harter team up to create this lovable character. The clear and focused text along with the colorful, captivating illustrations make teaching the themes in these books easy! Use this book to teach different modes of transportation as we do in Lesson 3 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

Kids love Oso! Stella Blackstone and Debbie Harter team up to create this lovable character. The clear and focused text along with the colorful, captivating illustrations make teaching the themes in these books easy! Use this book to teach all things related to the theme of la casa. Accompanies Lesson 20 of Sonrisas Level I. (10 x 9.5)

Kids love Oso! Stella Blackstone and Debbie Harter team up to create this lovable character. The clear and focused text along with the colorful, captivating illustrations make teaching the themes in these books easy! Use this book to teach shapes as we do in Lesson 5 of Sonrisas Level I. (10 x 9.5)

A long-time classic book for children with Eric Carle's unique painting and collage illustrations. This simple yet wonderful tale can be used to teach colors or animals—we also use it to teach Yo veo and the difference between tú y usted in Lesson 24 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 5 of Level II respectively. (8.25 x 10.25)

Children love seeing the pictures and hearing the sounds of desert animals as they read this rhythmic, lyrical chant. Bright and decorative geometrical drawings and predictable, repetitive text draw them into the atmosphere of the desert. This book is bilingual. We use it to teach Escucha in Lesson 22 of Sonrisas Level I. (9 x 8)

This classic story from 1973 follows Big Dog and Little Dog through their exciting, happy lives until they have a slight problem with the size of their beds at a hotel. A little bird friend helps them resolve their problem easily. Great for teaching opposites, colors, and buenas noches. This book is bilingual. Accompanies Lesson 16 of Sonrisas Level I. (8 x 8)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. A delightful book for young readers that tells the tale of three playful mice that find three jars of paint and discover what happens when you mix yellow, blue, and red paint together. An obvious choice for a lesson on colors. Can be used with Lesson 3 of Sonrisas Level I. (4.75 x 4.25)

¿Quién es la bestia? ¿Me puedes decir? No veo a la bestia. Sólo me veo a mí. A tiger discovers that we all have more in common than we have differences. Lush illustrations draw children into the jungle setting of the book. We use this book to teach tengo, tienes, and tiene in Lesson 15 of Sonrisas Level II. (11 x 8.5) This book is currently out of print and not available for sale.

Monkey is hungry, but he can't find his banana. Some fearsome jungle creatures offer him tasty alternatives, but monkey isn't convinced of their genorosity. This bilingual book with simple text and appealing illustrations can be used to teach fruit, animals, contento/triste, and the phrase yo quiero. The book also includes helpful notes for parents and teachers, a picture dictionary with the key words, and a guide to pronouncing the Spanish. Accompanies Lesson 26 of Sonrisas Level I. (7.25 x 9)

Salí de paseo. ¿Qué fue lo que viste? Esto es lo que vi. Vi a un gato negro mirándome a mí. A young boy goes for a walk, and on each page he discovers a new animal of a different color. This book is simply beautiful with soft watercolor illustrations and repetitive text. Use it to teach colors, animals, past tense of ir, or past tense of ver. Accompanies Lesson 3 of Sonrisas Level I. (10.5 x 10)

With bold, colorful illustrations by Byron Barton, this book will not fail to delight children. See if frog can escape the basket put over him by the kids who picked up the net that wrapped around the turtle, that slid into the pond and ate the snake, that dropped from a branch and swallowed the fish, that swam after the frog that was under the fly that climbed out of the water. The fun, repetetive text makes this an engaging tale. Accompanies Lesson 21 of Sonrisas Level I. (9.5 x 8)

This is the classic story of a traveling salesman, some monkeys, and their mischief. First published in the 1940's, this book has withstood the test of time as a humorous and captivating tale for children. With a Spanish translation by Teresa Mlawer, you can use this book to teach many different Spanish themes to children including: se venden, colores, la siesta, derecha/izquierda, plural commands, and as we do in Lesson 7 of Sonrisas Level II, the adverbs primero, luego, y por último. (8 x 10)

Elephant and giraffe don't like how they are. One would like to be taller, the other shorter. One would like bigger ears, the other smaller ones. Kids will laugh as elephant and giraffe exchange body parts until they finally realize they like each other as they are. Use this book to teach body parts, opposites, quiero, and me gusta/no me gusta. This bilingual book includes helpful notes for parents and teachers, a picture dictionary with the key words, and a guide to pronouncing the Spanish. Accompanies Lesson 10 of Sonrisas Level I. (7 x 9)

Spot is back, and this time he is going to school! Follow Spot through his school day, and on each page there is a pop-up surprise. This book can be used to introduce simple school day themes. We use it in Lesson 1 of Sonrisas Level II to teach ¿Cómo se llama él/ella? (8 x 8)

This wonderful story, with Tomie dePaola's glorious paintings, captures the spirit and beauty of this southwestern Christmas tradition. Christmas Eve in Santa Fe is celebrated by the traditional procession Las Posadas. Sister Angie arranges for the people of a nearby mountain village to re-enact Mary and Joseph's search for shelter the night baby Jesus was born. The whole village has been practicing for weeks. Everything is going to be perfect. But when Sister Angie becomes sick and the couple who are playing Mary and Joseph get stuck in a snowstorm, only a miracle will save Las posadas. Accompanies Lesson 32 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 4 of Sonrisas Cultural Curriculum. (8.5 x 11)

To read an in-depth review of this book Click here. If you are teaching the months or the seasons, this is the book for you! The text takes you through each month and the corresponding seasons. The pictures are chock-full of images that reflect each month with the vocabulary for the images at the bottom of each page so students can search for them. At the back of the book, all in Spanish, you will find information on the history of the names of months, why the seasons change, the history of calendars, and comparisons of the names of the days of the week in six different languages. Accompanies Lesson 7 of Sonrisas Level I and Lesson 4 of Sonrisas Level II. (10 x 9.5)

This fun little boardbook will introduce children to various tasks that they can be proud of accomplishing such as: Yo puedo abotonarme la chaqueta, Yo puedo lavarme los dientes, y Yo puedo poner la mesa. This is a bilingual book. We use it to teach the concept Yo puedo in Lesson 25 of Sonrisas Level I. (4.75 x 6)