Books in Spanish
For Independent Reading
VERY EASY
- Papas el martes (Potatoes on Tuesday)
- by Dee Lillegard
Harper Arco Iris
A family of raccoons harvest a different vegetable each day until they have enough to make a stew.
- El conuco de Tío Conejo (Uncle Rabbit's Vegetable Garden)
- by Arturo Uslar Pitri
When Uncle Rabbit sells his land to other larger animals, he still manages to keep his vegetable garden.
- A sembrar sopa de vegetales (Growing Vegetable Soup)
- by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt Libros Viajeros
A father and child plant a garden and later make vegetable soup from the harvest.
- El libro de las palomitas de maíz (The Popcorn Book)
- by Tomie de Paola
(Science/Health)
Holiday
This brief history of popcorn also contains recipes and Native American legends.
- Contento Juan (Happy John)
- by Sharon Peters
After a few accidents on the job, a waiter decides it's time for a career change.
EASY
- Tamales de elote/Green Corn Tamales
- by Gina Rodríguez
A Hispanic American family gathers every year at their nana's to make tamales. Text in English and Spanish.
- Puedo ser cocinero (I Can Be a Chef)
- by Ann Tomchek
(Social Studies)
Childrens
An informative, step-by-step description of a chef's day.
- Santino el pastelero (Santino, the Pastry Chef)
- by Asun Balzola
Santino opens a pastry shop where he specializes in fruit tarts. Recipes included.
- Sopa de piedras (Stone Soup)
- by Marcia Brown
Clever soldiers find a way to make a meal when selfish villagers hide their food.
- Voy a cocinar/I Am Going to Cook
- by Maite Lasa
Easy recipes for children, emphasizing simple American dishes. Text in English and Spanish.
AVERAGE
- El niño cocinero latinoamericano (Latin American Cookbook for Children)
- Ekaré
Recipes with easy-to-follow instructions from Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
- Carlos y la milpa de maíz/Carlos and the Cornfield
- by Jan Romero Stevens
Northland
A sequel to Carlos and the Squash Plant, this is the story of what happens whe Carlos is too hasty when planting the cornfield. Text in English and Spanish.
- El gusto del mercado mexicano (A Taste of the Mexican Market)
- by Nancy María Grande Tabor
(Social Studies)
Charlesbridge
Braids of garlic, bunches of bananas, baskets of cherries, and mounds of melons and other delicious foods are available in this Mexican market.
- Caramelos de menta (Mint Candies)
- by Carmen Vázquez-Vigo
Pepito and his friends need to raise money to repair the awning of Don Juaquín's store.
- El autobús mágico dentro de un pastel (The Magic School Bus® Gets Baked in a Cake: A Book About Kitchen Chemistry)
- by Joanna Cole
Scholastic
On Ms. Frizzle's birthday, this popular teacher and her class pay an unusual visit to a bakery.
CHALLENGING
- Alimentos (Food)
- by Terry Jennings
(Science/Health)
Discusses various kinds of foods and offers simple experiments students can perform.
- La montaña del alimento/The Legend of Food Mountain
- by Harriet Rohmer
Children's Book Press
An Aztec legend about how an ant helped Quetzalcoatl bring corn to the earth. Text in English and Spanish.
For Teacher Read Aloud
- Los pájaros de la cosecha/The Harvest Birds
- by Blanca López de Mariscal
Children's Book Press
A man who dreams of having his own land to harvest gets help from his friends the harvest birds. Text in English and Spanish.
Books in English
(English Language Development)
For Shared or Independent Reading
VERY EASY
- This Is the Way We Eat Our Lunch: A Book About Children Around the World
- by Edith Baer
(Multicultural)
Scholastic
Using rhymed couplets, the author takes the reader on a tour of the world to see what other kids eat for lunch. Map included.
- Eating the Alphabet: Fruits and Vegetables from A to Z
- by Lois Ehlert
Harcourt
Different fruits and vegetables are pictured for each letter of the alphabet.
EASY
- Oliver's Vegetables
- by Vivian French
Orchard
Oliver, who claims he can eat only french fries, learns to like vegetables while visiting his grandfather, who has a large garden.
- Who Put the Pepper in the Pot?
- by Joanna Cole
When Aunt Tootie comes to dinner, everyone secretly spices up the stew.
- A Chef
- by Douglas Florian
Greenwillow
An informative, step-by-step description of a chef's day.
- Mel's Diner
- by Marissa Moss
(Multicultural)
BridgeWater
A little girl who loves helping out in her parents' diner wants to have her own diner someday.
AVERAGE/CHALLENGING
- Hot to Make an Apple Pie and See the World
- by Marjorie Priceman
(Multicultural)
Knopf
A closed market doesn't stop a girl determined to find the ingredients for an apple pie.
- Everybody Bakes Bread
- by Norah Dooley
Carolrhoda
Carrie searches the neighborhood for a three-handled rolling pin and finds her neighbors baking breads from various countries.
- The Edible Pyramid: Good Eating Every Day
- by Loreen Leedy
(Science/Health)
Holiday
Learn the right things to eat at a restaurant called The Edible Pyramid.
- Sunday Potatoes, Monday Potatoes
- by Vicky Schiefman
Simon
Plain old potatoes every day and then on Sunday--potato pudding! Recipe included.
- Dumpling Soup
- by Jama Kim Rattigan
(Multicultural)
Little
Every New Year's Eve, Marisa's family gathers at Grandma's for dumpling soup.
For Teacher Read Aloud
- The Pizza Mystery
- by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Witham
In this Boxcar Children mystery, someone is trying to put Piccolo's Pizzeria out of business.
- What's Cooking, Jenny Archer?
- by Ellen Conford
Little
Jenny whips up trouble whe she starts a catering business.