Spanish Kids’ Books About Tolerance and Diversity
What we need in the world is a whole lot of understanding, a willingness to listen, and a diverse, tolerant, and robust community. My heart is hurting with how often history has repeated rampant acts of racism and discrimination. It’s not OK. And it was never OK. Recent protests are bringing racism, whether overt or systemic, to the forefront.
And while we tend to shield our kids from the worst of society, this is one area where we need to educate our kids in an age-appropriate way. Whether they themselves are children of color or not, and whether they’ve been victims of discriminatory or racist behavior or not.
I’ve put together a list of Spanish kids’ books about tolerance and diversity in the hope that we can keep the conversation going. Even in Spanish. And even to our youngest language learners.
The books below speak to the lives and struggles of young kids who are black, afro-Latino, Muslim, Hispanic, children with disabilities, children of immigrants, and everyone in between. They all offer valuable lessons wrapped in a kid-friendly, easily understandable package.
May you and your littles listen, talk, reflect, and grow . . .
Spanish Kids Books about Tolerance and Diversity
This following list contains affiliate links.
¡Solo pregunta!
by Sonia Sotomayor
illustrated by Rafael López
Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, writes a story about a group of friends, each with their own disability, who use their strengths to plant a beautiful, diverse, and vibrant garden. The story shows readers when to ask, when to listen, and when to stay silent when getting to know someone that’s different.
I’ve put this title first on my list of Spanish kids’ books about tolerance and diversity because it promotes both of those ideals, but mostly because it’s a great conversation starter. Sotomayor asks readers an important question on each page that will get young ones geared up to ask, answer, listen, and reflect.
Also available in English as Just Ask!
Pelo Bueno
by Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro
Puerto Rican author and activist, Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro writes a heartwarming story of a young girl and her grandmother Petronila.
The relationship between the two is endearing and the grandmother has just the right words of wisdom to turn the idea of ‘bad hair’ on its head.
Pelo bueno, along with my next pick below (also by the same author), are great reads to promote self-love while also fighting against discriminatory beauty standards.
Mejorar la raza
by Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro
Another poignant conversation between Abuela Petronila and her granddaughter, who comes home from school disheartened and ashamed that her group of friends excluded a classmate because of the color of her skin. Both grandmother and granddaughter reflect on the phrase ‘mejorar la raza‘ and the discrimination against those with darker skin tones.
This is an important read that speaks out against the idea that certain shades of blackness are better than others.
I’ve included these two titles by Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro, but she has a great deal more. Keep her in mind for your next read-aloud.
Separate but Never Equal
by Duncan Tonatiuh
This award-winning book written by Mexican author, Duncan Tonatiuh, is the true story of Sylvia Mendez and her family. They fought to end school segregation in California in the 1940’s -a decade before the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case that ended school segregation across the nation.
The story is well-written and heartbreakingly honest about the realities of, and excuses for, segregation.
Separate is Never Equal is available in both English and Spanish. I’ve listed the English version here because of its inclusion of Spanish phrases throughout the book.
Mariama: Diferente pero igual
by Jerónimo Cornelles
illustrated by Nívola Uyá
Young Mariama and her family move to a faraway country that’s just. so. different. And while it takes her some getting used to, Miriam discovers that maybe her new classmates are more similar than she thought.
What I love about this book is how much Mariama and her classmates learn from each other and respect both cultures. Which in turn allows Mariama to thrive in both worlds.
This is a great book to teach how every culture, no matter how different from your own, should be cherished and valued.
Available in English as Mariama: Different but the Same.
El Día En Que Descubres Quién Eres
by Jacqueline Woodson
illustrated by Rafael Lopez
Jacqueline Woodson crafts a story about the moments in life when we feel like we don’t fit in. The only way to overcome it is to find your voice, tell your story, and be you.
This is a beautiful book that makes it easy to put yourself in someone else’s shoes (for a few pages). It is a perfect feel-good Spanish kids’ book about tolerance and diversity as it promotes the idea that kids should be proud of their story and the ability to discover just who they are.
Also available in English as The Day You Begin.
Leila
by Míriam Hatibi
illustrated by Màriam Ben-Arab Canela
The daughter of Morrocan immigrants, Spanish author Miriam Hatibi tells a similar story of newcomer, Leila.
After moving with her family to a new country, it’s her classmates, especially her friend Héctor, who have little trouble seeing past the cultural stereotypes and differences of their parents.
A good read to discuss immigration, stereotyping, and discrimination.
¿De dónde eres?
by Yamile Saied Méndez
illustrated by Jaime Kim
Written by Argentinian author Yamile Saied Méndez, ¿De dónde eres? answers the question many people of color face: But where are you really from? A grandfather’s lyrical and heartfelt answer is just what young readers need to hear.
¿De dónde eres? is a fantastic book to discuss if you can tell where someone is from by how they look. And if it’s fair that some people (based on their skin color) are asked where they are from, instead of assuming that they are from the country they live in.
¡Al Furgón!
by Henri Meunier
illustrated by Nathalie Choux
A short read about a white police officer who demands ID from anyone (and anything) that looks different from him.
¡Al Furgón! is a quick (and sometimes) bizarre story as a young boy watches who the police officer rounds up and sends to the van.
This is a simple story with very little text that can be used to discuss complex issues like white privilege and racial profiling.
Colores que se aman
by Paco Abril
illustrated by Anne Decis
Written by Spanish author, Paco Abril, Colores que se aman is about a young, mixed-race boy who feels the love of his family within his home, while racially-charged hate grows outside of it.
Beautifully written and an important take on the perspective of young kids living through times of racial turmoil.
El extranjero
by Berta Piñán
illustrated by Antonia Santolaya Ruiz-Clavijo
Spanish author, Berta Piñán, details the life of a young girl adopted from a different country, and how the strong bond she has with her mother helps her come to accept and celebrate the idea that being different isn’t all that bad.
Deals with adoption, mother-daughter relationships, and xenophobia.
La Jirafa Timotea
by Begoña Ibarrola
Timotea the giraffe looks down on the other animals in the savannah. They’re too short, or too fat, or have too many stripes. She acts like she’s better than everyone. Until one day she realizes how much she needs a diverse group of friends. And that being different isn’t wrong, it’s something to be proud of.
Speaks about the need for diversity -and helps to fight against the idea that ‘different’ equals ‘wrong.’
If you’re looking for more books on emotional intelligence, author Begoña Ibarrola, has several more titles in this series.
Pequeños Grandes Gestos
By Francisco Llorca, Elena Hormiga, Eugenia Ábalos
This series of books by Spanish author, Francisco Llorca, recounts real-life events in bite-sized chunks for kids.
Two books in the series to focus on are Pequeños Grandes Gestos contra la Discriminación and Pequeños Grandes Gestos por la Tolerancia.
¡Pelo Malo No Existe!
by Sulma Arzu-Brown
illustrated by Isidra Sabio
A bilingual read from Honduras-born, Sulma Arzu-Brown, to throw the term ‘bad hair’ out the window.
The repetitive text makes the message sound like a constant positive affirmation -perfect for any age group.
And the illustrations of women and girls in positions of power are inspiring.
Pequeño & Grande
by María Isabel Sánchez Vegara
illustrated by May Ly Degnan, Albert Arrayàs, Brosmind
Read up on Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr., and Gandhi in this series of books that bring real-life famous heroes to life for kids.
Also available in English as Little People, BIG DREAMS.
Te quiero tal y como eres
by Grete Garrido
A group of colorful monsters and how they love each other for exactly who they are.
Te quiero tal y como eres is a perfect choice for talking about tolerance, acceptance, and diversity.
The author does a fantastic job of celebrating each monsters’ strengths, instead of focusing on their differences.
El cazo de Lorenzo
By Isabel Carrier
Lorenzo finds life extra-difficult to navigate with a pot tied to his leg. But his Mom teaches him how to overcome it. This book is about how much harder life is when living with a disability.
El cazo de Lorenzo is a fantastic conversation starter about acceptance, and how we don’t all start at the same place.
I would even venture to say that the theme can be tweaked to discuss white privilege and the extra burden that people of color face when living their daily lives.
There is a moment when Lorenzo manages to climb a ladder, pot in tow, while a friend easily navigates the same hurdle without the extra obstacle. It’s a poignant image to reflect on.
Los colores de Mateo
by Marisa López Soria
illustrated by Katarzyna Rogowicz
Marisa López Soria tells the story of Mateo, who gets in a fight at school after being called ‘negro‘.
I do have a few issues with this book, but there are too many people who get called names, based on the color of their skin, on a daily basis. I like that this book tackles that issue straight on. The story serves as a helpful tool to discuss how our words can hurt others, especially within the scope of race.
Feel free to share any other Spanish kids’ books about tolerance and diversity that you’ve found helpful. You can also check out my interview with author and fellow teacher, Miriam Shumba, and her take on the need for diversity in kids’ books.
