At Sol Book Box, we read hundreds of Spanish and bilingual children's books every single year. (Tough job, we know, but somebody has to do it! 😂) Many of them we adore, and you can browse our archives here, but a very select few make it into our monthly boxes to be shared with our community of subscribers. As we kick off a new year (hola, 2023!), we're taking a quick look back at the the libros we truly loved over the last few months. If you need some book box gift ideas, you can't go wrong with any of these! And stay tuned at the end of this post for a teaser on what's to come over the next few weeks...
La Roca de Mila y Carlos
Written & Illustrated by Alessandro Montagnana
Published by NubeOcho, this book features vibrant illustrations in a nautical palette, with seascapes that beautifully capture the characters’ ocean home. This isn’t the first (or last) children’s story about a friendship between animals; but in true NubeOcho fashion, Alessandro Montagana’s take is original and tender.
Copito
Written by Maria Luz Malamud, Illustrated by Luciana Feito
In this winter-themed board book our subscribers flipped for, you'll build a snowman and count to five. A sweet story for the littlest readers.
Los coquíes aún cantan
Written by Karina Nicole González, Illustrated by Krystal Quiles
A stunningly illustrated book about home, community, and hope, inspired by the rebuilding of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in September 2017. 2022 brought another devastating hurricane, Hurricane Fiona, to the island. We are endlessly inspired by our Boricua friends’ resilience and hope as they rebuild, and this book is a beautiful tribute to that.
Arrullo
Written by Maria Baranda, Illustrated by Margarita Sada
A rhythmic and calming bedtime read for parents and little ones, bolstered by soothing yet striking visuals.
¡Ouah!
Written by Sara Nicolás & Óscar Rull, Illustrated by Rafa Antón
Things go wrong the very first day Felipe brings his new dog home: instead of barking like a regular dog, he goes “ouah”! Felipe tries everything to help his dog get it right: demonstrating, making him a nice tea, taking him to the vet. Nothing helps, & the neighbors are starting to complain! ¡Ouah! is all of the things we hope for in a good book: original, fun, and sweet. And as an added bonus, we get a little language lesson at the end.
Be Bold! Be Brave! Chiquitos
Written by Naibe Reynoso, Illustrated by Jone Leal
This bilingual board book edition of Be Bold, Be Brave: 11 Latinas who made U.S. History will introduce your little ones to history-making Latinas like Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, singer Selena, Oscar winner Rita Moreno, and many more!
El fantasma de las bragas rotas
Written by José Carlos Andrés, Illustrated by Gómez
The residents of Villa Maravilla are having a hard time. They’ll just be minding their business when all of a sudden the local ghost will come around and terrify them, yelling “¡Soy el fantasma de las bragas rotas!”. Written and illustrated by the creators of El vampiro peligrozo, this silly, not-so-scary story was a perfect pre-Halloween read for our subscribers, but we love it anytime!
Cosquillas
Written by Martha Riva Palacio Obón, Illustrated by Betania Zacarías
There are countless wonderful libros for winding down at bedtime...but what about stories to help you wake up? This board book favorite from El Naranjo is a warm, charming, tickle-filled intro to the day.
Fearless Trailblazers / Pioneros Audaces
Written by Naibe Reynoso, Illustrated by Jone Leal
This bilingual picture book highlights 11 Latinos who accomplished something that hadn't been done before in their respective fields—including science, sports, the arts and politics.
¡Shhh! Tenemos un plan
Written & Illustrated by Chris Haughton
Spare yet distinctive in style and story, this board book perfectly balances huge kid appeal (expect many repeat readings) with a wry, quirky sensibility parents will love, too.
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If you like these books, you'll LOVE what we've got coming this quarter!
...A warm-hearted introduction to diversity, empathy, and acceptance...
...A delightful story about conquering fears from an internationally-acclaimed author...
...A brand new, kid-friendly biography of one of the most influential Latina performers of our time...
...A soothing exploration of mindfulness, empathy, and what we realize when the world gets quiet. One of our new favorite libros for winter...
And a whole lot more! Not subscribed? Get started today!
