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Pre-K
Growing Reader

Escuchar! 8 Great Spanish Audiobooks for Kids

by Alex Hernandez

As a young girl, I spent many summer vacation afternoons with my Abuela, my mother’s mom, in The Bronx, New York. My Abuela cared for me on long, hot days while my parents worked in the city. While she helped my family with our daily home life, I sat quietly with my favorite books if it was too muggy or rainy to go outside to play. I didn’t know how to read yet, and since my Abuela didn’t know how to read much in English, the earliest version of audiobooks became my companions.

I remember pressing ‘play’ on my tiny cassette player, and with each little chime, I knew when to turn the page! Abuela sat with me and admired the beautiful illustrations while we listened. There’s no doubt that these audiobooks helped me learn how to read, even if my Abuela couldn’t read to me from those children’s stories.

Thankfully, more fantastic children’s stories are being published as audiobooks today, and not just in English. Bilingual audiobooks can teach children (and parents or caretakers!) basic Spanish-language skills, or vice versa. For me and many Latino families, publishing audiobooks in English and Spanish can bring generations together through beloved literature and new voices. I hope some of these audiobooks can do that for you and your little listeners!