Hispanic Cultural Children's Books I Love Author and illustrator Leo Politi's vibrant books have been favorites of mine all my life. Celebrate the joys of Mexican and Mexican-American culture with your children when you share these award-winning books with them. I first fell in love with Leo Politi's children's books as a kindergartner when I checked out Angelo, the Naughty One from the school library. The stunning illustrations of a picturesque Mexican village with its red roofs, fountains, and greenery, peopled by adventurous children and loving adults charmed me from the first. In this story, little Angelo refuses to take a bath until he learns an important lesson about taking pride in his appearance. This book is currently out of print, and the used copies you can buy here are truly treasures to be shared with your children.

Leo Politi: Artist Of The Angels A biography of the artist.

Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi Song of the Swallows tells the lovely story of a little boy named Juan who lives in San Juan Capistrano in California. Juan learns from an elderly man at the nearby mission about the yearly visit the beautiful swallows make to the area. Juan longs for the return of the birds, and plants a small garden at his home to welcome them. On St. Joseph's Day, Juan's dreams come true when a pair of swallows come to nest in his garden. The glorious, gentle illustrations of this Leo Politi book capture a special feeling about Mexican-American culture and life.

Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street Olvera Street is the oldest part of the city of Los Angeles, and contains many historic buildings around a traditional plaza with a fountain. When Leo Politi wrote Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street, he dedicated the story to the children of Olvera Street, and reading this Caldecott Medal-winning book takes you into an idyllic world where children play an important role in local culture. The story revolves around a little boy with a beautiful voice who gets to lead the Christmastime procession called La Posada. Wonderful detail is given about traditional songs and holiday past times like breaking the pinata. Little Pedro gets his wish of receiving a beautiful music box. The illustrations in this book capture the vibrant atmosphere of Olvera Street, which remains a hub of Mexican-American culture to this day.

You and your children will also love these other books by Leo Politi:

Juanita is the story of a little girl who takes her dove to the Blessing of the Animals ceremony, which is held before Easter on Olvera Street. The soft, colorful illustrations of this book make for wonderful bedtime story reading.

Rosa offers a further celebration of Mexican heritage. This is an extremely rare book, and my link will take you to a list of used copies you can purchase through Amazon.com.

Three Stalks of Corn is one of my all-time favorite Leo Politi books. This book will teach your children about the essential role corn has played in the history of the Mexican people, and the fascinating mythical roots behind the creation of the corn plant. A little girl and her grandmother, her abuelita, attend a village festival and eat mouthwatering homemade tortillas and hot chocolate. This endearing story will be one your children want to read again and again.

As adults, it is our privilege and duty to help our children to develop a strong appreciation for cultural diversity. Leo Politi spent his life (1908-1996) creating heartwarming, beautifully illustrated books about children of many cultures. As a child, I loved these books simply for their appealing stories and artwork. But as an adult, I can see how Leo Politi's work helped me to gain a sense of love and respect for people of all lands. I so hope you will take a look at my short list of books, and consider sharing such a precious gift with the young people in your life.