My good friend Sisi — the mastermind behind our Spanish book club — has been hosting a Fourth of July parade for the kids for the past three years. I had never been able to take my kids because of work until this year… and I’m so happy we finally did. The kids had a blast decorating their bikes and wagons and when everyone was ready Sisi turned on the Sousa marches (that reminded me so much of my dad) and they were off!

We normally celebrate July 4th by going to watch the fireworks display in our town, but since the beautiful state of Colorado is burning, they’ve all been pretty much cancelled. So this year we’ll just stay home and read some of the books in Chelsea’s awesome list of Independence Day children’s book recommendations.

I’m glad we joined Sisi and all the other kids in the third annual Fourth of July parade and I hope this is one of those traditions my bicultural kids and I will be doing for many years to come! Gracias, Sisi!

Happy Fourth of July to all!

At the end of a hot summer day (especially the sweltering ones there have been this year!), there is nothing quite like retreating to the air conditioning and curling up with a good story. Nothing could be quite as symbolic of America’s multicultural traditions as reading about them in both English and español! In honor of el cumpleaños of our great country, here is a list of some heartwarming, pride-inducing, and informative bilingual books for Independence Day.

Click on the individual links or see them all in La Tiendita.

Independence Day/Día de la Independencia by Elizabeth J. Scholl — With this book, not only can you reinforce 4th-of-July customs, but enjoy learning about how other people celebrate their nations’ independence days.

Fourth of July/Cuatro de Julio by Sheri Dean — Read (in two languages) about the ways in which the 4th is celebrated and what it means for Americans.

Celebra el Cuatro de Julio con Campeón el Glotón by Alma Flor Ada — A fun, engaging children’s story about a July 4th picnic and the importance of celebrating with family and friends.

Paco, un niño latino en Estados Unidos by Margarita Robleda — A great summer book for elementary readers: the story of a young immigrant that follows with the multicultural pride theme of the Independence Day holiday.

Conoce los Estados Unidos de América by Bobbie Kalman y Niki Walker — This is a coffee-table book that doubles as a reference for school-age children. It includes a bit of history and tidbits about important American landmarks and leaders.

Betsy Ross y la bandera de los Estados Unidos by Kay M. Olson — An interesting history for parents and children alike…the story of how the first American flag was sewn!

Buenas noches, América by Adam Gamble — The perfect, patriotic bedtime story for the littlest Spanish learners. It introduces them to all of America’s greatest cities and national landmarks.

La llegada a los Estados Unidos by Kathleen E. Bradley — A fictional tale about a family arriving in America and feeling what it means to be American and looking forward to the future.