Esteban de Luna, Baby Rescuer is wonderful book for any child, but is especially appropriate for Spanish learners. Through the endearing story, setting and illustrations children learn Spanish words for daily life, family and home.
Esteban de Luna, Baby Rescuer / Esteban de Luna, ¡rescatador de bebés¡ is a bilingual English-Spanish picture book, and I highly recommend it for all children, not just language learners. Esteban has a cape he loves, but realizes that his cape does not make him a superhero. However, when an opportunity arises, Esteban puts his cape to use, proving himself a clever, caring super hero indeed.
Be sure to visit our Spanish Books for Kids Resource Page for more reviews and activities for favorite books.
Esteban de Luna, Baby Rescuer / Esteban de Luna, ¡rescatador de bebés¡ by Larissa M. Mercado-López, is published by Arte Público Press. Purchase it from Arte Público Press or from Amazon.
The story is built on Spanish words for daily life and a family setting. In addition, the detailed illustrations expand on the text and create windows into Esteban’s world.
These specific features make the story an excellent choice for Spanish learners:
- It is in the present tense.
- The sentences are short, with 1-2 lines of text per page.
- The author tells the story in concrete, relevant vocabulary.
- The illustrations support the text and also provide rich material for additional language learning.
- A consistent layout separates the English and Spanish text on the page, making it easy to read in one language or the other.
- The layout separates the languages, but in each there are a few words that make it clear that Esteban’s family is bilingual. I love this representation in picture books!
Spanish Words for Daily Life: Activities
- Use the illustrations to reinforce vocabulary from themes such as food, weather, family, daily routines and activities, furniture and household items. See the printable activities below.
- Discuss what to do when you find something. Have children discuss, act out or write about what Esteban will do with the doll he finds in the park.
- Discuss super heroes and their powers. What “powers” can we use to make us heroes in our daily lives (being strong, caring, careful, fair, kind, funny, brave, etc.)?
Printable Activities with Spanish Words for Daily Life
Questions with Spanish words for Daily Life: En mi casa
The first activity uses the vocabulary from the story and relates the words to a child’s home and neighborhood. It is an excellent way to reinforce vocabulary from the book.
There are PDFs in Spanish and English. The two versions provide support for parents of language learners, and can also be used with native speakers of either language.
This activity can be done without the book.
Download the Printable Question Activity
Veo, veo with Spanish Words for Daily Life
The second activity is an I Spy activity that takes advantage of the detail in the illustrations in Esteban de Luna, Baby Rescuer / Esteban de Luna, ¡rescatador de bebés¡. The illustrations include many objects children learn to say in Spanish.
There are PDFs in Spanish and English. The two versions provide support for parents of language learners, and can also be used with native speakers of either language.
