Most Popular Books by Susan Middleton Elya

When she and her family move from Mexico to the United States, eight-year-old Ana helps her mother adjust to the new situation by encouraging her to learn English.

Rhyming text describes a trip to the grocery store for a mama and her baby boy.

Key terms in Spanish tell about the circus to give a beginning lesson in the Spanish language.

A smart, snappy, retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, with Spanish sprinkled throughout Winner of a Pura Belpre Honor for Illustration While Roja picks flowers on the way to her grandma''s, a mean wolf sneaks away with her cape to surprise Abuelita. But Grandma''s no fool and Roja''s no ordinary chica. They send that hungry lobo packing with a caliente surprise! This spirited retelling of Little Red Riding Hood has accessible Spanish rhymes and fresh illustrations, with hip cultural details throughout.

Humor abounds in this masterfully-bilingual twist on "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" that dares to ask the question: why is that troll so grumpy anyway? Three little cabritos have a clever plan to get past the grumpiest troll in the land. But then one of the billy goats wonders: Why is that gigante so grumpy, anyway? This thoughtful question sends their plan in a new direction, and the results are better than they ever imagined. Dashes of humor, empathy, and kindness make this modern twist on a classic tale a charming delight.

A quick-reading Spanish lesson that will enhance your Spanish vocabulary.

From Susan Elya and #1 NYT bestselling and Caldecott-winning illustrator Dan Santat comes a spirited, fast-paced picture book that captures the excitement and importance of firefighters'' jobs. At the station, sirens sound. Corazones start to pound. "House fire!" says el capitán. "¡Fuego! Get your helmets on!" So begins a rollicking race to save a burning casa from the roaring flames, and these bomberos are up to the task, with hoses ready and sirens blaring. Susan Elya''s melodic, bilingual verse pairs beautifully with bestseller Dan Santat''s bold illustrations, telling an action-packed story of firefighters and the dangers they overcome.

A girl hopes her tooth will fall out so that she can have money to buy her father a birthday present. Includes index of Spanish words and phrases used in text.

In this rhyming celebration of playtime, bilingual Maya Papaya welcomes all four seasons with a flair for dress-up and an inclusion of Spanish words in an English narrative. Strong writing, a spunky protagonist, and themes of playtime and the changing seasons lead to a celebration as Maya Papaya plays dress-up and speaks to her toys in English and Spanish, going on adventures and making the most of their time together. Expert author Susan Middleton Elya is a former Spanish teacher and known for her prolific, award-winning bilingual books for children.

The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming retelling with Spanish sprinkled throughout, winner of the Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration. El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn’t agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa, but the prince might just have a sneaky plan, too . . . Readers will be enchanted by this Latino twist on the classic story, and captivated by the vibrant art inspired by the culture of Peru.

Eight animals go to market, to supper, and to dance, introducing the numbers from one to eight and vocabulary in English and Spanish.

A baby and his mother spend a day at the beach. Spanish words, interspersed in the rhyming text, are defined in a glossary.

Bienvenidos! to a celebration of Christmas, Latino-style! From the ngel (angel) hung above the door to the zapatos (shoes) filled with grass for the wise mens camels, each letter in this festive alphabet introduces children toa Spanish word, and each colorful page takes them through another joyous aspect of the 22 days of the traditional holiday. Vibrant art from acclaimed illustrator Joe Cepeda beautifully complements the lively, rhythmic text to bring the reader a wealth of heritageand a season of light! Feliz Navidad!

Eight animal friends play baseball in the park. Includes words in Spanish.

Sophie the toad wishes she were as good looking as her brother, but she discovers that her talent lies in singing. Includes Spanish vocabulary.

Cowboy Jos and his trusty "caballo," Feo, happily spend their days together riding the range. But when Jos is smitten by a pretty "seorita," Jos learns a hard lesson in the true meaning of friendship. Full color.

Louise is a stinkbug whose stench keeps most of the other bugs away. Not her best friend, Tara, though. And, unfortunately, not the biggest bully around-Kiki the cockroach. When Kiki threatens to flatten Louise if she dares to compete against her in the skating contest, Louise''s confidence wavers. Luckily Tara is there to boost her back up. Louise wows the audience and Kiki''s mean-spiritedness lands her on her rump. Cheer for Louise as she wins much more than a contest with her courage and heart.

The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming bilingual retelling. La Reina, the queen, is so picky about princesses that the prince worries he may never get married. But then the most beautiful princesa arrives. Of course, his mother has a test to see if she really is a princess, but the prince is not leaving this one up to fate. After the pea is in place, el principe hides some larger, lumpier items in the bed, ensuring the next morning will go exactly as he wants. Susan Elya cleverly infuses the familiar story with Spanish vocabulary, while Juana Martinez-Neal''s stunning illustrations depict the classic story in a vibrant Peruvian setting.

When she and her family move from Mexico to the United States, eight-year-old Ana helps her mother adjust to the new situation by encouraging her to learn English.

A rhyming book that outlines the preparations for and celebration of a young boy''s birthday, with Spanish words for each letter of the alphabet translated in a glossary.

Buoyant illustrations and a clever mix of Spanish and English words convey the urgency of what inevitably happens after the car pulls away from home. Full color.

"A twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears told in a combination of English and Spanish"--

Even though he has outgrown his tricycle, a boy hides it at his family''s yard sale until just the right smaller child comes along. Includes glossary of Spanish words used.

Rain forest parents come up with a solution when all their children become picky eaters at the same time. Spanish words interspersed in the rhyming text are defined in a glossary.

Presents a humorous introduction to Spanish words through illustrations and rhyming text.

The itsy arañita climbed up the water spout. Down came la lluvia and washed la araña out. Classic Mother Goose rhymes get a Latino twist in this cozy collection. From young Juan Ramón sitting in el rincón to three little gatitos who lost their mitoncitos, readers will be delighted to see familiar characters in vibrant, luminous scenes brimming with fanciful details. La Madre Goose will make a playful multicultural addition to every modern bookshelf.

A brave group of firefighters set off to battle a blaze at a townhouse. Spanish words interspersed in the rhyming text are defined in a glossary.

Presents a humorous introduction to Spanish words through illustrations and rhyming text.

Rhyming text describes a trip to the grocery store for a mama and her baby boy. Includes Spanish words.

When she and her family move from Mexico to the United States, eight-year-old Ana helps her mother adjust to the new situation by encouraging her to learn English.

As soon as she goes out for a drive with her parents, a young girl needs to find a bathroom quickly. Text includes some Spanish words and phrases.

Eight animals add ingredients to make a cake with unexpected results. Includes Spanish words, a glossary, and recipe for pineapple upside-down cake.

Over the course of a year, Nell anticipates each upcoming holiday in order to make the time seem to pass more quickly as she waits for her birthday to come around again.