New Day of the Dead Books for Kids

It’s been a long time since I did a roundup of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) books, so here are some wonderful new Day of the Dead books for kids that I have found for you!

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New Day of the Dead Books for Kids

Don’t miss these new Day of the Dead books for kids, from board books to middle grade novels!

La Catrina: Colors/Colores and its companion La Catrina: Numbers/Números are bilingual board books from one of my favorite publishers, Lil’ Libros. (See my earlier reviews of their board books). As with all of their books, the simple English-Spanish text and gorgeous illustrations introduce children to basic concepts, in this case colors and numbers. The theme of the books is Día de los Muertos, so blue/azul is for sugar skulls and orange/anaranjado is for marigolds. A lovely way to introduce young children to early learning concepts, basic Spanish vocabulary, and Latinx culture.

Gustavo the Shy Ghost is a lovely Day of the Dead picture book from Flavia Z. Drago. (Be sure to read my review of the companion book Leila the Perfect Witch). Gustavo is so shy that he often misses out on things and is terrified of making friends. Most of the time, people don’t even know he’s there! Until Gustavo makes the bold move of inviting everyone to his Day of the Dead violin concert at the cemetery. Will his love of music help him overcome his shyness? A sweet story about friendship and learning to take risks.

A new book in Spanish (printed in Mexico), Tío Monarca, focuses on the legend of the monarch butterflies, who always return around the Day of the Dead and are thought to be the returning souls of the dead. A sweet story about how the traditions of Day of the Dead can help ease the pain of loss of a loved one, as a girl struggles to deal with the death of a beloved uncle.

If you love the Boxcar Children series, you won’t want to miss one of their latest installments, The Day of the Dead Mystery! I must admit I haven’t read other books in the series, but it was still easy for me to jump in and enjoy this book. I was impressed with level of detail about the holiday, including small things like knowing that the singular of “tamales” is “tamal,” not “tamale,” as most Americans say. All of these details are woven naturally into the story, as the Boxcar children learn about Dia de los Muertos from their friends. A running theme of the book is the importance for family traditions and respect when learning about new customs. The Day of the Dead festivities are threatened when their new friend discovers her grandmother’s bracelet is missing from their family’s ofrenda (altar). Can they solve the mystery and save the celebration?

Lou Lou and Pea are best friends who are always up for an adventure! When strange things start happening around their beloved El Corazon neighborhood just before Day of the Dead, the two friends decide to investigate. Lou Lou and Pea and the Mural Mystery is a fun middle grade mystery that includes a heavy dose of Spanglish and Latinx culture and a wonderful cast of quirky characters. Includes a Spanish/English glossary, a recipe for pan de muerto, and instructions for making a flower crown. The first book in the series.

Love, Sugar, Magic: A Dash of Trouble is also the first book in a middle grade series. Eleven year old Leo is tired of being told she’s too young to help in the family bakery. But when she sneaks into the bakery one day before the Dia de los Muertos festival, she gets a big surprise – her mom and older sisters are actually brujas (Mexican witches) whose magic makes their baked goods extra special. More importantly, Leo discovers that she has magic too, but when she decides to try out a spell on her own, things don’t go as smoothly as she plans! A fun read, especially for anyone who is tired of being told they aren’t old enough yet! Includes recipes for cookies, pan de muerto, and amaranth bars.

Day of the Dead is also a middle grade novel, but a much darker one with more difficult themes. Glorieta is happy that her father remarried after the tragic death of her mother, but she is decidedly less happy about having to live with her pampered step-sister. (Her step-brother is adorable but quite a handful). But Glorieta is not happy that her mother is now rarely discussed or even mentioned. Worst of all, her aunt refuses to let her mother be buried in the family plot, because Tía Dionosita believes that she committed mortal sin through her suicide. (Glorieta and her papi believe that the suicide was just a symptom of her mother’s illness, depression). Now Glorieta must find a way to change her aunt’s mind before Day of the Dead, so her mamá can be celebrated along with the other departed loved ones. A wonderfully written book, but with mature themes such as suicide.

Day of the Dead Children’s Books

DIY Day of the Dead Escape Room