Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Books by This Author

Family, Familia

Illustrated by: Pauline Rodriguez Howard
Age Level: 6-9

"In this bilingual picture book, Daniel Gonzalez goes to a family reunion in San Antonio, TX, expecting it to be dull. Instead, he finds himself enjoying a Tex-Mex feast, making a new friend in a cousin his age, and learning the importance of family. Spanish words and phrases are scattered throughout the English text, and vice versa." — School Library Journal

My Pal, Victor

Illustrated by: Robert Sweetland
Age Level: 6-9

Dominic and Victor are friends who share stories, jokes, and games and cheer each other on. At the end of the book, readers discover something special — the boys don't let the fact that Victor is in a wheelchair get in their way of having fun! Colorful illustrations bring this simple yet thoughtful story to life. Winner of ALA's 2004 Schneider Family Award.

The Empanadas That Abuela Made

Illustrated by: Alex Pardo DeLange
Age Level: 3-6
Language: Spanish (Bilingual Eng/Sp)

Product description: Baking is always a treat, particularly when you throw family and fun into the mix. In this whimsical look at the making of empanadas, popular children's author Gonzales Bertrand serves up the festive fun of a family's effort to concoct the delicious pastries with humorous cooks and family: Abuela, Abuelo, the cousins, aunts, uncles, and even the family dog join the parade of fluttering flour and swirling sugar. Alex Pardo de Lange fills the pages with offbeat illustrations of blankets of dough and dancing rolling pins. Bilingual text.

The Park Our Town Built

A town park
Illustrated by: Tanja Bauerle
Age Level: 3-6
Language: English, Spanish vocabulary featured

In the style of "The House That Jack Built," Diane Gonzales Bertrand offers a lively picture book that tells the story of a community coming together to build a park for the town. The story highlights key vocabulary words in English and Spanish with matching pictures, making it an excellent read-aloud choice for young children learning comprehension and predicting skills in either language.

Trino's Choice

Product Description: When Rosca, an older teen with a vicious streak, invites Trino to start hanging out with his crowd — and maybe make some quick money, too — the younger boy doesn't know what to think. Trino's angry that he and his younger stepbrother are barely getting by even though their mother works two jobs. And he'd do anything to make an impression on Lisana, a smart neighborhood girl who happens to be one of those "school types." With little help from any adults, it's up to Trino to decide which choices will impress his friends and which choices are the best for him.

Trino's Time

"In Bertrand's solid follow-up to the award-winning Trino's Choice (1999), 15-year-old Trino moves past the haunting memory of his friend's murder and takes on more responsibility in his family. To contribute to the small household income, Trino accepts a job in a grocery store, taking time from friends and schoolwork. When he's assigned a biographical report on Jose Antonio Navarro, Trino finds a hero who helps him aspire to more than just survival." — Booklist

We Are Cousins

Illustrated by: Christina Rodriguez
Age Level: 3-6

Product Description: Cousins are friends and rivals. Cousins are funny and frustrating. But the most important thing is that cousins are family. From the moment they get together, the fun begins. Written in simple language for children ages 2-5, the brief English and Spanish text will become a valuable tool to encourage children to think and talk about their own families.