Susan Middleton Elya

Books by This Author

Bebé Goes Shopping

Illustration of mother pushing baby in grocery cart
Illustrated by: Steven Salerno
Age Level: 3-6
Language: Spanish vocabulary featured

It's a big day for Bebé and Mamá at the grocery store, complete with animal crackers, balloons, and many near escapes from the shopping cart! Written in rhyme, the text mixes English and Spanish words in a seamless way. The colorful and charming illustrations bring Bebé and Mamá's grocery store adventures to life on the page.

Home at Last

Illustrated by: Felipe Davalos
Age Level: 6-9
Language: English

When Ana's family comes to the U.S., she can tell that her mother misses their life and family in Mexico terribly. In addition, she doesn't want to learn English, and she relies on Ana and her husband to translate. Soon, however, Ana's mother realizes that English may be the key to finally feeling at home in her new country. A touching tribute to the children — and their parents — who have come to the U.S. for a better life.

La Princesa and the Pea

A princess on a pile of mattresses
Illustrated by: Juana Martinez-Neal
Age Level: 3-6, 6-9
Language: English, Spanish vocabulary featured

The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming bilingual retelling, 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.

N Is for Navidad

Family celebrating Christmas
Illustrated by: Joe Cepeda
Age Level: 3-6, 6-9
Language: English, Spanish vocabulary featured

Join a joyous Latino celebration of Christmas from A to Z (angel to zapatos), enjoying the sights and symbols of the holiday. The book features a bilingual poem in English and Spanish. Additional explanations and Spanish holiday words conclude this energetic book with colorful and vibrant illustrations.

Tooth on the Loose

Girl sleeping near tooth fairy
Illustrated by: Jennifer Mattheson
Age Level: 3-6
Language: Spanish vocabulary featured

"A young girl laments that her wiggly tooth will not fall out soon enough to enable her to collect tooth fairy money to buy a birthday gift for Papá. The rhyming story includes a mix of Spanish words within the English-language context — 'I needed that tooth out/today, not mañana./But yanking? Too painful./I tried a manzana.' The cheerful illustrations rendered in oil using a palette with shades of orange and rust show a delightful extended family willing to help the child with her problem." — School Library Journal