Spain Reading List

Suggested Reading List for Spain 
Please note: Students and parents should use discretion in determining the appropriateness of each book for the student’s age, reading level, and maturity.  Books are designated G (grade school), J (junior high), or H (high school).

 

TITLE &  LINK

DESCRIPTION

GRADE
LEVEL

FICTION OR
NONFICTION

Francisco Goya, by Ann Waldron A remarkable story of a young man from a poor village who became First Painter to the King of Spain. Francisco Goya (1746-1828) rose to fame and wealth without compromising his deepest beliefs. Contains 51 illustrations, including 31 in full color.

J

N

I, Juan de Pareja, by Elizabeth de Trevino Novel based on the true story of the slave, Juan de Pareja, who was willed to Velazquez and whose relationship with the great Spanish painter evolved into one of friendship and equality. J/H F
King's Fifth, by Scott O'Dell While awaiting trial for murder and withholding from the king the obligatory fifth of the gold found in Cibola, Esteban, a seventeen-year-old cartographer, recalls his adventures with a band of conquistadors. J/H F
Shadow of a Bull, by Maia Wojciechowska Eleven-year-old Manolo Olivar has a painful secret: He's terrified of bulls. Unfortunately, his father was Juan Olivar, the greatest bullfighter in all Spain. How can Manolo find the courage to face his first bull and live up to the expectations of the townspeople of Arcangel? Manolo's personal quest for manhood in the looming shadow of a father whose memory has faded into folklore becomes both a fascinating adventure and a glimpse inside the bullring of the Spanish torero. J/H F
The Acorn Eaters, by Els Pelgrom A prominent Dutch author has drawn on her late husband's recollections of his boyhood in post-Civil War Spain for a haunting examination of poverty and oppression. The story, told in the first person, covers the maturation of Curro from his eighth to his sixteenth year. J/H F
The Girl, the Fish, and the Crown: A Spanish Folktale, by Marilee Heyer Transformed into a fish because of her selfish, careless behavior, a girl changes herself into various other animals in an effort to retrieve the stolen crown of an underwater queen. During her journey, she achieves maturity, becomes human again, and wins the heart of a prince. G F
Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus, by Samuel Eliot On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's discovery of America, a handsome paperback edition of Admiral Samuel Eliot Morison's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of the greatest sailor of them all. 50 drawings, maps and charts; 4 fold-outs. J/H N
Architecture and Ideology in Early Medieval Spain, by Jerrilynn D. Dodds The title says it all. ALL N
Columbus and the World Around Him, by Milton Meltzer Describes the voyages of Columbus, the terrible impact of the Spaniards on the Indians, and the ultimate cultural influence of the Native Americans on their white conquerors.

J/H

N

Culture Shock!: Spain, by Marie Louise Graff "As a college student preparing to study abroad in Spain, I found this book...perfect. This guide in its unique series tells of all the customs and proper etiquette you never learned in school. If more American tourists read these culture shock books before traveling abroad, the American stereotype would be lessened." ALL N
Defeat of the Spanish Armada, by William W. Lace Details the defeat of the formidable Spanish Armada by the British.

J/H

N

Eating & Drinking in Spanish: Reading Menus in Spanish-Speaking Countries Makes dining in 19 Spanish speaking destinations easy. "Artfully designed...the perfect holiday gift" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Makes dining in 19 Spanish speaking destinations easy and enjoyable" Toronto Star. "A dietary dictionary to help you decipher ropa vieja as shredded beef, not old clothes." -Caribbean Travel & Life. ALL N
Eyewitness Travel Guide for Spain, by Deni Brown Packed with full-color illustrations, this guide gives travelers comprehensive text, cutaway maps, and illustrations on every significant Spanish location, building, museum, gallery, shop, hotel and restaurant. ALL N
Fodor's Spanish for Travelers: Phrasebook Dictionary More than 3,800 essential Spanish words and phrases to see you through almost any situation you will encounter. Accurate, easy-to-use phonetics that will help you speak like a native. Maps, grammar summary, conversion charts, and tipping basics. ALL N
Insight Guides Spain, by Andrew Eames (ed.) Travel guide ALL N
Life During the Spanish Inquisition, by Gail B. Stewart Examines the culture of Spain during the centuries of the Inquisition by focusing on personal aspects of daily life at the time.

J

N

Lonely Planet Spain, 2nd Ed., by Damien Simonis With sections devoted to food and wine, architecture, and traditional bullfighting, this traveler's guide shows the best places to stay and eat for all budgets. Contains color illustrations and 130 maps. ALL N

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