Lil' Libros

Lil' Libros
Founded2014 (2014)
FounderPatty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationLos Angeles
DistributionSimon & Schuster
Publication typesbooks
Fiction genreschildren's books
Official websitelillibros.com

Lil' Libros is a Los Angeles-based independent bilingual children's book publisher. Its titles are distributed by Readerlink, Amazon, Baker & Taylor, Brodart, Follett Corporations, Walmart, and other independent distributors across the United States. It is a member of the American Booksellers Association, Publishers Association of the West, and Independent Book Publisher's Association. Its items are also distributed in prominent locations like MoMA in NY, LACMA in L.A., and the L.A. Zoo.[1]

Company History

Lil' Libros was founded in 2014 two best friends, Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein, [2] to create bilingual children's resources that authentically represented the "duality of being an American Latino."[3] Rodriguez serves as the Chief Creative Officer and Stein as the Chief Executive Officer. In 2021, the company sold more than 1.5 million books, all which introduce cultural immersion and dual-language learning.[4] Some titles include: Loteria: First Words/Primeras Palabras and Counting Con/Contando con Frida. These books, amongst others, have led to being featured on online publications like the Washington Post[5] and Buzzfeed.[6] As of 2026, Lil' Libros has expanded its catalog and published over 100 books.[7] Its rapid success has led the company to gain promotion in other online publications such as Forbes,[8] La Opinion,[9] and L.A. Parent.[10]

The company signed a world wide distribution agreement in 2017 with Gibbs Smith to expand and create books for older age groups.[11] In 2026, a new agreement was signed with Simon & Schuster, a global publisher, to continue making bilingual educational resources accessible to all.[12]

Notable Authors

  1. Aaron Bowersock
  2. Ariana Stein[13]
  3. Chogrin
  4. Cindy Montenegro
  5. Citlali Reyes
  6. Cris Winters
  7. Cynthia Gonzalez
  8. D Guzman
  9. Ellen Ochoa
  10. Ellia Ana Hill
  11. Emma Garcia
  12. Eric Ramos
  13. Fabienne Doucet
  14. Grace Ann Diaz
  15. Heidi Moreno
  16. J de laVega
  17. J. Roman Perez Varela
  18. Jayri Gomez
  19. Jorge Garza
  20. Juan Moreno
  21. Katherine Trejo
  22. Luis San Vicente
  23. Marcela Valladolid
  24. Maria Rosana Mestre
  25. Mariana Galvez
  26. Maritere R. Bellas
  27. Melanie Romero
  28. Michelle Winters
  29. Nayeli Reyes
  30. Patty Rodriguez
  31. Scott Martin-Rowe
  32. Tessa B.H. Ruiz
  33. Victoria Roth
  34. Zaida Hernandez

Notable Illustrators

  1. Aaron Bowersock
  2. Ana C. Esparza
  3. Ana Godinez
  4. Cassie Gonzales
  5. Citlali Reyes[14]
  6. D Guzman
  7. Eliza Moreno
  8. Ellia Ana Hill
  9. Eric Ramos[14]
  10. Hazel Quintanilla
  11. Heidi Moreno
  12. J de laVega
  13. Jayri Gomez
  14. Joaquin Carreno Alonso
  15. Jorge Harza
  16. Jose Ramirez
  17. Judith Valdes Breidenstine
  18. Karla Monterrosa
  19. Laura Diez
  20. Luis San Vicente
  21. Mariana Galvez[14]
  22. Nqobile Adigun
  23. Pakoto
  24. Patricia Romanov
  25. Stefany Plaza Gomez

Award-Winning Titles

2019 Selection, Association for Library Service to Children: El dia de los ninos / libros

  • The Life of / La vida de Selena (Bilingual English and Spanish)[15]

2020 Selection, Association for Library Service to Children: El dia de los ninos / libros

  • Counting With / Contando con Frida (Bilingual English and Spanish)[15]

2021 New York Public Library's Best Picture Book

  • Yefferson, Actually / En realidad, es Yefferson (Bilingual English and Spanish)[16]

2021 Selection, Association for Library Service to Children: El dia de los ninos / libros

  • VAMONOS: San Salvador (Bilingual English and Spanish)[17]

2022 Chicago Public Library: Best of the Best Picture Books of 2022

  • Sana, Sana, colita de rana (Bilingual English and Spanish)[18]
  • Amor De Colores (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2022 Americas Award: Commended Title

  • The Life of / La vida de Dolores (Bilingual English and Spanish)[19]

2022 New York Public Library: Los mejores libros para pequenos 2022

  • Sabado (Bilingual English and Spanish)[20]

2023 New York Public Library: Best Books for Kids

  • Wepa (Bilingual English and Spanish)[21]

2023 Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

  • The Life of / La vida de Llort (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2023 - 2024 Tejas Star Reading List

  • Yefferson, Actually / En realidad, es Yefferson (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024 International Latino Book Awards: Best Board Book

  • The Life of / La vida de Llort (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024 California Department of Education: Commended List

  • Wepa (Bilingual English and Spanish)
  • The Life of / La vida de Llort (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024 Selection, We Are Kid Lit Collective: Summer Reading Lists

  • The Life of / La vida de Llort (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024 Pura Belpre Youth Illustration Honor Award

  • Mi papa es un agricola (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024 Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature: Commended Title

  • Mi papa es un agricola (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024 International Latino Book Awards: Best Cover Illustration

  • VAMONOS: Los Angeles (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024-2025 Tejas Star Reading List

  • Wepa (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2024-2025 VA Reads, Picture Books

  • Wepa (Bilingual English and Spanish)

2025 Spanish CLEL Bell Award

  • Singing / Cantando: La Cucaracha (Bilingual English and Spanish)[22]

Mom's Choice Awards

  • Lil' Loteria: A Bilingual Picture Word Bingo Game (Bilingual English and Spanish)

Campaigns

In 2022, Lil' Libros partnered with Remezcla and Target to place five mini, public libraries in an East Los Angeles neighborhood known as Boyle Heights. The founders of the company shared their initiative was a direct response to the Boyle Heights' Benjamin Franklin branch library being shut down.[23] The Lil' Bibliotecas were created to give the community more access to bilingual books.[24]

In 2023, Lil' Libros and OUTFRONT Media partnered to create a campaign in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month called "Pages of Hispanic Heritage." The campaign consisted of highlighting its Hispanic authors and the titles they have published.[25]

Bilingual Book Fairs

Lil' Libros partners with preschools, early learning centers, Pre-K / TK, elementary, and middle schools to organize bilingual book fairs.[26] The company provides its entire catalog to schools (books, games, accessories, etc.), which are then used to create the book fair. Schools within Los Angeles County and some surrounding areas (Ventura County or Orange County) are eligible to sign up for a book fair. The fair runs on a tier system where schools are able to fundraise for their programs.

References

  1. ↑ "LinkedIn Login, Sign in". LinkedIn. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  2. ↑ "These moms couldn't find bilingual books. So they started a publishing company". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ↑ "Moms launch bilingual children's book company for littlest Latino readers". TODAY.com. 2021-09-16. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  4. ↑ "Forbes". Lil' Libros. 2016-07-14. Retrieved 2026-04-27.
  5. ↑ Sanchez, Susana (2015-06-08). "Victory: My son asked me to read to him in Spanish". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  6. ↑ "10 Bilingual Books That Help Kids Learn Spanish". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  7. ↑ "Shop Bilingual Books for Children". Lil' Libros. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  8. ↑ "How Being Underestimated Drove These Two Latinas To Publish Lil' Libros". www.forbes.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  9. ↑ "Lil' Libros, bilingües de la A a la Z". La Opinión (in Spanish). 15 October 2015. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  10. ↑ "Small Books with a Big Mission for Multilingual Kids". L.A. Parent. 2016-12-02. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  11. ↑ "Ariana Stein's Books Help Parents Connect Children to their Heritage".
  12. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  13. ↑ "Latina moms create Lil' Libros for kids to see themselves represented in bilingual books". ABC News. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  14. 1 2 3 explores, Mariana Dale; How, Explains the Forces That Shape; School, What Kids Learn from Kindergarten to High (2021-08-03). "These Latina Moms Launched 'Lil Libros' To Address The Lack Of Diversity In Children's Books". LAist. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  15. 1 2 "ALSC Homepage | Association for Library Service to Children". www.ala.org. 2026-04-09. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  16. ↑ "Best Books for Kids 2021". The New York Public Library. Archived from the original on 2025-10-15. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  17. ↑ "VÁMONOS: San Salvador (Bilingual English and Spanish)". Lil' Libros. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  18. ↑ "Book Title: Sana, sana, colita de rana". VOX Books. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  19. ↑ Lainez, Rene Colato (2022-05-11). "La Bloga: 2022 Américas Book Award Winners". La Bloga. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  20. ↑ www.nypl.org https://www.nypl.org/blog/2022/11/22/los-mejores-libros-para-pequenos-2022. Retrieved 2026-04-29. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ↑ www.nypl.org https://www.nypl.org/press/new-york-public-library-reveals-best-books-2023-kids-teens-and-adults. Retrieved 2026-04-29. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  22. ↑ "Spanish CLEL Bell Award Winners – Colorado Libraries for Early Literacy". Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  23. ↑ Lopez, Andrew (2025-08-04). "Boyle Heights' Benjamin Franklin Library won't reopen until 2027". Boyle Heights Beat. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  24. ↑ "Lil' Libros Launches Lil' Bibliotecas To Give Back to the Boyle Heights Community". Remezcla. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
  25. ↑ "OUTFRONT Media Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with "Pages of Hispanic Heritage" Campaign in Partnership with Lil' Libros". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2026-04-15.
  26. ↑ "BOOK FAIR". Lil' Libros. Retrieved 2026-04-29.
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