Books About the Mariachi Musical / Cultural Tradition in English and Spanish
Los Niños Mariachis / The Mariachi Kids will be published on October 31st, 2025
May
is a month full of holidays and the busiest for Mariachi musicians,
especially here in the US with the popularity of Cinco de Mayo and
Mother’s Day. In Mexico, we also celebrate the Day of the Teacher on
May 15, and the tradition is for students to bring a gift for their
teacher. Being that on April 30th Mexico also celebrates the Day of the
Child, and traditionally teachers bring a gift for students, this post
is meant to be a gift to all mothers/guardians, children and educators
in the form of cute books about Mariachi Music - the enchanting traditional
sound that originated in Mexico but is now embraced around the world.
There are at least a dozen books about Mariachi for kids/teens now!
Most
of these books are available at your public library, some are also
available as ebooks, and some are available as read-aloud videos on
YouTube. I purchased at least two of these titles from online book
sellers and I highly encourage you to support small/independent book
sellers.
It's
also with great pride that I highlight the fact that most of these books were written by women.
In the traditionally male-dominated mariachi world, women (and anyone at odds with any aspect of machista culture) have
struggled for equity (i.e., opportunities to learn and make a living as
a mariachi musician, representation in song lyrics and in leadership
roles such as composers, arrangers or musical directors, and of course equal pay).
My
hope is that you share at least one of these mariachi books with your young learners and help them achieve a meaningful learning experience. If you know of a
title that should be included in this list, please leave a comment!
General Lesson Plan Suggestions
Cultural Relevance:
Include
time for students to share prior knowledge about Mariachi music
(instruments, attire, their role in people’s lives), Mexico/ Latin
America, or if they want to share where they have seen Mariachi music
being represented either in person or in the media. Thank everyone for
sharing, and hopefully you can recall one of their shares when you go
into a specific aspect of Mariachi that is highlighted in your lesson or
in one of the books below.
Social Emotional Learning:
Mariachi
music helps people express strong feelings such as love, joy, or
sadness and anger. This is a good opportunity to discuss the need for
all people to express themselves for the sake of our mental and
emotional health. Here are specific examples:
- The grito - also
a great tool to encourage students to use their voice, express passion
without shame or embarrassment, and a way to be a leader in the sense
that one's grito helps create a space for unabashed expression.
- Singing style - the mariachi voice traditionally is very operatic, a word you'll have to define. What is opera and what has made it (and mariachi) so popular?
- Song content - the
majority of mariachi songs whether or not they have lyrics are known
for telling stories of love and loss, describing daily life, and for
imitating/ celebrating nature in music and dance.
History/ Geography:
- Share a map that includes Mexico and Spain to make the connection about colonization and the Spanish Language
- Share a map of Spanish Speaking countries around the world
- Share an image of the Mexican Flag
Music!
Sharing
one of these books and also playing mariachi music for your students
will help bring your lesson to life. Watching a live mariachi
performance that includes folklórico dancers would add to the
experience. Many school districts including LAUSD are able to hire a
mariachi to perform at your school, so don’t be shy - just ask!
Read more »Labels: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th grade, bilingual, Kindergarten, mariachi, music class, online tools, resources, SEL, sing along, social emotional learning, special education, TK
