This post is sponsored by Diana Paola Navarro Gómez. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Danny sabe leer / Danny can read
Written by Diana Paola Navarro Gómez
Illustrated by Carmen Blanco
Ages: 4–8 | 38 Pages
Publisher: Mr Momo (2025) | ISBN: 979-138-752-3121
Publisher’s Book Summary: Danny Can Read is a bilingual (English–Spanish) picture book that celebrates the magic of reading and the power of learning at your own pace. Dinosaur siblings Danny and Lily discover that their talents shine in different ways — and that they shine the most when they work together. Through a warm, engaging story designed for read-alouds, children explore big feelings like frustration and comparison, practice empathy, and build confidence as they see that differences aren’t obstacles — they’re strengths. Perfect for ages 4–8, ideal for bilingual families and for readers learning English or Spanish.
PURCHASE LINK
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4bjZKWb
By Diana Paola Navarro
When my son learned to read before his twin sister, something shifted in our home. I watched my daughter’s eyes follow him as he sounded out words, and I could see it clearly—that quiet, burning frustration that sibling comparison can bring. She was not angry at him. She was hurting because she felt left behind.
I remember asking myself: How do I explain to her that her moment will come too? How do I validate what she is feeling without minimizing it? That question became the seed for Danny Can Read / Danny Sabe Leer.
But this story was never only about reading milestones. From the beginning, I knew it also had to reflect another truth that shaped my life: growing up between two languages.
I was raised in Colombia and attended a school with an American curriculum and graduated with a U.S. high school diploma. English lived in classrooms, textbooks, and the stories I read. Spanish lived at home, in my family’s voices, in everyday life, in the language of affection and belonging. Both were always present, yet for a long time they felt separated—almost as if each one belonged to a different version of me.
Later, I lived in the United States for three years, and that divide became even more visible. As I grew older, English also became the language of my professional life, especially within the world of international commerce. Spanish remained the language of memory, comfort, and love. I never doubted that both were mine, but I did feel the constant movement between them: translating, adjusting, shifting without even thinking about it.
That experience stayed with me.
Then I became a mother.
Reading to my twins each night brought all those questions back in a new way. I could find books in English. I could find books in Spanish. But I struggled to find books where both languages could exist naturally on the same page, the way they do in so many real homes. I wanted a book that reflected that reality—one that did not ask children or parents to choose one language over the other.
That is why I chose a bilingual side-by-side format for Danny Can Read / Danny Sabe Leer.
I wanted both languages to belong together on the page. I wanted children to be able to compare
the two versions naturally and strengthen comprehension in the process. But even beyond literacy, I wanted the format to say something deeper: both of your languages are real, both of your voices matter, and both of your worlds belong.
I also wrote the story to be read aloud. I cared deeply about rhythm, simplicity, and the feeling of the words when spoken. I wanted parents and children to hear the story, not just read it. Whether a family reads in English, Spanish, or both, I wanted the language to feel warm, natural, and alive.
At the heart of the book are Danny and Lily, two dinosaur siblings inspired by my own twins. Danny learns to read first. Lily struggles with the jealousy and frustration of watching her brother reach a milestone she has not reached yet. That emotional tension did not come from imagination alone. It came from real moments in my home.
I saw the pride on my son’s face. I saw my daughter act out when attention shifted toward his achievement. I remember the quiet moments of trying to hold her feelings with care while reminding her that every child learns at a different pace. Writing this story helped me begin that conversation in a way my children could understand. It gave us a shared language—literally and emotionally—for something that can feel surprisingly difficult to explain.
Seeing illustrator Carmen Blanco bring Danny and Lily to life was another deeply meaningful part of the process. Her artwork added warmth, tenderness, and personality in exactly the way I had imagined. And when the book later received a perfect five-out-of-five score from Readers’ Favorite, I felt grateful—not simply because of the recognition, but because it confirmed that this story had connected with others beyond our own family.
I want to be honest: writing a bilingual children’s book was never a marketing decision. It was personal.
It came from the same place that makes me switch languages mid-sentence with my children. The same instinct that led me to sing lullabies in Spanish and read bedtime stories in English. The same desire to make space for the full, layered experience of families who move between languages and cultures every day without needing to explain themselves.
I write for those families.
I write for parents who sometimes wonder whether their child is “enough” in either language. I write for children who deserve to see themselves reflected fully, not partially, in the stories they read. I write for homes where one conversation can move naturally across two languages, because that is not confusion—it is richness. It is identity. It is real life.
And I write for teachers, too—especially those searching for books that reflect the blended, multilingual realities their students live every day.
If you are raising bilingual children, I see you. If you are a writer carrying a multilingual story and wondering whether it matters, it does. If you are an educator looking for books that reflect the full lives of your students, this is exactly why I wrote mine.
I would love to hear your story.
Whether you grew up between languages, are raising children in more than one, or simply believe that books should reflect the full complexity and beauty of childhood, I hope this story reaches you. Because in the end, that is why I write bilingual books: to create connection. Between parent and child. Between one language and another. Between what is written on the page and what is lived at home.
And sometimes, the most meaningful thing a book can be is a place where we belong.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Diana Paola Navarro Gómez is a Colombian children’s book author and mother of twins, who inspire the heart of her stories. She writes bilingual picture books grounded in real moments from family life — everyday situations transformed into relatable narratives for young readers. Her debut title blends early literacy with social-emotional learning, encouraging confidence, empathy, and patience as children navigate frustration and grow at their own pace.
Learn more at dianapaolanavarro.com
Instagram: @dpnavarro and @dannylilybooks
TOUR SCHEDULE
| Friday, March 20, 2026The Children’s Book ReviewTour Kick-off for Danny sabe leer / Danny can read |
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