Written for parents, teachers, librarians and other people interested in books for children and adolescents, this book is an introduction to the world of children's and adolescent literature in Spanish. It contains 12 chapters that discuss the importance of literature in children's development as well as the great variety of books in Spanish available to children: (1) The Significance of Literature; (2) Characters and Plot; (3) Subject and Surroundings; (4) Point of View, Style and Tone; (5) Illustrated Books; (6) Traditional Literature; (7) Fantasy; (8) Poetry; (9) Realism; (10) Historical Novels; (11) Translations; and (12) The Book of Knowledge. Each chapter includes an extensive bibliography for each age or level of reading. Each chapter also includes recommendations and suggestions of activities to induce the understanding and the appreciation of these works in adults, children and adolescents. The bibliography features books published in Spain, and North and South America, as well as translations to English, German, and French and other languages. (Contains hundreds of references.) (RS)