For Spanish beginners, understanding must come first for real learning to happen (Krashen, 2004).

Bilingual children's stories do that work. The English line gives immediate meaning so a child never feels lost. The Spanish line that follows then links new words to a clear scene. That makes vocabulary and grammar start to feel natural instead of confusing.

Bilingual stories help from true beginner up through late intermediate stages. They are also useful for advanced learners when introducing tricky words, longer sentences, or less common expressions.

The point is the same: make sure the child understands the story so Spanish can attach to meaning.

Pure Spanish-only immersion becomes helpful once a child understands roughly half to most of what they hear or read. A good rule of thumb is about fifty to seventy percent comprehension.

At that level, the brain can guess new words from context without getting overwhelmed. 

Some learners reach that point sooner, others later. If your child still looks puzzled, stay bilingual. Do not rush the switch.

Younger children especially prefer bilingual stories because they like clarity, rhythm, and certainty. Many learners keep enjoying bilingual books long after they could manage Spanish-only texts.

Older children and advanced learners sometimes mix formats, choosing Spanish-only for simple stories and bilingual for denser or more idiomatic texts.

There is no need to force a transition. Switching too early is like taking off training wheels before the rider is ready: it can raise stress and slow progress.

Let comprehension and confidence guide the move from bilingual stories to Spanish-only reading.