Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the association between exposure to air pollutants and hospitalization for pneumonia among children in a medium-sized city located in the sugar cane plantation region of São Paulo State. Methods: An ecological time-series study was conducted with daily data of hospitalization for pneumonia including children aged 10 years or younger living in Araraquara, state of São Paulo, from January 1 st , 2010, to November 30 th , 2012. To estimate the association between hospitalization due to pneumonia and particulate pollutants with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 µm, nitrogen dioxide and ozone, relative risks for hospitalization according to a generalized additive model of Poisson regression, with Lags of up to five days, were calculated. A percentage increase (PI) was obtained for relative risk (IRR -increase on relative risk) of hospitalization at each 10 μg/m 3 increment in each air pollutants adjusted for the remaining. Results: A total of 234 hospitalizations were recorded during these three years. There was a strong association between hospitalization and PM 10 and NO 2 . The PI in relative risk was 15% to PM 10 in Lag 0 and 7% points in Lag 1 for NO 2 . Conclusion: There was evidence of the action of air pollutants on hospitalization for pneumonia in a medium-sized city located in a region affected by air pollution from sugarcane burning and the data presented here provide subsidies for the implementation of public policies aiming to decrease this risk.