I have seen so many wonderful lists of children’s books to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month that I was inspired to create a list of our top five Puerto Rican children’s books to celebrate throughout this month.  We have these books at home, and they are my child’s favorite.

1. Kiki Kokí La Leyenda Encantada

Kiki Kokí tells the story of the Enchanted Legend of the Coquí Frog.  Based on a Taíno legend of Kiki Kokí a little Taíno Indian boy who would rather play than help his tribe.  Of course, he’s not allowed to celebrate the festival with the tribe, and he storms off into the jungle.  To teach him a lesson, the moon goddess turns him into a golden tree frog. Kiki Koki redeems himself when he saves a village of frogs from rat pirates earning his right to become a boy again.  This book is available in English and Spanish.
This is the story of Guanín and his pet Tahite as he narrates the beauties of Puerto Rico, the wonders of nature, and life as a Taíno boy 500 years ago. It is a beautifully illustrated book that celebrates and educates children about the Taíno history and culture. This book is available in English and Spanish.

3. Everywhere Coquis! / En dondequiera coquies (English and Spanish Edition)

This is an adorable book that tells the story of the coquís that lived in the rainforest, and how annoyed the birds were with the ♫♫ coquí, coquí ♫♫ song that they heard every night. So the birds are on a quest to find these “birds” that chirp ♫♫ coquí, coquí ♫♫ every night! However, the coquís are everywhere, and at the end of the story, the birds discover who ins singing ♫♫ coquí, coquí ♫♫.  🙂 This is a beautifully illustrated book that captures scenes of day-to-day life in Puerto Rico.  This book is in both Spanish and English. Flip the book, and it’s in Spanish, flip it to the other side, and it’s in English. 

4. Shake It, Morena

This is a wonderful book that explores Puerto Rican folklore, with games, counting rhymes, riddles, and short stories. It has typical songs of Puerto Rico such as “Shake it, morena”, and “The Song of el Coquí.” What I love about this book is that the concept of this book is taken from the schools and playgrounds in Puerto Rico. It also offers a footnote with explanations of the cultural background. This book will bring back memories to the older generations of adults, and provide valuable insight into the games, songs, and play to the up-and-coming younger generations.  This book is in both languages: English and Spanish sentences side by side.

5. Mi isla y yo: La naturaleza de Puerto Rico

This is the story of two children as they set off to discover the nature of Puerto Rico. It is a book about the natural ecology of an island. This is an enchanting picture book that allows the children to visualize their relationship between the island creatures, the water and sky; and how we are all connected to the island as being one.  It sends a message of love and respect for our environment, and fur island of Puerto Rico. The watercolor illustrations capture the ecological island life from a simple perspective that children can understand and relate to.
Do you have a multicultural book that you love? Please comment, like, pin, or share.
¡Hasta la próxima!

 

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14 Comments

  1. This is an awesome list of books! I like how you describe whether it is in English or Spanish, and how the text is laid out (like English all on one side, or English/Spanish text together). We will definitely add these to our list of books to get!

  2. Thanks Kali! These books are a favorite in our home. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

  3. What a great list! I am pinning this – thank you Frances!

  5. Thanks for sharing this great list of books. I hopped over from the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

  6. LOVE this list! I really like how the books together cover so much about the culture, nature, people and life in PuertoRico. Thanks for sharing on Kid Lit Blog Hop

  7. Ok, you are soooo making want to visit Puerto Rico. I've never been! Thank you for sharing these books in the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

  8. Love to see these cultural stories for kids! Thanks so much for sharing on the Kid Lit Blog Hop! Cheryl, Hop Hostess

  10. This is such a wonderful list. Thanks for sharing in our Multicultural Children's Book Day link up Frances!!!!

  12. What a great list! We have read two of these and will definitely check out the rest!

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