Written by Karina Nicole González, illustrated by Krystal Quiles, translated by Amparo Ortiz
Outside in the mango tree, the coquí frogs sing to Elena: coquí, coquí! But when a terrible hurricane rips through the island, not only is the roof blown off Elena’s family’s house and the mango tree reduced to a bald trunk and branches, the coquí frogs stop singing.
Things do not look good for the island. But as time passes, Elena, alongside her community, begins to rebuild their home. It takes time, but eventually the seeds of hope grow and the mango bears fruit once more. But things are still not quite like they were– will the coquíes ever come back and sing?
Karina Nicole González wrote Los coquíes aún cantan based on her abuela’s own experience living through Hurricane María in Puerto Rico in 2017. 2022 brought another devastating hurricane, Hurricane Fiona, to the island. We are endlessly inspired by our Boricua friends’ resilience and hope as they rebuild, and this book is a beautiful tribute to that.
Vanessa Nielsen Molina
Vanessa is an entrepreneur, educator, and mamá of four, who’s passionate about helping other parents experience the joy of raising bilingual children. Follow her journey and access more resources at BilingualBookworm.com.