Books are an excellent way to teach children about different places, a way to travel and explore without the cost of actual travel. Over the years I have collected some books about Puerto Rico that are specifically for children. Maybe you are a Puerto Rican parent looking for ways to connect your child to the magic of Puerto Rico, or a parent who is about to visit Puerto Rico with their little one and is looking for an introduction to Puerto Rico. In this post, I will share some of our favorite children's books related to Puerto Rico.
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Being a military family, for us, has meant raising our kids outside of the beautiful island of Puerto Rico where both my husband and I grew up. Away from family and the Puerto Rican culture. For almost a decade, we have moved every couple of years from state to state. We do what we can to have the kids learn as much as they can about Puerto Rico. If you ask them, they LOVE Puerto Rico. They would be overjoyed for a chance to live there.
There are several ways we try to help our children grow up with a strong love and appreciation for their Puerto Rican heritage. The most important one is, to visit Puerto Rico as much as we can. Usually, that means visiting once a year for about two weeks. This gives them enough time to visit family and explore the Island. We also cook Puerto Rican food and visit Puerto Rican restaurants (if any are available).
Because we live far away from our little Isla del Encanto, I find that reading books about Puerto Rico that contain information about Puerto Rican culture and traditions helps me give my children a little slice of Puerto Rican magic.
Listed below are some of our favorite children's books about Puerto Rico:
Quick links:
2. Coqui
9. Kiki Kokí
by Susie Jaramillo
I loved getting this book for my 3-year-old before we went on our family vacation to Puerto Rico. It took my little reader on a quest to discover some of the things that make Puerto Rico so special. It is a rhyme-based book featuring seek-and-find activities, such as finding the "pasteles". It also features many Spanish words with a phonetic English pronunciation provided.
by Valeri Ortiz
A cute little story about Coqui, the tiny tree frog that lives in a rainforest in Puerto Rico. He doesn't make the same "ribbit" sound as most frogs do, so he teaches his friend his unique song, as well as some new words in his native language, Spanish.
by Nina Jaffe
A well-told tale about a myth from one of the indigenous cultures of the West Indies that explains how a golden flower first brought water to the world and how Puerto Rico came to be.
by Lisette Marie Diaz Aponte
Meet Ramonita, an elderly woman living with Alzheimer's disease whose spirit is lifted with the help of a special friend. Readers are transported back in time to their childhood in Puerto Rico.
by Lizmer Montalvo Juliá
Teach the ABCs (written in Spanish and translated into English) along with Puerto Rico's food and culture. Children will learn about Puerto Rico's food, culture, and traditions with each letter of the alphabet. It has colorful and beautiful illustrations that will take the reader on an imaginary journey through the island's towns such as Guayama, Cabo Rojo, San Juan, Ponce, and Culebra.
by Carlos Aponte
A heartfelt story with a lesson about the true meaning of home. Living in Puerto Rico, Carlitos is a boy who lives with his mother, his Abuela, and Coco the cat. Life in his hometown is as cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father.
by Lisa Bolivar Martinez
Good Night Puerto Rico features some of Puerto Rico's most famous sights, such as OLD San Juan, El Morro, El Yunque, Cuevas de Camuy, and many more. It is beautifully illustrated, and nostalgic for readers who hold the island of Puerto Rico dear in their hearts.
by Vicky Weber
Taino Tales was created by an elementary teacher hoping to educate and inspire. In this story, children will learn about the Taino culture by retelling the Taino legend of how the hummingbird came to be.
by Ed Rodriguez
A Spanish-language tale about a little Taino boy who is too lazy to help his tribe, and so the Moon Goddess turns him into a tree frog. For him to turn back into a human, he must rescue his new frog friends from pirates. Kiki Kokí has a heartwarming message and is an adorable hero!
Happy Reading!