Children's Books About Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans, and Written by Puerto Ricans

Sofia and her abuela share a special Three Kings Day tradition: Abuela brings her wooden santos all the way from Puerto Rico and tells the story of the wise men seeking Baby Jesus, drawn by a star. Surrounded by family and beautiful tradition, Sofia basks in the beauty of the holiday. Drawing upon her own experiences with her Puerto Rican abuela, author Annette Clayton explores the food, stories, and traditions that surround Three Kings Day. With...

Illustrations and text depict a child's Saturday walk with their abuela and the love they share for the Hudson River and Yemaya, the goddess of the sea.

In the 1970s Bronx, Manolo, a shy Puerto Rican boy, overcomes his fears and insecurities to become part of a new innovative dance style called breaking.

"Her mom thinks she is too messy; her teachers think she is too loud. But Grandma says that's nonsense. Mia Emilia Lucia Renata simply has too much wepa! Mia tries to bottle up her wepa, but no matter how hard she tries, she can't contain it. With a bit of inspiration from Grandma and her friends, Mia discovers the perfect place to release her wepa. A place where her wepa is celebrated and isn't too much" -- Page [4] of cover.

A girl in Puerto Rico copes with the aftermath of a hurricane, including her family's temporary blue tarp roof and her brother's refusal to speak. Includes notes about the author's life in Puerto Rico and the yearly ritual of preparing for hurricanes.

"Co-quí, co-quí! The coquí frogs sing to Elena from her family's beloved mango tree--their calls so familiar that they might as well be singing, "You are home, you are safe." But home is suddenly not safe when a hurricane threatens to destroy everything that Elena knows."-- Provided by publisher.

Beauty--who is of Taino Indian, African, and Boricua heritage--was taught to be strong and proud, but hatred toward people who look like her bruises her heart until her community opens her eyes to the truth.

"A lyrical, vibrant tribute to the amazing life and legacy of Pura Belpré, a lauded storyteller, librarian, and pioneer of bilingual storytimes" -- Amazon.com. In this fictional biography, Pura Belpré breaks the rules of storytime by telling unpublished stories from her homeland of Puerto Rico. Includes author's note.