If you've been reading this blog during #WorldKidLit Month, you may have already learned a bit about the coquí. A small species of tree frog onomatopoeically named for its vociferous song, the coquí has long been a symbol of Puerto Rico. The Taíno, for example, carved what are believed representations of the coquí on rock … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Legend of Kiki Kokí
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#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Ellas: Histories of Puerto Rican Women
As part of my research in preparation for serving as guest editor of the GLLI blog for #WorldKidLit Month, I made it a point to look online for books published on the island of Puerto Rico proper. I knew there were books out there that I didn't have immediate knowledge of, as I am located … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Ellas: Histories of Puerto Rican Women
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: When Julia Danced Bomba
As I mentioned in another blog post during this #WorldKidLit Month, Puerto Rico owes much of its cultural inheritance to its population of African descent. Although they were kidnapped, brought as captives to the Western Hemisphere, and forced to labor under the sadistic conditions established by European colonial powers, African peoples endured, survived, and created … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: When Julia Danced Bomba
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Afro Puerto Rican Bibliophile Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
Arturo Alfonso Schomburg In yesterday's post, we learned about trailblazing librarian and storyteller Pura Belpre. Today I want to present another monumental figure of the Puerto Rican diaspora, noted book collector, historian, researcher, writer, and activist Arturo Alfonso Schomburg. Often recognized as one of the fathers of Black history, his enormous book collection formed the … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Afro Puerto Rican Bibliophile Arturo Alfonso Schomburg
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Trailblazing Puerto Rican Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
Photograph of Pura Belpré Avid picture book readers, close followers of the children's publishing industry, and librarians may very well be familiar with the Pura Belpré Medal, given annually to Latinx illustrators and writers whose book "best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience." However, how much do we about the trailblazing librarian and storyteller … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Trailblazing Puerto Rican Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
#WorldKidLitWednesday: Bicki-Books (Set 2)
What a wonderful concept! This series of pocket-sized picture books, originally published in Latvian, pairs a classic or modern poem with artwork commissioned from a contemporary illustrator. I originally highlighted the Bicki-Books (Set 2) in my recommended list of reads for infants and preschoolers, but a two-line mention does not do them justice. These six … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: Bicki-Books (Set 2)
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Shadowshaper (Shadowshaper Cypher Series, Book 1)
Note from Klem-Marí Cajigas, GLLI blog Guest Editor for #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Today I want to welcome writer Ruth Terry to the blog. I really appreciate her contributions. Welcome! Daniel José Older’s novel Shadowshaper, released in 2015, is an urban fantasy embedded with real-world commentary about the nature of art and the lived experiences of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Shadowshaper (Shadowshaper Cypher Series, Book 1)
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Coquí and the Iguana
If you've been reading this blog during #WorldKidLit Month, you know that we've already discussed some of Puerto Rico's rich natural world. Today I want to introduce you to more of the island's distinct natural features, specifically its bioluminescent bays. While nonfiction kid lit titles about bioluminescence are relatively easy to come by, it is … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: The Coquí and the Iguana
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Mis abuelos y yo
Based in the state of Texas, Arte Público Press has long contributed to making books written by Hispanic and Latinx authors, including Puerto Rican writers, much more available to the reading and purchasing public. Their children's books are often published in bilingual editions, lending a linguistic authenticity to their books focusing on U.S. Hispanic culture. … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Mis abuelos y yo
#WorldKidLit Month 2020: Call Me Maria
Call Me Maria by Judith Ortiz Cofer is about a teenaged Puerto Rican girl named Maria and how she processes her changing world. Ortiz Cofer artfully creates a soap opera-like feel in this work, which she accomplishes by using various genres – part novel, part poetry – to her advantage, as she shifts between scenes and changes … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month 2020: Call Me Maria
