Last week, I had the opportunity to speak with Puerto Rican children’s book author Lara Mercado. Her book, Un Coquí de Boriquén con Los Reyes a Belén, is the story of a magic coqui (a singing tiny frog native of Puerto Rico) that helps a Puerto Rican girl celebrate her first Christmas away from the island. The singing of the coqui helps the Three Kings find Baby Jesus and in gratitude, they promise to visit every Puerto Rican child, every year, on the island or outside the island. As long as the coqui guides them with his singing.
Perhaps it is because when my children were little, I couldn’t find Spanish books. Or because I also couldn’t share books that had Latino characters with them, specifically Puerto Rican characters. Maybe, it is for both reasons that one of my missions the last couple of years has been to find those Latina authors, those Latino characters, those Latino-inspired themes, and shared them with my community. Speaking with Latina authors is a highlight of my work and I love sharing their work with the parents that always ask me for resources.
In case you didn’t know, Three Kings Day is a traditional holiday celebrated in Puerto Rico, Spain, and other countries across Europe and Latina America. It marks the adoration of baby Jesus by the Three Wise Men.
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Un coqui de Boriquén is the first book for Lara. “I wanted a book that would teach my daughter and other Puerto Rican children about the Three Kings Day tradition and the significance of their place in history. What a better way than to have our beloved coqui be the guiding “star” in our story.”
The book has been so well received that the English version of the Coquí de Boriquén is going to be released soon. Lara and her husband, Armando Valdéz, are also starting their own publishing house and will be releasing more children’s books. On their website, parents can also find a reading guide for parents and a stuffed coqui animal or “peluche,” and a set of stickers that would be fun for the kids.
“We want to keep creating quality children’s literature that tells our stories, and hopefully everyone all around the world will be able to enjoy them.”
For more about Lara and her initiatives visit her Instagram page.
Thank you, Lara!
