The Coquíes Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding

by Karina Nicole González (Author) Krystal Quiles (Illustrator)

The Coquíes Still Sing: A Story of Home, Hope, and Rebuilding
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

A powerful story about home, community, and hope, inspired by the rebuilding of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017, written by debut author Karina González and illustrated by Krystal Quiles.

"This book is more than beautiful." - Yuyi Morales, Caldecott Honoree and New York Times bestselling creator of Dreamers

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.

As time passes, Elena, alongside her community, begins to rebuild their home, planting seeds of hope along the way. When the sounds of the coquíes gradually return, they reflect the resilience and strength of Elena, her family, and her fellow Puerto Ricans.

The Coquies Still Sing is also available in Spanish.

Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Kirkus Reviews

Starred Review
González's melodic text sings, like Elena's beloved coquíes, while Quiles' gouache and acrylic artwork pops with vibrant hues and textures. . . A heartfelt reminder that even in the most difficult times, dreaming of a better tomorrow strengthens family and community.

Review quotes

What a story of resilience and community! The Coquies Still Sing gives the reader the opportunity to recognize the things that we can do together to rebuild our lives and take care of our beloved communities. This book is more than beautiful. - Yuyi Morales, Caldecott Honoree and New York Times bestselling creator of Dreamers


Karina Nicole González

Karina Nicole González spent her childhood between New Jersey and Puerto Rico. She is an educator and speech-language pathologist for NYC public schools, where Karina uses story-telling as a tool for language development with her elementary school students. Karina lives in Brooklyn with her partner, Aaron. She is the author of The Coquies Still Sing.

Krystal Quiles has been drawing in her room since she could hold a pencil. She studied illustration and fine arts at Pratt Institute, and holds a BFA in Communication Design. Originally from the Bronx, Krystal works as a Freelance Illustrator in Brooklyn, where she creates pieces that are lively, fun and dimensional while embracing what it is to be a girl. She is the illustrator of The Coquies Still Sing.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781250787187
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Roaring Brook Press
Publication date
August 20, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013030 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Multigenerational
JUV039220 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Values & Virtues
JUV011030 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Hispanic & Latino
Library of Congress categories
-

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