Coquí in the City
by Nomar Perez (Author) Nomar Perez (Illustrator)
A heartfelt picture book based on the author-illustrator's own experiences, about a boy who moves to the U.S. mainland from Puerto Rico and realizes that New York City might have more in common with San Juan than he initially thought.
Miguel's pet frog, Coquí, is always with him: as he greets his neighbors in San Juan, buys quesitos from the panadería, and listens to his abuelo's story about meeting baseball legend Roberto Clemente. Then Miguel learns that he and his parents are moving to the U.S. mainland, which means leaving his beloved grandparents, home in Puerto Rico, and even Coquí behind. Life in New York City is overwhelming, with unfamiliar buildings, foods, and people. But when he and Mamá go exploring, they find a few familiar sights that remind them of home, and Miguel realizes there might be a way to keep a little bit of Puerto Rico with him--including the love he has for Coquí--wherever he goes.
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Publishers Weekly
Coquí, a tiny, smiling green frog, is Miguel's beloved pet in San Juan; Miguel takes Coquí everywhere, considering the amphibian "part of the familia." But when Mamá and Papá inform Miguel, who has light brown skin, that they're moving to the U.S. mainland, Miguel must leave Coquí behind "in the gentle hands of his abuelo." An eye-catching spread shows a cutaway of Miguel and his parents sitting on a plane, gazing at a colorfully airbrushed New York city-scape. Though "the newness of everything was overwhelming," Miguel soon finds familiar elements--the sound of frogs and the game of baseball in a park, and the flavors of home in a panadería. Contextual clues keep the text of Perez's gentle solo debut accessible to non-Spanish speakers, while glossy, vivid spreads bring Miguel's entwined trepidation and awe to life, resulting in a reassuring narrative. Ages 3-7. (Mar.)
Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.ALA/Booklist
Review quotes
JUV002120 - Juvenile Fiction | Animals | Frogs & Toads
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
Frogs
New York (State)
New York
New York (N.Y.)
Picture books
Moving, Household
Puerto Ricans
Frogs as pets
