Alicia and the Hurricane/Alicia Y El Huracán: A Story of Puerto Rico/Un Cuento de Puerto Rico (Bilingual English/Spanish)

Illustrations aptly convey Alicia's emotional journey as well as the bright, tropical colors of Puerto Rico. The layout of this bilingual book foregrounds the Spanish translation by Lázaro... and the English text includes Spanish words readers can understand from context, as cognates, or using the book's glossary.

Alicia's character represents Puerto Rican strength, and her story demonstrates how family and hope can move one forward in beautiful ways.

K-Gr 3--Alicia and her family live in Puerto Rico, where she loves to fall asleep to the sound of the coquí, a tree frog abundant on the island. However, when Hurricane Maria hits Puerto Rico, the family has to shelter away from home with hundreds of other people. Newman offers an accessible glimpse of the effects of hurricanes in communities. This child-friendly picture book expresses the loss of homes and neighborhood damage from the eyes of a supportive and loving family. The bilingual story, which features from one to 10 lines of text per page, is set to a small black-and-white font with Spanish terms interlaced in the English text. The third-person narrative, set primarily on full spreads, moves the plot forward with text repetition and some vocabulary words. Newman utilizes onomatopoeia to represent the sound of the coquí, which may enhance a story time activity where children imitate this frog during the reading. This book could also be used in a social studies unit covering natural disasters for younger elementary students. The acrylic paint and charcoal illustrations depict the story's plot with a palette of primary and pastel colors. The illustrator captures scenes of Puerto Rico, revealing her own rich heritage. VERDICT An expressive picture book that will offer comfort to children who have experienced natural disasters and help other young children empathize with their classmates.--Kathia Ibacache

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"While reading this book I was taken back to the fear and uncertainty of the days before and after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017. Like young Alicia, I also noticed the silence that invaded the nights. Like Alicia, I missed the sound of the coquí, a little frog-like animal whose voice resonates every night as a reminder that we are in Puerto Rico, and how proud we are to be Boricuas. Like Alicia, I also felt that the silence of the coquí meant that hope had been lost. But young Alicia teaches us that when the people of Puerto Rico began to help one another, the coquí began to sing again. And that song is a symbol of the strength and love that we show when we stand up for each other. Alicia and her family remind us that if we are together, HOPE, like the song of the coquí, will be ever present in our lives." — Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto, Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, 2013—2020; Weissman Fellow, Mount Holyoke College, 2021

"Este cuento me acordó el miedo y la incertidumbre que sentí los días antes y después de que el Huracán María destruyera a Puerto Rico el 20 de septiembre del 2017. Como la pequeña Alicia, yo también note el silencio que invadió las noches. Como la pequeña Alicia, yo también noté el silencio que invadió las noches. Como Alicia, me hizo falta el sonido del coquí, una pequeña ranita cuya voz resuena en la noche y nos recuerda que estamos en Puerto Rico y que estamos orgullosos de ser boricuas. Como Alicia, sentí que el silencio del coquí quería decir que ya no quedaba esperanza. Pero la pequeña Alicia nos enseña que cuando la gente de Puerto Rico se ayuda los unos a los otros, el coquí comienza a cantar. Y esa canción es símbolo de la fortaleza y el amor que demostramos cuando estamos juntos. Alicia y su familia nos recuerdan que, si estamos unidos, la esperanza, como la canción del coquí, estará siempre presente en nuestras vidas." — Carmen Yulín Cruz Soto, alcaldesa de San Juan, Puerto Rico,2013—2020; Weissman Fellow, Mount Holyoke College, 2021

Best Books of 2022, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature
Best Children's Books of the Year in Spanish, Bank Street College of Education