Alicia and the Hurricane / Alicia Y El Huracán: A Story of Puerto Rico / Un Cuento de Puerto Rico

Best Books of the Year, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature
Best Books of 2022, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature

Bestselling author Lesléa Newman offers a tender and timely story of a Puerto Rican child facing a hurricane and her concern for the beloved coquíes of her home island.

La autora de bestsellers Lesléa Newman ofrece un tierno y oportuno cuento de una niña puertorriqueña que enfrenta un huracán y su preocupación por los amados coquíes de su isla natal.

After snuggling into bed each night, Alicia listens for the big voices of the tiny coquíes that live all around Puerto Rico and sing her to sleep. Ko-kee, ko-kee, the little frogs call. Ko-kee, ko-kee.

One day a terrible hurricane comes to Puerto Rico, and Alicia and her family take refuge in a shelter. At bedtime Alicia hears grown-ups snoring and babies crying, wind howling and rain pounding. But even though she listens hard, she cannot hear the song of the coquíes. Are the little tree frogs safe? And what will Alicia and her family find at home when the storm is over?

Alicia and the Hurricane is a tender look at the resilience of people, and native creatures, whose lives have been disrupted by a natural disaster. With love and support, family and friends come together to share, rebuild, and fill Alicia's heart with hope. Ko-kee, ko-kee!

Después de acurrucarse en la cama cada noche, Alicia escucha las formidables voces de los diminutos coquíes que viven en todo Puerto Rico y le cantan para que se duerma. Co-quí, co-quí cantan las ranitas. Co-quí, coquí.

Un día un terrible huracán viene a Puerto Rico y Alicia y su familia se cobijan en un refugio. A la hora de dormir, Alicia oye los ronquidos de los adultos y el llanto de los bebés, el aullido del viento y el golpetear de la lluvia. Pero a pesar de que escucha con atención, no puede oír el canto de los coquíes. Estarán a salvo las ranitas? Con qué se encontrarán Alicia y su familia cuando la tormenta haya terminado?

Alicia y el huracán es una mirada sensible a la tenacidad de la gente y otras criaturas de la naturaleza cuyas vidas son afectadas por un desastre natural. Con amor y apoyo, las familias y los amigos se reúnen para compartir, reconstruir y llenar el corazón de Alicia de esperanza. Co-quí, coquí!

LESLÉA NEWMAN is the author of more than seventy-five acclaimed books for readers of all ages. She has received numerous awards for her work, including two Stonewall Book Award Honors and a creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Newman is alsoa popular presenter at conferences, libraries, and schools. She lives in Holyoke, Massachusetts, with her spouse, Mary Grace Vazquez. Learn about Newman's books for children at lesleakids.com.

ELIZABETH ERAZO BAEZ is a Puerto Rican visual artist who is inspired by the greenery of Puerto Rico and the beauty of its landscapes. As a result, her paintings focus on tropical scenes and portraits of the Caribbean. She also works as an elementary school art teacher. Baez lives with her family in Miami, Florida. You can find her online at baezfineart.com.

GEORGINA LÁZARO adapted the English text ofAlicia and the Hurricaneinto Spanish. She is a Puerto Rican poet whohas written poems that introduce children to Frederico García Lorca, Pablo Neruda, Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote, and other mainstays of Hispanic/Latinx culture and tradition. She alsowrites and translates children's books. Lázaro lives with her family in Ponce, Puerto Rico.