Comelibritos' Corner: Puerto Rico

Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico:
​Picture Book Recommendations (Part 2/3)

This is the second of the three part series: Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico.

In case you missed it, check out Part 1: Book Recommendations.

Today's edition of Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico turns its attention towards my youngest audience and to the adults who love them.

As I've mentioned before, I love picture books and I've collected them for years--long before I became a mother myself.
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My ever growing picture book collection focuses on stories from underrepresented communities in general, but one of the most robust sections is, unsurprisingly, the one containing picture books about Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans.

The list below features some of my son's and my favorites. They should be on your list for any of the comelibritos in your life--especially the Puerto Rican ones.

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A Note on Comelibritos:

​The word comelibros* took on a whole new meaning when I had a baby who, quite literally, put everything in his mouth.

In a house full of books, my little one has been a comelibritos extraordinaire. 

That is why when I was thinking about how I would share my love for picture books on this blog, the name "Comelibritos" came to mind almost immediately.

I hope you enjoy this and future installments of "Comelibritos Corner."

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​​* the literal translation for comelibros is book eater, but the common English translation is bookworm.

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Full Disclosure:

As always, I encourage you to support your local bookstores and libraries! Be sure to ask them to stock these books if they don't already carry them. 

If, however, you plan to purchase any of these books online, please use my affiliate links below; as an affiliate, I may earn a small commission for qualifying purchases (at no cost to you) which supports my work.

You may also consider finding your favorites on these alternate booksellers' sites:

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Libros Bilingües / Bilingual Books

Shake It, Morena

Compiled by: Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Illustrations: Lulu Delacre

My all time favorite illustrations of Puerto Rico are in this book. For that reason alone it's worth buying. The riddles, games, and songs will bring back fond memories for anyone who played Puerto Rican games on the island or off!

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Arrorro, Mi Nino (English and Spanish Edition)

Selected and Illustrated by: Lulu Delacre

You can buy an audio CD companion with this book and they are both great. We've both listened to the songs and games and looked through the book and my little one loves both. Each of these classics is translated into relatively decent translations (some hold up better than others as is to be expected). My son is especially fond of the many tickle games... no compres carne ni de aquí / ni de aquí / ni de aquí / solamente de por aquí

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Tito Puente, Mambo King/Tito Puente, Rey del Mambo (Pura Belpre Honor Books - Illustration Honor)

by Monica Brown
Illustrated by Rafael López

Speaking of my kiddo's favorites... Tito Puente is king in our home. We get multiple requests per day for videos of him jamming with Celia Cruz or Sheila E. I fear his mini bongos will soon give way to a full mini drum kit. Pray for me! But I digress...

​This picture book biography of El Rey del Mambo / The Mambo King is a must have for any Puerto Rican picture book library. The illustrations are stunning and the story makes you fall in love with Tito Puente all over again--because you were a little in love with him already, am I right?

Bonus Books about Tito Puente's friend Cuban Singer Celia Cruz:
​Monica Brown's My Name is Celia / Me Llamo Celia is equally fantastic. As is the Lil' Libros board book The Life of Celia / La Vida de Celia. Tito Puente makes an appearance in both books celebrating legendary Cuban singer Celia Cruz.

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Libros en Español

Pon, pon: A jugar con el bebe! (Serie Cantos y Juegos) (Nueve Pececitos) (Spanish Edition)

​Selección: Josefina Barceló Jiménez
Ilustraciones: Mrinali Álvarez Astacio

I love this sweet collection. The little hand games are perfect for your tiniest Ricans. The book title refers to the Puerto Rican favorite: pon / pon / pon / el dedito en el pilón.

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Cuando los grandes eran pequeños. Julia de Burgos (Spanish Edition) (Cuando Los Grandes Eran Pequenos)

por GeorginaLázaro
​Ilustrado por Poli Marichal

Julia de Burgos is Puerto Rico's premier poet--and the subject of one of my dissertation chapters. In this picture book in verse we venture into Julia de Burgos' childhood, including her days beside her famed Río Grande de Loíza.

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De La A a la Z Puerto Rico / Puerto Rico A to Z (de la A A la Z (A to Z)) (Spanish Edition)

por Georgina Lázaro
Ilustrado por Mrinali Álvarez

This book is hard to find, but it's totally worth it if you can get a hold of a copy. The illustrations are vivid and from coquí to flamboyán to piragüero to Taíno, this book does the alphabet right!

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BONUS: ABC Coquí

My writing comadre just told me about another adorable picture that goes through the alphabet highlighting common Puerto Rican words and symbols:

A - Amapola
B - Borinquen
C - Coqui

I haven't snagged my copy yet, but this one's definitely on my to buy list!

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Book in English

Clemente!

by Willie Perdomo
Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Written by fellow poet Willie Perdomo, this book features a young boy named Clemente who celebrates his namesake the famed Boricua player Roberto Clemente. His adoration makes for the perfect picture book biography. A must have for any baseball and/or Roberto Clemente fans.

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Available en Español & English Versions

Kiki Kokí: La Leyenda Encantada del Coquí (Kiki Kokí: The Enchanted Legend of the Coquí Frog) (Spanish Edition)

To purchase the English version, click here.

If you miss the lull of the coquí's song, you'll enjoy this sweet myth of how a young Taíno boy became a frog and inspired the chorus all islanders know and love: coquí coquí coquí!

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Before You Go...

Read:

Picture Books for this Political Climate

Part 1: Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico: Book Recommendations

Part 3: Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico: Podcasts


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