If someone ever told me I'd be listening to books instead of reading them, I might have given them some serious side eye... until now!

You know what used to stress me out most about the holidays?

Figuring out the gift situation.

What are we buying for whom and how are we delivering it?

The list was always long; the number of days too short.

A few years ago I decided it was time to streamline.

Now my holiday shopping consists of gifting either books, handmade products I purchase from friends, or coquito (Puerto Rican coconut holiday drink) that I make and bottle myself.

For kids, I try to gift holiday themed books or books aligned with their current interests. (Check out my round up of holiday books here: Holiday Books for Your Kids: From Thanksgiving to Día de Los Reyes).

When choosing books for adults, I do my best to gift signed copies of books written by my friends (win win win!).

Read on below for more on my gift giving strategy and for a round up of 2018 books written by my phenomenal friends!

I hope this lists inspires you to support these writers and/or your own creative friends this holiday season. ​

¡Felices Fiestas!

If your family is anything like mine then it's watching a lot of baseball these days in anticipation of the World Series!

From mi Bisabuela (a Dodgers fan) to my little one (whose word for baseball is Do-dus), Baseball has been a family affair for as long as I can remember.

This year is no different and it's baseball baseball baseball all the time up in here!

Go Dodgers!

In honor of the season, here's a peek at our hearty collection of Books for Little Baseball Fans. Plus I've thrown in a few bonus books for the young at heart.

Enjoy the list below, grab a book or two for your favorite kiddos, and don't forget to share this list with all the baseball lovers in your life!

Welcome back! Today I share the third post in the Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico series, featuring my newest addiction: podcasts!

In case you missed them, check out:

Part 1: Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico: Book Recommendations
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Part 2: Spend You Summer with Picture Book Recommendations

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.

Can't spend YOUR summer in Puerto Rico?

Then let me bring a little Puerto Rico into your summer in the best way I know how--through books!

This month's blog series, Spend Your Summer with Puerto Rico, is inspired in part by my summers in Puerto Rico. I talk a little about those summer visits here.

Today's post--the first of a three part series-- features some of the books on my summer reading list.
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I hope you get inspired to add Puerto Rico books onto your list!