La Meriendita: The Coquíes Still Sing/  Los coquíes aún cantan

Wednesday, October 11, 2023 at 4 PM ET

Join CENTRO in East Harlem for Meriendita, a story hour dedicated to children’s books! This month’s Meriendita features The Coquíes Still Sing/ Los coquíes aún cantan by Karina Gonzalez, a Pura Belpré Honor Book for Children’s Text and for Children’s Illustration and was chosen as the Read Across America book of the month for September! CENTRO partnered with the NYPL Aguilar Branch to provide a free book to to the children who attend this meriendita.

This book tells a powerful story about home, community, and hope, inspired by the rebuilding of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017. Co-quí, co-quí! The coquí frogs sing to Elena from her family’s beloved mango tree—their calls so familiar that they might as well be singing, “You are home, you are safe.” But home is suddenly not safe when a hurricane threatens to destroy everything that Elena knows. As time passes, Elena, alongside her community, begins to rebuild their home, planting seeds of hope along the way. When the sounds of the coquíes gradually return, they reflect the resilience and strength of Elena, her family, and her fellow Puerto Ricans.

Bring your little ones by for a story on their culture and snacks!

Cover art illustrated by Krystal Quiles

La Meriendita has been made possible in part by the support of the U.S. Congress. We thank Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and Representative Adriano Espaillat.