The Legend of the Coquí

PreS-Gr 1–For readers who love origin stories and legends, this book answers the question of how the coquí became one of the symbols of Puerto Rico. Lázaro and Robert set the stage: An island with a verdant rain forest, clear tropical waters, and sparkling waterfalls. Then comes the cast: Beautiful birds and animals follow the bucolic cycle of eating and sleeping each and every day. One day the queen of the forest, the green parrot, decides that such lethargy will not stand, and organizes a race; each type of animal is invited to send one of their kind to enter. There is the promise of a prize. Robert’s bright, engaging illustrations capture the excitement and energy of the animals as they prepare; the text demands to be read aloud for its use of onomatopoeia in the sounds of the racers.