The Coquies Still Sing is a powerful story about home, community, and hope, inspired by the rebuilding of Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017, written by debut author Karina González and illustrated by Krystal Quiles. A Spanish edition, translated by Amparo Ortiz, is also available!

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.

Karina Nicole González spent her childhood between New Jersey and Puerto Rico. She is an educator and speech-language pathologist for NYC public schools, where Karina uses story-telling as a tool for language development with her elementary school students. Karina lives in Brooklyn with her partner, Aaron. She is the author of The Coquies Still Sing.

Family Storytime in partnership with Watchung Booksellers featuring Latina author Karina Gonzalez and her book The Coquíes Still Sing.

Bring a blanket and enjoy a story and activity on the Watchung Plaza Green