Preserving the Color and Culture
of Puerto Rico through
‘There’s a Coquí in My Shoe!’

  • Environmental Consciousness – There’s a Coquí in My Shoe! promotes interest and awareness of the environment reminding us of our right to preserve and improve the Earth and its wildlife.
  • The Fauna (Animal Kingdom) of Puerto Rico – In addition to depicting the 17 species of Puerto Rican coquí frogs, the storybook features the Puerto Rican Boa, the Puerto Rican Parrot, the Puerto Rican Lizard, San Pedrito Todies, Hummingbird, and other insects.
  • The Flora (Plant Kingdom) of Puerto Rico – Exotic and endemic flowers and plants are shown such as Puerto Rico’s national flower, the Flor de Maga or Flower of Maga, Lobster Claw, Red Ginger, Bird of Paradise, Morning Glory, Red Anthurium, Parrot’s Beak, sierra palms, bamboo, and tree ferns.
  • Historical and Geographical References of Puerto Rico – Historical and geographical references are mentioned and depicted throughout the story such as El Morro (Puerto Rico’s best-known fortress), Old San Juan (Puerto Rico’s historic district showing Spanish wrought iron and pastel colored homes), Casa Rosa (former Spanish army quarters), El Yunque National Forest (El Yunque is the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System), and the white, sandy beaches namely Luquillo Beach (Puerto Rico’s most famous beach).
  • Puerto Rico’s National Anthem – Stanzas of Puerto Rico’s National Anthem, La Borinqueña, are mentioned in the storybook.
  • Traditional Dress of Puerto Rico – There’s a Coquí in My Shoe! features Armando wearing Puerto Rico’s well-known wearing apparel for men (the güayabera (gwa-yah-bera)), which is the traditional Puerto Rican dress shirt.
  • Musical Instruments – The storybook depicts musical instruments in Puerto Rican dance such as the güiro (gwee-roh) (a dried out gourd with grooves cut into it which is rubbed with a scraper or stick), the panderos (tambourine-like instruments), the cuatro (a guitar-like instrument), the congas, and the plenera drums (lightweight, hand-held drums).
  • Stimulating Cultural Diversity – There’s a Coquí in My Shoe! stimulates interest in cultural diversity opening minds and building bridges within communities and across borders so that children of all backgrounds can experience the wonders and beauty of Puerto Rico.
  • Puerto Rican Celebrities – Puerto Rican celebrities, who have made a significant contribution to the arts and humanities, have endorsed the book and are tied into the story.
  • Yummy Tastes – Puerto Rico’s favorite pastime, eating piragüas (pee-rah- gwas) (flavored snow cones) is mentioned in the story.
  • Vibrant Illustrations – The illustrations to the storybook are bright, bold, and colorful, representing the island and its wildlife.