Coqui in the City
Written and Illustrated by Nomar Perez
Written for grades Prek-2
Where to find the book
Short Summary:
This story is a powerful book that can be relatable to many students of different ethnicities. It is a book that shows the experience of a child named Miguel who moves from their home in Puerto Rico, the place that is all they know, to move to New York. During this move the child is sad about leaving his beloved abuelos, his pet frog coqui who he did everything with, not being able to get quesitos.
Upon moving to this new city, Miguel was overwhelmed by the new atmosphere, the sounds, the people, all the what ifs about being a new person in a new place until his mama and him go exploring. While exploring they find things that seem familiar to him that remind him of home, Spanish words, music, the sound of a frog that reminded him of coqui, a baseball field that reminded him of the signed baseball by Roberto Clemente that his abuelo gave him, and his dad found a place that sold quesitos and surprised him after work.
What had seemed so unfamiliar started turning into things that were familiar to him that made him feel like he belonged, in an atmosphere that was similar to him. The story ends with Miguel feeling at peace with the sounds of the Spanish music that reminded him of home, and helped him drift into sleep as like the sound of his coquis helped him sleep back home. He discovered then that being somewhere new wasn’t so bad after all.
Element 2: Respect for Others
Like many children who migrate to a new place at such a young age with their families to have a better future, Miguel came from Puerto Rico to New York, left behind all that he knew, to start fresh and new in place unknown to him. This book falls under Element 2: Respect for Others because he endured similar things that many other children in the United States endured before moving to somewhere unknown, starting somewhere new where you sometimes feel like you don’t belong. The respect aspect of this Element is giving the ability to allow students to share their cultural background like Miguel did with his pet coqui, the baseball his Abuelo gave him that was signed by a Puerto Rican baseball player, his favorite snacks, the things that make him feel at home while respecting the diversity of where he is from, and teaching other that he is like them in many ways, and each persons culture is just as beautiful.
Classroom Activities:
Show a read aloud video if you don’t have access to the book. Here is a link to it.
Create a T Chart on intimidating things when moving to a new place and things to make the move smoother.
Create a T chart on how you felt, or your peer thinks you felt or would feel if and when you first made the move, versus how you felt once you got to know the community. Did anything make you feel at home, or remind you of home, do you wish you could go back home, or stay at your new home and why?
Draw and color a picture that shows a time Miguel started warming up to his new home.
Other lessons available in this link
Resources
Resources with more information on the book, the author, lessons, book readings, etc
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