Coquí­ in the City

 

 Coqui in the City

Written and illustrated by Nomar Perez

Grade Level Prek-2^nd

Element 2: Respect for Others

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Short Summary

The book tells the story of Miguel, a young boy who moves with his family from Puerto Rico to New York City. Miguel loves his life in Puerto Rico playing outside, eating mangos from the tree, dancing, and spending time with his grandparents and his little frog, Coqui. When his parents announce that they are moving to the U.S., Miguel feels sad to leave his grandparents and Coqui behind.

Before Miguel leaves, his grandfather gives him a baseball as a reminder that he’s never alone. In New York City, Miguel is amazed by the bright lights and tall buildings but misses his old home. As he explores the neighborhood with his mom, he discovers familiar sights and sounds that remind him of Puerto Rico. Little by little, Miguel begins to feel at home again.

This story captures the challenges of moving to a new country and shows the importance of family support and love during times of transition.

Element 2: Respect for Others

This story is an Element 2: Respect for Others book because many kids and families live the experience of moving from their country of origin to the USA, and this book gives the class an opportunity to discuss about those experiences and the changes they face. This book promotes respect towards others experiences and creates a secure environment for children to share about their stories and for others to listen and honor them. It encourages the values of empathy, family, community, inclusion, and diversity.  It also helps students reflect on how they can support their classmates and what “home” looks like for everyone I the class.

Classroom Activities

Activity one: I will begin with a whole class read-aloud of the book. Afterwards, students will be invited to share personal connections with the story, such as experiences moving to a new place or knowing someone who has gone through similar changes. They will aso express their feelings about the story and reflect on their own experiences. Next, students will complete a sequencing activity to arrange the main events of the story in the correct order and respond to the question: What would you say to Miguel when he moved to the USA?

Activity two:  After the read aloud, students will share what makes them feel at home at school. Based on this discussion, they will work in small groups to create a three-step plan to help classmates feel at home and develop a sense of belonging in the school.

 

 

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