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Alicia and the Hurricane / Alicia y el huracán

Review
By Booklist

Hurricanes are a part of island life in Puerto Rico, and in this bilingual picture book (which places the Spanish text first), readers are treated to vibrant, compelling artwork and a tender story about one girl’s experience with such a storm. Alicia adores the sound of coquíes, the native frog of the island, whose chant helps her fall asleep. Her routine is disrupted one day when a harsh hurricane comes to Puerto Rico. The family boards up their house and seeks safety at a storm shelter, along with many other Puerto Ricans. Once there, Alicia wonders what will happen to the little coquíes exposed to the storm. The hurricane rages for two days, and when the family emerges, it is to much flooding and destruction, powerfully captured in Baez's acrylic paint and charcoal illustrations. However, the community works together to start repairing their neighborhood, and the coquíes resume singing as night falls. Alicia’s character represents Puerto Rican strength, and her story demonstrates how family and hope can move one forward in beautiful ways.