Want to visit Puerto Rico during Earth Day but can’t actually visit the island? Here are 5 Puerto Rican places you can visit through books. This year for Earth Day, I’m celebrating by exploring five of Puerto Rico’s most beautiful natural places.
A little heads-up before we dive in: most of these titles are older and may be harder to find. But don’t let that stop you! Go on a treasure hunt and check book sites like ThriftBooks, AbeBooks, eBay, Amazon or even local used bookstores and library sales. The exception is the Coco books, which are newer and more widely available. These are hidden gems worth tracking down, and trust me, they are absolutely worth it. Luckily, three out of the five books have a YouTube read aloud that I shared below. The other two, I’m sharing a video of the place.
All of my copies (except my Coco books) are actually used books, too, that I’ve bought throughout the years.
Disclosure: This post contains affliliate links. If you make a purchase using the link, I will receive a small monetary compensation. Thanks you!
5 Puerto Rican Places to Explore Through Children’s Books This Earth Day
1. Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy
The Camuy Cave Park is one of the largest cave systems in the world and this book is truly one of a kind.
Book: En las cavernas de camuy: Terón y su maravilloso mundo subterráneo (2001)
What happens when two friends, Pedro and Alejandra rescue a bat named Terón? En las cavernas de camuy written by Wenceslao Serra Deliz, illustrated by Nivea Ortiz Montañez is the story of how the bat repays the favor by taking them on a magical trip deep into the cave where he lives and all its underground wonders.
It’s a brilliant story that makes the mysterious world beneath Puerto Rico’s surface feel exciting and inviting rather than scary for young readers. And what a world it is! The Camuy cave system is one of the most impressive on the planet, with hundreds of caves carved out by one of the largest underground rivers in the world. This book is a rare find, but one that is absolutely worth tracking down because there is simply nothing quite like it in Puerto Rican children’s literature.
2. El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque gets not one but three books in this roundup, and honestly, it deserves it! Coco follows Puerto Rico’s beloved Iguaca, the Puerto Rican parrot, through the lush rainforest canopy. The good news? This is the easiest title to find of the bunch. Look for it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and independent bookshops. Sueño en El Yunque, on the other hand, is an older, harder-to-find title but a lyrical and dreamy look at the same magical forest.
Books: El Yunque: Coco, la Cotorra Puertorriqueña (2021) & Coco the Puerto Rican Parrot (2023)
Coco, la cotorra puertorriqueña is my book baby and it follows a Puerto Rican parrot going to live free after growing up in captivity in El Yunque and is excited to find parrots like him, but soon discovering his dialect sounds different from the wild-born ones. It’s a story that works on multiple levels: conservation, belonging, and the gift of bilingualism all woven together with lush, emerald-green illustrations.
The book received International Latino Book Awards Honorable Mentions in the “Mariposa Award” categories for Best First Book in Spanish and Best Illustrated Children’s Fiction Picture Book. A must-have for every kidlit shelf.
Sueño en El Yunque (2001)
Sueño en El Yunque written by Graciela Rodríguez Martinó, illustrated by Anaida Hernández comes alive through the eyes of the children who visit it. Its sunlight, animals, and lush vegetation woven into a story that blends history, geography, and rainforest facts in the most poetic way. It even touches on the devastating impact of Hurricane Hugo on the forest, making it a surprisingly timely read decades later. Lyrical, dreamy, and quietly powerful this one is harder to find, but absolutely worth the search.
3. Puerto Rico’s most powerful cultural and natural symbol: the Flamboyán tree.
Although this is not a Puerto Rican place perse it is about a tree widely found on the island. The flamboyán tree is one of Puerto Rico’s most iconic and beloved symbols, and this picture book celebrates it beautifully. A wonderful way to introduce children to the natural beauty that lines Puerto Rico’s streets and countryside, and to spark conversations about why protecting our trees and environment matters.
Book: El flamboyán amarillo (2006)
El flamboyán amarillo written by Georgina Lázaro, illustrated by Lulu Delacre is a beautiful story of a mother and child walking through the fields in Puerto Rico. The child collects a seed of the yellow tree and decides to plant it with his mother. He tends to the seed until it blooms only to find a sweet surprise when it does.
This book is a treasure that is written as a poem with multiple gifts for the reader: a mother’s love, the story of a tree iconic to Latin America and Puerto Rico, and the importance of sharing nature with children. This is a a classic that deserves a spot on every Puerto Rican bookshelf. It is great for Earth Day, teaching kids about the life cycle of the tree, from seed to tree.
Want to continue the conversation? Check out these extension activities found here.
4. El Bosque Seco de Guánica
This one is a true hidden gem. The Guánica Dry Forest is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the best preserved tropical dry forests in the world, yet it doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves. This book brings it to young readers in a way that is both educational and enchanting. Being a 1995 title, it may take a little digging to find, but it’s a wonderful conversation starter about the diversity of Puerto Rico’s ecosystems.
Book: En El Bosque Seco de Guánica (1995)
A curious sea turtle becomes your child’s guide through this delighful story En el Bosque Seco de Guánica written by Ángel Luis Torres, illustrated by Walter Torres of one of Puerto Rico’s most unique natural reserves. It introduces young readers to its remarkable plants and animals while planting the seeds of environmental awareness.
This book is part of the beloved Colección San Pedrito, a series where scientists, illustrators, and writers join forces to create stories that are as educational as they are visually stunning. True to that mission, it weaves in rich details about the dry forest’s ecosystem, honestly addresses the human impact on this fragile environment, and even includes a bibliography, a rarity in children’s books!
5. La Bahía de Jobos
Mangroves are some of the most important ecosystems on our planet, and Puerto Rico’s Bahía de Jobos is home to some stunning ones. This book follows Celita through the mangrove world, making it a perfect Earth Day read about conservation, coastal ecosystems, and the creatures that call them home. Another older title worth hunting down!
Book: En la Bahía de Jobos: Celita y el Mangle Zapatero (2004)
En la Bahía de Jobos: Celita y el Mangle Zapatero written by Ana Lydia Vega, illustrated by Yolanda Pastrana Fuentes is the story of a young Puerto Rican girl from New York visiting the island for the summer. She heads out fishing with her grandfather at the beautiful Bahía de Jobos discovering along the way the extraordinary and vital world of the mangroves.
Written by author Ana Lydia Vega, this story brings a diaspora lens to an environmental tale, making it especially meaningful for children who love Puerto Rico from afar. It’s the kind of book that makes kids feel connected to the land, the sea, and the island’s living ecosystems, quietly and beautifully.
There are so many other Puerto Rican places you could explore with your child but unfortunately there are not many books out there. Perhaps, a quick search on YouTube will yield some good Puerto Rican places, too. If you find any, let me know in the comments.
If you loved this list, you’ll love this one: 125 Amazing Children’s Books About Puerto Rico
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