Paloma's Song for Puerto Rico, 1898

"Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Latino, Nuestras Voces shares inspiring Latino stories.

It is 1898, and twelve-year-old Paloma lives in Puerto Rico with her Papi, Mama, and little brother, Jorge. They are coffee farmers, and Paloma loves the goats, chickens, and fruit trees that she helps to care for. She also loves music—the song of the coqui frogs who sing her to sleep, and the melodies from Papi’s tiple guitar. But Paloma’s world begins to change when war arrives on Puerto Rico’s shores. What will happen to their culture, the island? As Paloma and her family navigate changes they can’t control, they hold tightly to each other and hope for a better future. In diary format, the Nuestras Voces series profiles inspiring characters and honors the joys, challenges, and outcomes of Latino experiences.

Interest Level: 3-7 / Reading Level: Ages 8-11

Other Titles Available in the Nuestras Voces Series:

- On the Home Front with Valentina: A Diary from 1940 to 1943

About the Author

Adriana Erin Rivera is a New York-based author of Puerto Rican descent. Her writing has been published in the New York Metro, Latina Magazine, and Footwear News. She is also a singer and songwriter and has written theatrical pieces that have been performed on New York City stages. A magna cum laude graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Marketing Communications. Her debut novel Swing Sets, a coming-of-age story, was inspired by her own inner child. Adriana loves to travel and always enjoys visiting Puerto Rico.

About the Illustrator

Eugenia Nobati was born in Buenos Aires, where she still lives and works. She worked as a Graphic Designer until 1998 then decided to dedicate herself exclusively to Illustration. Since then, she has been drawing and painting everything from postage stamps to packaging, character design and animation backgrounds. Specializing in illustration of children's books, her work has been published in nine countries with more than 50 books.