There’s a Book for That: Puerto Rico
September 28, 2017
September 2017 has been the most active month of any Atlantic hurricane season on record (weather.com). The devastation, and resulting humanitarian crisis, caused by Hurricane Maria has thrust Puerto Rico and The Virgin Islands into the latest news. Puerto Rican officials said electricity may not be fully restored for more than a month. Three million of the island’s U.S. citizens still lack adequate food, water and fuel. With this in mind, we are spotlighting Puerto Rican literature.
PUERTO RICO MIO: FOUR DECADES OF CHANGE, IN PHOTOGRAPHS by Jack Delano
Puerto Rico Mio is an extraordinary collection from two series of photographs: the first taken when Delano first went to Puerto Rico with the Farm Security Administration in 1941-42 and the second when he re-photographed those same places in the 1980s.
BORICUAS: INFLUENTIAL PUERTO RICAN WRITINGS - AN ANTHOLOGY edited by Roberto Santiago
"Boricua is what Puerto Ricans call one another as a term of endearment, respect, and cultural affirmation; it is a timeless declaration that transcends gender and color. Boricua is a powerful word that tells the origin and history of the Puerto Rican people." —From the Introduction
MUNDO CRUEL: STORIES by Luis Negron, Suzanne Jill Levine
A finalist for a Lambda Literary Award, Luis Negrón’s debut collection reveals the intimate world of a small community in Puerto Rico joined together by its transgressive sexuality. The writing straddles the shifting line between pure, unadorned storytelling and satire, exploring the sometimes hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking nature of survival in a decidedly cruel world.
CONQUISTADORA by Esmeralda Santiago
An epic novel of forbidden love and adventure by the author of the bestselling memoir When I Was Puerto Rican, in which passions and politics collide in 19th century Puerto Rico.
THE MEANING OF CONSUELO: A NOVEL by Judith Ortiz Cofer (ages
The Signe family is blessed with two daughters. Consuelo, the elder, is thought of as pensive and book-loving, the serious child-la niña seria-while Mili, her younger sister, is seen as vivacious, a ray of tropical sunshine. Two daughters: one dark, one light; one to offer comfort and consolation, the other to charm and delight. But, for all the joy both girls should bring, something is not right in this Puerto Rican family; a tragedia is developing, like a tumor, at its core.
FOR YOUNGER READERS
GOOD NIGHT PUERTO RICO by Lisa Bolivar Martinez, Matthew Martinez, Joe Veno (board book; ages 3 and under)
Good Night Puerto Rico features Old San Juan, El Morro, El Yunque, Kiosks of Luquillo, Canopy tour, celebrating “Los Reyes,” surfing in Rincón, caves in Camuy, vejigantes in the Carnaval de Ponce, La Fortaleza, the lighthouse at Cabezas de San Juan in Fajardo, Plazas of Puerto Rico, local foods, and more.
EMILY GOLDBERG LEARNS TO SALSA by Micol Ostow (ages 12 and up)
Emily is a Jewish girl from the suburbs of New York. Her mother has family in Puerto Rico, but Emily has never had contact with them—ever. Then Emily’s grandmother dies and Emily is forced to go to the Caribbean for her funeral. Buttoned-up Emily wants nothing to do with her big, noisy Puerto Rican family, until a special person shows her that one dance can change the beat of your heart.
For more information on these and related titles visit Puerto Rico
Popular Company News
Penguin Press to Publish Charles Spencer’s SWAN SONG, the Story of His Sister Diana, Princess of Wales
August 20, 2026
Charles Spencer will publish SWAN SONG: Diana, My Sister which tells the story of his sister Diana’s life from a brother’s perspective, with Penguin Press, a…
There’s a Book for That: 9/11, 25 Years Later
September 11, 2026
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in attacks on the World Trade…
Delacorte Press to Publish First-Ever English Translation of the Third Book in Eiko Kadono’s Internationally Acclaimed KiKi’s Delivery Service Series
August 21, 2026
The internationally acclaimed Kiki’s Delivery Service series featuring one of fantasy‘s most beloved heroine continues with new English-language editions, with the third installment, KIKI AND THE…
Viking Penguin Acquires U.S. Rights to Bestselling Self-Published Series, THE UNSELECTED JOURNALS OF EMMA M. LION
September 18, 2026
Brian Tart, President & Publisher of Viking Penguin announced the acquisition of U.S. rights to Beth Brower’s THE UNSELECTED JOURNALS OF EMMA M. LION. Allison Dobson,…
Publishing Profiles: Meet Edwin Vazquez, Senior Designer, RHPG
August 25, 2026
For Edwin Vazquez, Senior Designer at Random House Publishing Group, the design process begins long before he opens his laptop. It starts in the stacks of…
Skip Dye to Receive BISG’s 2026 Sally Dedecker Award for Lifetime Service
August 26, 2026
We're thrilled to share that The Book Industry Study Group (BISG) has named our very own Skip Dye, Senior Vice President, Penguin Random House, the 2026…
There’s a Book for That: Women in Translation Month
August 13, 2026
Before we say goodbye to August, we want to honor Women in Translation Month (#WITMonth). Launched in 2014 by book blogger Meytal Radzinski, Women in Translation Month…
Author John Green Earns a Guinness World Records™ Achievement for the Most Tip-In Sheets Signed by an Author
September 25, 2026
Penguin Random House is pleased to announce that internationally bestselling author John Green is the new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS title holder for the most tip-in sheets…
Celebrating Our 2026 National Book Award Longlisters
September 17, 2026
The National Book Foundation has announced the longlists for the 77th National Book Awards, with this year’s selections unveiled exclusively in The New Yorker. Since their establishment…
