The Coqui and The Iguana

The Coquí & The Iguana is a story about a young girl's adventure while on a family vacation in Puerto Rico. The book takes place in La Parguera, one of Puerto Rico s three bioluminescent bays. During a nighttime family excursion, she and one of her native cousins, Sebastian, are taken to La Parguera. Apprehensive about being in a strange place in complete darkness, surrounded by foliage and unfamiliar nocturnal noises, the main character is reluctant to embark on the outing. To ease her apprehension, Sebastian tells her a story about a native frog, the coquí­, and an iguana. The coquí was frightened on a moonless evening and ceased his nightly chant. The iguana, relying on the coquí s singing to lull him to sleep, shows the coquí that there is light even in the darkest situations. After the tale, Sebastian shows his cousin that La Parguera's water appears to glow in the dark. The combination of the story and the main character's personal experience, demonstrate to the reader that even though places may seem strange or uncomfortable at first, it is important to give them a chance and overcome our fears.