Stories from Puerto Rico / Historias de Puerto Rico

by Robert Muckley, Adela Martínez-Santiago

Dive into the tales of Puerto Rico--in Spanish and in English! In Stories from Spain/Historias de Puerto Rico , we've placed the Spanish and English stories side by side-- lado a lado --so you can practice and improve your reading skills in your new language while enjoying the support of your native language. This way, you'll avoid the inconvenience of constantly having to look up unfamiliar words and expressions in a dictionary. Read as much as you can understand, and then look to the facing page for help. As you read, you can check your comprehension by comparing the two versions of the story. You'll also find a bilingual vocabulary list at the end of the book, so you'll have a handy reference for new words. Stories from Spain/Historias de Puerto Rico allows you to explore the island's rich history. It includes 18 well-known Puerto Rican legends that stretch from the dawn of creation to the twentieth century. These tales will introduce you to an array of characters as dynamic and colorful as the country that gave birth to them. Animals, indigenous peoples, conquistadors, spiritual beings, and extraterrestrials are among those who will make these pages come alive for you! As you read these stories side by side, you will be not only fine-tuning your language skills but also gaining insight into the rich cultural heritage of the Puerto Rican people.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 11, 1999

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably not a fair rating as this “book” is intended as a “learn to speak Spanish” tool - or the reverse “learn to speak English.” However, I was looking for some Puerto Rican culture that I could grasp onto with an upcoming trip planned. That appears hard to find. I don’t seem to be able to find the “moveable feast” for Puerto Rico.

This book is laid out as a dozen stories side by side in English and Spanish. They are local folk tales and legends - I suppose similar to the thousand and one nights tales of Arabia (think Alibaba and the forty thieves). I seem to recall having similar iffy reactions to that one. I thought something would resonate here as I prepare for the trip. But with one or two exceptions, these felt like snoozers. Might be biased of me, but just didn’t get the vibe I was looking for.

If you are looking for a book to learn Spanish/english - great option. Entertainment…probably not unless you grew up with Puerto Rican heritage and these tales…

[Sarah Faulkner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Think this is intended to be more of a book for a student taking Spanish as a class; very simplistic writing style, but interesting to learn more about some of the myths and legends of Puerto Rico. Cool to have the side by side English and Spanish text if you also want to work on your Spanish reading skills.

[ivelisse estrada · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not sparkling prose or deep storytelling, but I'd still recommend this book to those looking to practice reading in Spanish. Although Spanish is my first language, I only have a very conversational vocabulary, which can make it frustrating for me to read Spanish literature. If there was a word I didn't know, I could refer to the English version on the facing page to get the gist.

[Jailene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting Puerto Rican folklore! I did try to look up the alien story to see the news article but came up short so a little bummed about that but otherwise good stories!

Because this is a Spanish learner book I know there are a great deal of details left out of these stories (that I’ve picked up from other scholars and books), but these stories are a good starting off point for sure.

[Marci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and interesting short stories/ fables about Puerto Rico and some legends of the island.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting overview of various Borikua tales (including a few Taino tales) but lacked the depth.

[Jennifer Pletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of short stories and legends of Puerto Rico. There are 18 stories in all - each only a few pages long. The stories are short, but they are entertaining and easy to understand. I love legen stories from these different countries. I have found a few of these books for my Read The World challenge, and I think they make an excellent addition to the shelf.



This book is only half in English and the other half is in Spanish. If you are learning Spanish, it would be a good side by side book in order to practice. So it is less than 100 pages of one language of reading - something you can easily tackle in a few hours. Check this one out.

[E · Rating 1 out of 5]

I like this method of practicing language, but the a lot of the stories were about royalty and some of the female characters seem to just be there to be married not really individual. Describes some characters with darker skin as "exotic"

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a side by side bilingual book lent to me by a neighbor. The stories are historical, anectdotal and fables of the country where I'm heading.

[MK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories in English and Spanish lado a lado!

[Miguel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for anyone wanting to know a little extra about the Puerto Rican culture.