ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT by Delia Ruiz

A Chat with Delia

Come listen in as Delia and I chat about the inspiration and origin of her book, as well as it's journey to publication.  We dig into the musical connections in the book and so much more!  It's a delightful conversation that ends with what Delia has up her sleeve next!  Pop in and find out all about plena, panderos, coquis, bomba, and what books are coming next for Delia.  Be sure to check out all the resources below and share this episode with your favorite teacher, librarian, or family!  It's full of amazing music, nature, encouragement to dream and of course, a great book with a great story!

ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT

Roqui is a tiny coqui with a big dream. He wants to be a drummer -- to play the pandero and make plena music like back home in Puerto Rico. When he moves to New York with his family, he feels smaller than ever. Roqui must believe in himself and try his best if he is going to play the pandero like his papa.  Sprinkled with Spanish and musical terminology, this story is a multi-layered journey from Puerto Rico to New York. It's perfect for ESL students and teachers -- or anyone who's ever had to leave home and adapt to somewhere new. It's also perfect for kids with big dreams -- or small bodies -- or both!  It's a great "I can" message without being preachy. It's also a great introduction to Puerto Rico.

A Little Jam. . .(The Music Kind)

Senor Matos gives a great demonstration and explanation of the three different pandero drums.   This is a perfect video for kids (and grown-ups) who want to understand what a pandero is, and how they are played.  If you want something different, be sure to check out the YouTube playlist in the links section below! There is ambient music with coqui song, songs about the coqui, more plena music, bomba music, dancing, information about Puerto Rico and more! There are also some great play-alongs too!

​Teacher Tips, Tricks and Topics
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Social Studies
Puerto Rico study (geography, history, culture, music, etc.)

Science
Coquis -- life cycle, range, etc.

Math 
Story problems using coquis, pandero drums, musicians

ELA
onomatopoeia
Spanish vocabulary
Conversation/quotation marks
problem/solution

SEL
Tenacity
Positive thinking
​Affirmations
body positivity
​Moving cities/countries
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​Tips and Topics for Music Teachers
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• The Music of Puerto Rico
  • Bomba
    • Instruments
    • Dance
  • Plena
    • Different types of pandero drums
    • Different rhythms/roles for each drum
• Rhythm practice
  • Handheld drums (play-alongs, call and response, improvisation, reading rhythm cards, etc.)
  • Syllables in the book (cafe con pan, etc.)

​Writing Prompts from Tonnye
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1. Listen to examples of plena music and bomba music from Puerto Rico. Which do you prefer and why?
2. Have you ever felt like you were too _______ to do something? (too small, too tall, too thin, too thick. . . ) How did that feel?  How did you handle that?
3. Do some research on Bomba music and dance. Why was it important to the people of Puerto Rico?
4. If you could play any instrument, which would you choose, and why?
5. Write a story about a coqui frog.
6. Write a song about the coqui frog or about leaving home.
7. Have you ever had to move from one place to another? What was hard about the move?
8. Write a story about a child that moves from you home town to ______.. What challenges do they discover? How do they overcome them?
9. Are you close with your dad? If , what is one thing your dad does that you would like to do? How can you make that happen?
10. Write a story about moving.
11. Make a list of all the things you would miss about your home and your town if you had to move.
12. Write a story about a character with a big dream.
13. Write about the life cycle of the coqui frog.
14. Write a story as a conversation between a parent and a child.
15. Write a poem with a rhythm. Read it aloud while playing a beat on a drum. Make adjustments until they sound good together. Share it with someone.

Writing Tips from Delia

​I look at the first and last sentence of my manuscript and see if they align back to the theme. 

 I separate my layout into spreads and look at the final sentences. I ask myself, would this follow a page turn or would someone stop reading here? I want readers to be hooked and want to turn the page each time.

I don't write everyday but I find the time to do writing related things like cleaning up my workspace, writing bullet point ideas of potential book topics, reading, and resting.

 With revision, I wrote the entire PB story from scratch and see what moment stuck and which scenes generated new ideas / outcomes. This helps me keep the heart and adjust any areas I might want to change when I compare it to the original.

Links, More Fun, Extensions for Families and Everyone!

YouTube playlist featuring plena music, panderos, coquis, Puerto Rico, bomba music and more!

Teachers' Guide/Activities

Pinterest board with lots of related resources: Coqui, Puerto Rican music, maps, flags, history, coloring pages, and more!

Guest Links and Giveaways
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Delia Ruiz 
Delia Ruiz is a first generation Latinx author. She enjoys creating teacher materials under her teacher store Aventuras En ESL. Aventuras En ESL is also her social media platform used to showcase diverse books, especially Latine/x book picks. Her published books include the International Latino Book Award-winning Roqui’s Pandero Beat and the !1,2,3 Baila! board book series. Delia enjoys time at home, writing, and going on long walks. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband and pug. She is represented by Sera Rivers at Speilburg Literary Agency.
​Website   
To purchase ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT, visit Delia's website (this link)
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Delia is generously offering a signed copy of ROQUI'S PANDERO BEAT to one lucky winner! Simply leave a comment below by 11:59 PM on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 and we'll randomly select a winner.  


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