Cocuyo Lights the Way: A Diary from 1493 to 1496

By Danielle Smith-llera

Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Latino, Nuestras Voces shares inspiring Latino stories. In the summer of 1493, eleven-year-old Cocuyo is eager to find her place within her Ta no community on the island of Quisqueya. But in less than a year, her home, her family and friends, and her daily life will be forever changed by the arrival of Europeans. As Cocuyo learns more and more about the strangers who arrive by sea--and what they want from Quisqueya and its people--she looks for ways to help her community. At first, the Ta no try to befriend the strangers, but later they must protect themselves from invasion, disease, and enslavement. As the Ta no resist and survive, Cocuyo becomes determined to help preserve the culture that she loves. In diary format, the Nuestras Voces series profiles inspiring characters and honors the joys, challenges, and outcomes of Latino experiences.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1669012824
• ISBN13: 9781669012825
• Release Date: January 2024
• Publisher: Stone Arch Books
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.2" x 7.4"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7