Books — Janet Balletta

🧜 Colombian Legend

The Legend of the Colombian Mermaid

📅 Published November 2013 · Spanish edition: La Leyenda de la Sirena Colombiana

Deep in the misty pools of the Colombian mountains, a beautiful young mermaid swims — and with her come timeless lessons of obedience, family values, and cultural tradition. Inspired by the bedtime stories Janet's mother shared with her as a child, this debut picture book brings Colombian folklore alive for a new generation of bilingual readers.

The Spanish edition, La Leyenda de la Sirena Colombiana, was translated by Maritza M. Mejia, preserving the warmth and rhythm of the original storytelling voice. Together, the two editions make a perfect classroom read-aloud pair.

🏅 2015 Mariposa Award — International Latino Book Awards, Best First Book
✝️ 2015 Christian Literary Awards — Finalist
🥇 2016 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards — 1st Place, Cultural Diversity

🛒 Buy on Amazon

⚓ Puerto Rican Legend

The Legend of Roberto Cofresi — A Puerto Rican Hero

📅 Published September 2015 · Spanish edition: La Leyenda de Roberto Cofresi

Roberto Cofresí was no ordinary pirate. Beloved by the people of Puerto Rico for his generosity and fierce loyalty, his legend has sailed across generations. Janet Balletta brings his story to life in vivid bilingual colour, drawing on the tales her father shared growing up — stories that blended Caribbean pride with the romance of the high seas.

The Spanish edition, La Leyenda de Roberto Cofresi — Un héroe de Puerto Rico, was translated by Ana Morris and earned its own international award for excellence in literary translation.

🏆 2016 International Latino Book Award — Best Latino Focused Children's Book
🥇 2017 International Latino Book Awards — 1st Place, Best Translation

🛒 Buy on Amazon

🌊 Environmental Adventure

Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Oceans

📅 Published February 2018

Inspired by devastating oil spill events in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Florida, this empowering story follows a courageous group of mermaids who refuse to let pollution destroy their underwater world. Through teamwork, creativity, and environmental courage, they show young readers that even the smallest voice can make a difference.

With activities ranging from an oil-spill clean-up experiment to Earth Day poetry, this book is a classroom favourite for environmental literacy units in Grades K–2.

🏆 2018 International Latino Book Award — Best Educational Themed Book
🌿 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards — 1st Place, Best Green/Environmental E-Book

🛒 Buy on Amazon 🌿 Free Activities

📖

Reading Buddy Packets

Pair any book with a Reading Buddy Packet — available in English and Spanish. Each packet includes comprehension activities, vocabulary builders, and story-response worksheets designed for Grades K–2. $25.00 plus shipping.

💳 Pay with PayPal