Frijolitos: Line of bilingual books and plush toys shares Latino Culture

Source: VPE Public Relations

The color and spirit of Latin culture comes to life through for young children through Frijolitos, a new collection of plush toys and bilingual book based on the antics of Picadillo the Armadillo, Albóndiga the Mariachi Dog, and Tugita Tere, a turtle.

The Frijolitos (Little Beans) collection was created through the imagination of Montebello entrepreneur Martha Barrios with the creative input of her family.  Each of the three characters comes packaged in a carrying bag that includes an illustrated bilingual book that tells the character’s story.

“I created Frijolitos because I remember when my kids were young how difficult it was to find bilingual toys that told them stories about their culture,” Barrios said.  “Some twenty years later, that was still the case and we decided to do something about it by creating Frijolitos.”

The three Frijolitos characters bring to life folk tales relating to Latino culture through stories that have been passed down from generation to generation.  The collection is available through www.frijolitosinc.com, Amazon.com. and select book and toy stores. 

“We saw a real void in the toy industry for Latino-themed toys and wanted to create products that celebrate our culture,” said Barrios.  “Our focus from day one has been to provide toys and books that enrich the lives of children and their families.  These are colorful, fun and educational books and toys that bring to life the richness and vibrancy of our Latino culture.”

As expressed by its slogan, ¡Viva La Cultura! – Long Live Latino Culture!, Frijolitos will make its mark by providing children and adults with the art of storytelling in its most enriching form.

“Our toys serve a dual purpose:  On the one hand, they celebrate the culture while on the other, they instill bilingual skills to both English- and Spanish-speaking children.”

Hispanic families are one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. toy-buying market.  A 2000 study by Simmons Hispanic Study found that 67.2 percent of Hispanic adults had bought games and toys within the previous 12 months, compared to 50.4 percent of non-Hispanics.  For more information and a list of stores that carry the Frijolitos line, please visit www.frijolitosinc.com.