Ricardo Aranda donates book royalties to Venezuelan children’s home

Boston-based Venezuelan author Ricardo Aranda Falvay is donating $5 from every copy of his bilingual children’s book sold through Dec. 31, 2026 to Hogar Bambi in Caracas. The effort ties a diaspora-focused holiday gift to support for children affected by earthquakes in Venezuela.

Why it matters: - Every Amazon purchase of Echando Cuentos de Venezuela through Dec. 31, 2026 sends $5 to Hogar Bambi, a Caracas children’s home. - The donation links a bilingual children’s book to direct support for children in Venezuela, including those affected by earthquakes. - The book also gives Venezuelan families abroad a holiday gift that connects children to their heritage.

What happened: - Boston-based Venezuelan author Ricardo Aranda Falvay is donating royalties from every copy of Echando Cuentos de Venezuela sold on Amazon worldwide through Dec. 31, 2026. - The donation amount is $5 per copy. - The beneficiary is Hogar Bambi in Caracas, Venezuela. - Ricardo Aranda said the book is part of his family’s way of helping children see Venezuela through their parents’ eyes, even if they have never been there.

The details: - Echando Cuentos de Venezuela is a bilingual children’s book built around Venezuelan stories and the experience of growing up far from the country. - The book is told as if narrated by children who know Venezuela through stories their parents share. - Artist Jean Carlos Estevez Tarriba, known as @art_doot, illustrated the book. - The book is available in paperback, on Kindle, and as a digital audiobook read by Ricardo Aranda’s children. - Amazon sales are available in the United States and in stores worldwide, including Mexico, Spain and Japan. - More Latin America platforms are coming soon. - In Venezuela, the book is sold at Hecho en Venezuela stores in Caracas and at Aeropuerto Internacional de Maiquetía. - Ricardo Aranda’s first book, The Things Kids Say Growing Up Bilingüe, received a 2025 International Latino Book Awards Honorable Mention for Best First Book. - Echando Cuentos de Venezuela also received an International Latino Book Awards Honorable Mention for Best Immigration Themed Book. - The International Latino Book Awards were founded in 1997 and are the largest awards in the United States celebrating Latino literature. - In 2025, the awards drew around 5,000 books in 87 categories, judged by more than 200 volunteers. - Ricardo Aranda wrote the book for the nearly 9 million Venezuelans who have left the country and are raising children abroad. - Ricardo Aranda’s son, Ricardo Luis Aranda, wrote Sunrise in the Amazon at age 11. - Sunrise in the Amazon focuses on threats to the Amazon rainforest and ways people can help stop deforestation. - Victor Kuripora Ikuju de Arruda, a Guaraní artist in Brazil, illustrated the younger Aranda’s book. - The book has been translated into Spanish and Portuguese with help from family and friends. - Ricardo Aranda is also the co-founder and CEO of Setú® Personal Care for Men, a dermatologist-developed men’s skincare brand made with Latin American ingredients.

Between the lines: - The project turns a personal family story into a broader diaspora appeal, combining cultural preservation with philanthropy. - The awards recognition gives the book credibility beyond its donation campaign and signals audience interest in immigrant and bilingual family stories. - Using Ricardo Aranda’s children as audiobook narrators reinforces the book’s theme of heritage passed across generations.

What's next: - Amazon sales will continue to generate donations through Dec. 31, 2026. - More platforms in Latin America are expected to carry the book soon. - Venezuelan families abroad can use the book as a holiday gift while contributing to Hogar Bambi at the same time. - Ricardo Aranda’s family story suggests more books may follow from the same bilingual, cross-cultural theme.

The bottom line: - Echando Cuentos de Venezuela is both a children’s book and a fundraising tool, using diaspora storytelling to support children in Caracas.