La Guitarrista - by Lucky Diaz (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

From the creators of Paletero Man--Latin Grammy-winning musician Lucky Diaz and celebrated artist Micah Player--comes a story about a tenacious girl who achieves her wildest dreams with a little help from her community and a broken guitar.

Strum! Strum! Strum! Get ready to rock with la guitarrista!

When Canta finds a guitar in the trash, she is one step closer to becoming a rock star. Even though the guitar is broken and she doesn't know how to play, nothing can stop Canta from going after her dreams!

Perfect for fans of Because and We Will Rock Our Classmates, readers will rock out to this empowering tale of resilience, community, the power of music--and never giving up on your dreams.

The book includes Spanish words and phrases throughout, an author's note from Lucky Diaz, and a link to the song inspired by the book.

Review Quotes

Told with unitalicized Spanish and English intertwined, the rhymes are appropriately melodic, and the art is vibrant, full of warm tones and round-faced characters full of expression. It's a combination that works: a heartfelt story of a neighborhood coming together to help a little girl's dream come true and engaging illustrations that deliver. An inspiring story of perseverance. - Kirkus Reviews

This upbeat story carries positive messages about believing in yourself, persevering when others doubt you, and achieving your dream through hard work. A fun read-aloud pick for a bilingual (or any!) storytime. - Booklist

A vibrant rhyming celebration of an L.A. neighborhood community and one Latinx-cued child's determination to find "the song in my heart." Diaz's text flows smoothly between English and Spanish as a refrain of "Strum! Strum! Strum!" propels Canta's journey from observer to performer. Emotions leap from Player's warm-palette digital illustrations, which utilize emanata and deep perspective to create a sense of movement and passionate energy around Canta's larger-than-life dreams. - Publishers Weekly

The rhyming of this story only enhances the rhythm of the guitar readers might imagine playing in the background as they read. The illustrations are vibrant and add to the feel of the story, showcasing diverse characters and the energy of the Los Angeles neighborhood where it is set. With English and Spanish text, this book could be used to foster social and emotional learning, as well as highlighting diversity. VERDICT A recommended purchase that will be fun to share as a read-aloud and inspire readers to follow the song in their hearts. - School Library Journal