Stella Díaz Never Gives Up - (Stella Diaz) by Angela Dominguez (Hardcover)

About the Book

From award-winning author Angela Dominguez, comes the novel Stella Diaz Never Gives Up, a novel about a shy Mexican-American girl who speaks up to help save the ocean from pollution.

Book Synopsis

From award-winning author Angela Dominguez comes the novel Stella Diaz Never Gives Up, a story about a shy Mexican-American girl who becomes an environmental activist and makes a difference in her community.

Stella gets a big surprise when her mom plans a trip to visit their family in Mexico! Stella loves marine animals, and she can't wait to see the ocean for the first time . . . until she arrives and learns that the sea and its life forms are in danger due to pollution.

Stella wants to save the ocean, but she knows she can't do it alone. It's going to take a lot of work and help from old and new friends to make a difference, but Stella Díaz never gives up!

This is the second middle-grade novel from award-winning picture book author and illustrator Angela Dominguez. Based on the author's experiences growing up Mexican-American, this infectiously charming character comes to life through relatable story-telling including simple Spanish vocabulary and adorable black-and-white art throughout.

Reading level: 630L 4.2

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2020 for Younger Readers

Review Quotes

"Readers don't need familiarity with Stella Díaz Has Something To Say to fall in love with [Stella]. The protagonist will endear readers to her; she may also create some environmental converts." --Kirkus Reviews

"A stellar sequel or stand-alone title with a plot that strikes the perfect balance between character-driven action and activism." --School Library Journal

Praise for Stella Diaz Has Something to Say:

2019 Sid Fleischman Award winner
A 2019 Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Notable Children's Book
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids 2018
Top 10 Showstopper Favorite
One of Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best Books 2018"

"Fans of Clementine and Alvin Ho will be delighted to meet Stella." --School Library Journal, starred review

"Readers should easily relate to Stella, her struggle to use her voice, and the way she feels caught between worlds at school and at home." --Publishers Weekly

"An excellent, empowering addition to middle grade collections." --Booklist

"A nice and timely depiction of an immigrant child experience." --Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will agree with Stella's mother and brother that she is, as her name suggests, a star." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A rich narrative." --Horn Book

"Delightfully rich, both humorous and sensitive." --Margarita Engle, Young People's Poet Laureate

"Stella Díaz is a delight!" --Monica Brown, author of the Lola Levine series

"Shy yet spunky Stella speaks to feeling different, to conquering fears in order to make a new friend, and to learning that, like the starfish who shares her name--Estrella--she is stronger than she thinks." --Danielle Davis, author of Zinnia and the Bees

"An inspiring tale of self-discovery." --Minh Le, author of Let Me Finish!

About the Author

Angela Dominguez was born in Mexico City, grew up in the great state of Texas, and now resides on the east coast. She is the author and illustrator of several books for children including Maria Had a Little Llama, which received the American Library Association Pura Belpré Illustration Honor. Recently, she received her second Pura Belpré Honor for her illustrations in Mango, Abuela, and Me written by Meg Medina. When Angela is not in her studio, she teaches at the Academy of Art University, which honored her with their Distinguished Alumni Award in 2013. She also enjoys presenting at different schools and libraries to all sorts of ages. Angela is a proud member of SCBWI, PEN America, and represented by Wernick and Pratt Literary Agency. As a child, she loved reading books and making a mess creating pictures. She's delighted to still be doing both.