La Guitarrista (English With Some Spanish)

K-Gr 3-A young girl finds a guitar in the trash and dreams of becoming la guitarrista, but first has to give her new instrument some much needed tender loving care. With the help of her neighborhood friends, she transforms her find into a functioning guitar. She is excited and nervous to start her guitar lessons, but those emotions soon change to embarrassment when her fellow music classmates make fun of her instrument. 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. The book spotlights the importance of upcycling, i.e., finding new uses for discarded items. The author's note also lends so much to this personal narrative and the importance of perseverance. VERDICT A recommended purchase that will be fun to share as a read-aloud and inspire readers to follow the song in their hearts.

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission. 

The creators of Paletero Man deliver a vibrant rhyming celebration of an L.A. neighborhood community and one Latinx-cued child’s determination to find "the song in my heart." When Canta, who loves to admire the expensive guitars at a local shop, finds a broken guitar in a dumpster, the story’s young narrator enlists neighbors’ help in repairing it before joining the "cool" kids at music school. Classmates mock the child’s sound, but a supportive teacher, Señora Clemente, encourages Canta to "Tune those doubts out!" 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. Ages 4-8. 

Copyright 2023 Publisher's Weekly, LLC Used with permission.