Cruzita and the Mariacheros

A sweet summer quest for identity and belonging.

This excellent debut has heart and soul, with an obvious deep love and appreciation for the culture in each word.

A Mexican American seventh grader's dream leads to her embracing her heritage with vigor in Granillo's tender debut. In Pacomina, Calif., Cruzita Tayahua aspires to become a singer. Her plans to enter a singing contest--and hopefully win the prize money--go awry when her beloved great-uncle Chuy dies, leaving the Tayahuas scrambling to keep their family-owned bakery afloat. To curb Cruzita's upset surrounding her parents' inability to take her to the contest and the neglect she feels over their increased workload, her grandmother gives her an old family violin and enrolls her in mariachi lessons, hoping that Cruzita can find comfort through her love of music. But Cruzita worries that her not speaking Spanish will result in ridicule from fellow bandmates ("I never feel like I'm Mexican enough"). As she makes new friends and learns to embrace Latin music, however, she devises a way to win the contest and help save the bakery. Granillo gently tempers the Tayahuas' grief over Tio Chuy's death by focusing on the characters' lighthearted developing relationships and relates the feeling of being disconnected from one's heritage via Cruzita's learning more about her roots. An author's note concludes. Ages 11-14. Agent: Hannah Andrade, Bradford Literary. (Apr.)

Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

 Gr 5-7–The summer before middle school is not going as Cruzita expected. Instead of preparing for the Rising Star Contest at Encore Island amusement park, she is stuck working in her family’s struggling bakery. Things go from bad to worse, when her mother tells her she can no longer listen to the CDs of 1990s boy bands and pop stars that she loves and must focus solely on work. In an effort to give her back some music, her grandmother enrolls her in mariachi lessons. As Cruzita attends the classes, she gains more than music; she finds friends and a newfound respect for her culture and family. Readers will empathize with Cruzita, who feels like she doesn’t quite fit in as a Mexican American who does not speak Spanish. The recent passing of her great-uncle, the only family member who understood her, has left Cruz and her family dealing with their grief in different ways. Readers will root for Cruzita to embrace her new love of her mariachi family and her attempts to save the family business. Back matter includes Cruzita’s CD playlist and questions for discussion.

VERDICT Mariachi, family, and pan dulce are the ingredients for this perfect middle grade novel. Highly recommended for all middle grade collections.

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal LLC. Used with permission.