  | Guitarrista Author: Diaz, Lucky | |
| Price: $23.98 | ||
Summary:
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, with the help of her community, nothing can stop Canta from achieving her wildest dreams!
| Illustrator: | Player, Micah |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 2.00 Points: .5 Quiz: 519768 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (02/15/23)
School Library Journal (04/01/23)
Booklist (05/15/23)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 05/15/2023 Canta, a Latine girl with music in her heart, spots a treasure sticking out of a dumpster: an electric guitar! Though it’s broken in two, she takes it home, and Mamá adds a bright pink sash to hold the guitar while Canta plays. Next stop is Fernanda’s shop, where Fernanda—tattooed and unquestionably cool—quickly repairs the guitar. As the girl continues down the street to her first lesson, Lupita pops her head out of her auto body garage and offers to paint Canta’s guitar bright red. When she finally arrives at the music school, the other kids make fun of her strumming, but Señora Clemente cuts through the negativity with some sick electric riffs and words of encouragement for Canta. This upbeat story carries positive messages about believing in yourself, persevering when others doubt you, and achieving your dream through hard work. Reminiscent of the duo’s previous book, Paletero Man (2021), the rhyming text moves at a brisk clip, effortlessly mixing English and Spanish. A fun read-aloud pick for a bilingual (or any!) storytime. - Copyright 2023 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 04/01/2023 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.—Darla Kaminsky - Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
