  | Girl who wanted a piano = la nina que queria un piano Author: Garcia, Diana | |
| Price: $23.26 | ||
Summary:
Tells the story of a girl whose dream of playing the piano was hindered because of financial reasons, but who later in life established a community center that offered low-cost and even free music lessons to neighborhood children. In English and Spanish.
| Illustrator: | Utomo, Gabhor |
Reviews:
School Library Journal (10/01/25)
Booklist (10/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 10/01/2025 K-Gr 4—Ofelia falls in love with the sound of her teacher's piano and dreams of one day playing music herself. Though her family can't afford an instrument, Ofelia practices daily on a pretend "pillow piano," nurturing a deep passion that never fades. As she grows up, her love for music turns into a mission: to create a place where all children, regardless of income, have access to the arts. That dream becomes reality with the founding of El Centro Cultural Hispano, a vibrant community hub offering affordable or free music, singing, and dance classes. The illustrations are lively and expressive, with swirling musical notes that drift through the air, pour like raindrops, and weave between pages—visually echoing Ofelia's joy. Presented in both English and Spanish, the text is slightly denser than typical picture books, but the dual-language format is handled with elegance and care. VERDICT A heartfelt and inspiring story and a strong choice for library collections, especially where stories about perseverance and the arts are valued.—Kirsten Caldwell - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 10/01/2025 This poignant biography of Ofelia T. Vasquez-Philo, one of the founders of El Centro Cultural Hispano, which opened in 2010 in San Marcos, Texas, follows Vasquez-Philo in her childhood as she is introduced at school to the piano and wishes her family could afford one. Instead of being able to learn to play the instrument, Vasquez-Philo spends her life pretending to play and finding solace in the beautiful music she creates in her mind. In an emotional turn, adult Vasquez-Philo decides to purchase a piano and cocreates a community space so that low-income families can have their children learn to play the piano and other musical instruments, passing down her dreams and aspirations to the next generations. This English-Spanish bilingual rendering of one woman's story, accompanied by vibrant watercolor illustrations, highlights the subject's determination and generosity as well as her love for music and her community. - Copyright 2025 Booklist.
