Sing It Like Celia cover art

Sing It Like Celia

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About this listen

 Perfect for fans of The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise and Merci Suárez Changes Gears, Sing It Like Celia is a revelatory story about a Mexican American girl who finds her voice and herself with the help of her role model and icon, Celia Cruz.

Twelve-year-old Salva Sanchez has always been a fan of Celia Cruz, also known as “the queen of salsa.” Her love of Celia stems from her mother, who leaves Salva without explanation one awful day. Now Salva is stuck with her investigative journalist father in an RV campground. In the middle of nowhere.

As Salva acclimates to her new environment and desperately tries to figure out why her mother left, she befriends a posse of campground kids who have started a band. When the kids discover that Salva has an amazing singing voice, they convince her to join their group. Soon, Salva learns how to find her voice—and herself—with the help of her newfound friends, her dad, and the one and only Celia Cruz. Growing Up & Facts of Life Literature & Fiction Multicultural Stories Music & Performing Arts

Critic reviews

"A tender coming-of-age story about kindness, courage, and community." —Kirkus Reviews

"Mancillas handles the difficult topic of a parent who is incarcerated with care. . .an uplifting exploration of family and friendship, mental health, and finding one’s place." —Horn Book

"¡Azúcar!” Middle-grade readers will sing after reading this uplifting tale of music and friendship." —Booklist
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This is an imaginative story of a young girl as she learns to find her voice. Her story is set around herself and others facing different kinds of family separation and seeing how they learn to face that. It was a deeper story than I expected, and I found myself connected to Salva and her friends, wanting to know more. It's a well written book, and the narration fits it perfectly, blending cultures and ages seamlessly.

Beautifully written and performed!

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