Angélica and la Güira

by Angie Cruz, Luz Batista (Illustrator)

Overview

A young girl harnesses the power of music to bridge the distance between the Dominican Republic and Washington Heights in this jubilant picture book debut by Angie Cruz, bestselling and award-winning author of Dominicana.

Angélica has spent the summer in the Dominican Republic with her tías and primas, her grandparents, and their parrot, but soon she'll have to say goodbye. The end of summer means returning home to start school on another shore. Before she leaves, her grandfather gives her the perfect gift. It's something with the power to make people dance as fast as the wings of a hummingbird: a güira. Angélica falls in love with this musical instrument, though nobody shares her enthusiasm at first. "What is that sound," they say, "pennies inside a tin cup?" But on a hot, sunny day, in the land of Washington Heights, where the frío frío woman scrapes ice for a long line of customers and the men on the corner plunk dominoes on a makeshift carboard table, Angélica shows her neighbors the power of la güira.

Angélica and la Güira lovingly explores music and community, the wisdom and guidance of our elders, and the joy and freedom of dancing in the street. No matter where we are, music brings us closer to home. Available in English and Spanish.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593406014
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	07/30/2024
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	309,736
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD820L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Angie Cruz is a novelist and editor. She is the author of How Not To Drown in A Glass of Water and Dominicana, which was the inaugural GMA Book Club Pick and the 2019-20 Wordup Uptown Reads selection. It was shortlisted for The Women’s Prize, longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Aspen Words Literary Prize, it was a RUSA Notable Book, and winner of the ALA/YALSA Alex Award. Cruz divides her time between Pittsburgh, New York, and Turin.

Luz Batista is a story artist and illustrator who grew up in New York City, New Jersey, and Atlanta and spent many summers longing for a visit to the Dominican Republic. Luz graduated from the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in animation, and she’s currently a story artist and creative consultant at Disney TVA. Angélica and la Güira is her first picture book. Learn more about Luz at luzbatista.com and follow her @johnnyoctopus on Instagram.

Editorial Reviews

06/24/2024

As Angélica and her family prepare to travel from the Dominican Republic, where they’ve spent the summer, back to New York, she knows she’ll soon say goodbye to her family. The day before she leaves, Abuelito gives her a family heirloom, a Güira, shows her how to make its characteristic sound, and tells her about its unique power—“It makes the music go slow slow or speed up—fast fast.” But back in Washington Heights, Angélica struggles to find a place to play the Güira, dismissed by her family, the school orchestra, and the neighborhood jazz band. Realizing she can play alone, Angélica picks up the Güira on her building’s front steps, evoking the sounds of her ancestors on the instrument, and is soon joined by neighborhood musicians whose jam session leads to a fantastic block party. Batista’s digitally created art blends vivid, bright colors and fluid imagery that pairs well with Cruz’s uplifting text in this double picture book debut. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Publishing simultaneously in English and Spanish. Ages 5–8. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Angélica and la Güira By Angie Cruz; Illustrated by Luz Batista:

“Heartwarming themes of familial love and heritage resonate throughout, and Angélica is a resilient and empathetic protagonist; readers will admire her persistence as she searches for belonging. Rainbow-hued swirls emanate from the güira, infusing Batista’s orderly scenes with energy; use of onomatopoeia gives the text an enjoyably rhythmic quality. A melodic tribute to the power of music.”
–- Kirkus Reviews

“Batista’s digitally created art blends vivid, bright colors and fluid imagery that pairs well with Cruz’s uplifting text.”
 — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2024-04-20
Angélica is sad to say goodbye to her family in the Dominican Republic after a magical summer visit.

As a parting gift, Abuelito gives the child an antique güira, a cylindric metal percussion instrument. As he scrapes the güira with a metal comb, Abuelito tells Angélica about their ancestors who played the instrument before her. “This güira has power,” he tells her. “It makes the music go slow slow or speed up—fast fast.” Angélica is excited to bring this piece of her beloved Dominican Republic back home to New York City; she plays it loudly whenever she misses Abuelito. Her family and her orchestra teacher aren’t thrilled by the bold sounds, and Angélica can’t seem to find a place where her music is welcomed. Undeterred, she plays outside, drawing neighbors with tamboras, accordions, and more until their street ignites with music and dancing. In the rhythmic beats of the güira, Angélica finds a connection to her roots and a harmony that brings her Washington Heights community together. Heartwarming themes of familial love and heritage resonate throughout, and Angélica is a resilient and empathetic protagonist; readers will admire her persistence as she searches for belonging. Rainbow-hued swirls emanate from the güira, infusing Batista’s orderly scenes with energy; use of onomatopoeia gives the text an enjoyably rhythmic quality.

A melodic tribute to the power of music. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews