Sing It Like Celia, Monica Mancillas
Sing It Like Celia, Monica Mancillas
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Sing It Like Celia

Author: Mónica Mancillas

Narrator: Victoria Villarreal

Unabridged: 7 hr 2 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/02/2024

Synopsis

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.

About The Author

Mónica Mancillas based her debut middle-grade novel on her own childhood experiences and those of her beloved sister, who shares her love of music and will someday take the world by storm. Mónica received her BA in Anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley before pursuing a decade-long career in the recording industry. She currently teaches piano in Burbank, California, where she resides with her husband and daughter. Her previous work includes Mariana and Her Familia, The Worry Balloon, and How to Speak in Spanglish. Find out more about Mónica at www.monicamancillas.com.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Steena

I’m grateful to have read an ARC of this beautiful MG debut novel by Monica Mancillas. We learn that Salva’s mother has left suddenly, and she’s faced with many challenges, including living in a new place. Still, she stays hopeful for the truth from her mother. Her love for singing and the music of......more

Goodreads review by Cindy (leavemetomybooks)

Salva's world has been completely disrupted. Her mom disappeared one day and no one will tell her where she went, so she's now living with her journalist dad in a caravan at a campground. Salva loves to listen to and sing Salsa music, especially by Celia Cruz. She meets some local kids and joins the......more

Goodreads review by Julia✨Book Reviews by Jules✨

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own. I thought this book was really charming. It teaches children that they can be whatever they want to be and to not give up on their dreams, These are both important li......more

Quotes

"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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