Reading this book has really made me cherish my childhood growing up in a Mexican household. This book gives courage to students to go after their dreams which is powerful when one can relate to it. The bilingualism is great!

My Name is Celia tells the vibrant story of Cuban legend Celia Cruz. Ever since she was a little girl, Celia dreamed of being a singer. Her mother wanted her to become a teacher, but Celia had other plans. With a lot of work and determination, Celia becomes a famous singer known as the Queen of Salsa. The illustrations and imagery in the book were done spectacularly, mirroring the joy and rhythm Celia Cruz emitted in real life. Told in Spanish and English, this book was a fun and entertaining read. ( )

I really enjoyed this book for its multicultural attributes. Every page has translation for english and in spanish, so any child can read whether they are an English Language Learner (ELL) or an English student learning another language. The main character, Celia, is a young girl from Havana who grew to become famous and make the community happy with her beautiful music and salsa. This book can be easily relatable to latino students and can bring community to the classroom and allow the latino students to be accepted and confident in themselves. This book is developmentally appropriate for grades 1-4 and can be used to teach bilingual importance and hispanic heritage. ( )

My Name is Celia” is a book about Cruz, a Cuban-born salsa dancer. Cruz is encouraged to find her voice by her teachers from a young age. Cruz is forced to overcome racial discrimination and Castro’s communist regime at the time. This book is great for guided reading and creates a multicultural library. ( )

This was beautifully written and illustrated. As a Cuban American, this book filled me with so much joy! The authentic representation of our culture was perfect. I loved the rich descriptions Brown uses with similes, onomatopoeias, and adjectives so perfect the reader can digest the words through the senses. In addition to the beautiful choice of words and gorgeous illustrations, the book delivers important lessons for children. For one, Brown mentions the difficulty that Celia Cruz faced due to the color of her skin and her perseverance to be heard anyway. The book mentions that Celia was poor, but describes a warm and loving family that cherished music. Brown also explains that Celia had to leave Cuba due to the revolution, but she “carried her people in her heart.” With so many students that are immigrants, this is a beautiful message. The United States is a melting pot and we can carry our cultures in our hearts as we celebrate what it means to be American. I recommend this book for any classroom. It would be a great read for Hispanic Heritage month too! ( )