Book Nook - La Guitarrista

 

Credit: Carson Sargent

From the creators of Paletero Man—Latin Grammy–winning musician Lucky Diaz and celebrated artist Micah Player—comes a story about a tenacious girl who achieves her wildest dreams with a little help from her community and a broken guitar: La Guitarrista. 

 

When Canta finds a guitar in the trash, she is one step closer to becoming a rock star. Even though the guitar is broken and she doesn’t know how to play, nothing can stop Canta from going after her dreams. Readers will rock out to this empowering tale of resilience, community, the power of music—and never giving up on your dreams.

 

Lucky has crafted a new "La Guitarrista" original song to go along with this story.

I had a chance to see a copy of the book, and I liked it. It's a beautifully illustrated story that obviously has music as its central driving force, but will appeal to all kids who like stories about the power of perseverance and working together.

You can learn more in this interview.

Why did you write this book?

What a great question! I wanted to continue telling the stories of the little fictional Los Angeles Micah Player and myself are building. There's so many characters and lives happening there. Canta's story felt like the next one to tell.

How can this book resonate with kids, even if they aren't involved in music?

I think as people we can all relate to dreams, dreaming and passions. The great thing about being a kid is discovering who it is you are. As an adult, I still feel like I'm doing that daily.That said, I know kids will relate to the idea of discovering a treasure and finding the treasure in ourselves.

What are some ways for parents and caregivers to encourage a love of music in kids?

I believe simply turning on the radio is an easy way to encourage a love for music with children. My earliest memories are listening to the Beatles in the car with my parents. They weren't musicians, but they loved art and music. I learned that from them right away.