July 1, 2020
Lopez follows the singer's short but influential career from childhood to young adulthood, emphasizing her Mexican American family's support and her natural talent. The tone is upbeat and focuses on Selena's devotion to family, her success, and her impact on Tejano and Latino music; events surrounding her murder are mentioned only in the back matter (leaving the main text feeling somewhat unfinished). After an illustrated timeline, Lopez provides "A Little More About..." related topics including some history of Tejano culture, Tejano music, quinceaneras, and the Texas towns where Selena grew up. Escobar's warm, stylish illustrations have a southwestern vibe. Quotations in the text are unsourced.
(Copyright 2020 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
August 1, 2020
Grades 1-4 In this new biography, L�pez shares her passion for iconic Mexican American singer Selena and Tejano music with young readers. Although the text is a little long for a picture book, the topic is fascinating. The story details obstacles Selena faced throughout her life, including economic hardship, struggles to learn Spanish (the language of Tejano music), and discrimination both against Latinx people and women performers. The true focus, however, remains on her love of music, fashion, family, helping others, and pursuing her dreams. The upbeat main text avoids mentioning Selena's violent death. Back matter, however, tells a little more about Selena's tragic murder, as well as relevant cultural and historical notes. Escobar's vibrant illustrations cover a large swath of each page, giving a strong sense of place and consistently conveying Selena and her family's joy in performing, whether at home or in more glamorous venues. Perfect for fans of Selena and Tejano music or for those interested in learning more about this unique culture and inspiring singer.Women in Focus: The 19th in 2020(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)
February 1, 2020
Grades 2-4 Through a thorough narrative, L�pez recounts the life of Selena Quintanilla, the Tex-Mex singer who paved the way for many Latinx artists. From her humble beginnings, Selena had an obvious gift for performing. As part of a family band, she traded living like a normal teenager for a life filled with touring and gigging. She learned Spanish, excelled in a genre that was dominated by men, opened her own fashion boutiques, and was about to break into the mainstream market when she was murdered. The text doesn't dwell on the circumstances of her death, but back matter goes into more age-appropriate detail. The joy that Selena brought to her audience is reflected in Escobar's resplendent illustrations, which buzz with a sense of movement. Vivid reds recall one of the singer's best-known songs, Como la flor. Some remarks about the young woman's curvy shape may be cringeworthy; nonetheless, this is the best option of its kind and a must for all picture-book biography shelves. A lovely tribute to the Queen of Tejano music.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2020
Nearly 25 years after her death, the musical origin and cultural impact of Mexican American performer Selena Quintanilla are celebrated. The story of Selena, as the singer and songwriter is still known, has been told before but not for so young an audience. L�pez splits the difference between a fawning tribute and a straightforward recounting of accomplishments by working hard to paint the picture of the artist's childhood and what led to her musical achievements. Amid Escobar's exceptionally detailed illustrative work, it's made clear how both the Quintanilla family's immersion in music and Selena's enduring work ethic led to her band's success. There's a lot of text in the book, but it's smartly framed within two-page spreads, and very little of it feels extraneous. Fans new to Selena's work may be surprised to learn that she was not a native speaker when she began performing in Spanish and that early in her career, sexism within the Tejano tradition was an issue. The artwork captures clothing and home furnishings of the time, such as Selena's cassette tapes, her father's guayabera shirts, and the singer's iconic stage costumes. Not surprisingly, there's not much dwelling on the circumstances of the singer's murder other than an explainer page and a mention in a timeline in the backmatter, which also offers other cultural context. The simultaneously publishing Spanish edition is a solid and careful translation preserving information, context, and nuance. A worthy picture-book primer on the Queen of Tejano music. (Picture book/biography. 6-9)
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January 1, 2020
Gr 2-5-This vibrant biography covers singer Selena Quintanilla's rise to fame, along with the struggles she overcame. Readers learn how Selena got her name, how she sang in the family's band as a young girl, and about the creation of Selena y Los Dinos. The smoothly paced story combines informative paragraphs about the subject's life with quotes from those who knew her, as well as from Selena herself. The colorful, almost vintage-style illustrations bring the entertainer and everything around her to life, including her trademark electric smile. The book shows how she reached impossible career heights and also mentions Selena's interests (designing clothes and working with children). A time line and additional text provides more information about Tejanos, Tex-Mex music, places where Selena lived, the tragedy that ended her life, and its heartbreaking aftermath. VERDICT Every part of this work, from the font choice to the illustrations to the text and endnotes, comes together to create a narrative as beautiful as its subject. Recommended for children's nonfiction biography collections.-Selenia Paz, Harris County Public Library, Houston
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