NONFICTION

¿Quién fue Celia Cruz?: ¿Quién fue? Un libro de cartón

by Lisbeth Kaiser (text) & illus. by Stanley Chow
Penguin Workshop/Rise X. (Who Was?). Nov. 2022. 24p. Board $7.99. ISBN 9780593522585. SP.
COPY ISBN
Toddler-PreS–Part of the “Who Was?” series, this board book in Spanish showcases the life of the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz. From the birth of Cruz in a humble home and family in Havana, Cuba, to her stardom as a refugee in the United States, this series entry covers a lot of ground—perhaps too much ground for the audience and format. Blocks of text, up to seven lines on each spread, won’t engage most toddlers, but the animated images will grab their attention. Cruz’s larger than life personality shines through the art, and bright hues make the book extra fun to look at. A thorough biography appears in the back matter.
VERDICT A good choice for sharing one on one, especially where representation of groundbreaking Black, female, Latinx artists is needed. Pair with Patty Rodriguez and Arianna Stein’s Celia for a well-rounded collection.
Reviewed by Shelley M. Diaz , Dec 16, 2022

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