Ang?lica and La G?ira

A young girl harnesses the power of music to bridge the distance between the Dominican Republic and Washington Heights in this jubilant picture book debut by Angie Cruz, bestselling and award-winning author of Dominicana.

Ang?lica has spent the summer in the Dominican Republic with her t?as and primas, her grandparents, and their parrot, but soon she'll have to say goodbye. The end of summer means returning home to start school on another shore. Before she leaves, her grandfather gives her the perfect gift. It's something with the power to make people dance as fast as the wings of a hummingbird: a g?ira. Ang?lica falls in love with this musical instrument, though nobody shares her enthusiasm at first. "What is that sound," they say, "pennies inside a tin cup?" But on a hot, sunny day, in the land of Washington Heights, where the fr?o fr?o woman scrapes ice for a long line of customers and the men on the corner plunk dominoes on a makeshift carboard table, Ang?lica shows her neighbors the power of la g?ira.

Ang?lica and la G?ira lovingly explores music and community, the wisdom and guidance of our elders, and the joy and freedom of dancing in the street. No matter where we are, music brings us closer to home. Don't miss the Spanish-language edition of this book, Ang?lica y la g?ira.

Author: Angie Cruz
Publisher: Kokila
Published: 07/30/2024
Pages: 40
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 9.10h x 11.10w x 0.40d
ISBN: 9780593406014
Audience: Ages 4-8


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 05/15/2024
Publishers Weekly 06/24/2024

About the Author
Angie Cruz is a novelist and editor. She is the author of How Not To Drown in A Glass of Water and Dominicana, which was the inaugural GMA Book Club Pick and the 2019-20 Wordup Uptown Reads selection. It was shortlisted for The Women's Prize, longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction and the Aspen Words Literary Prize, it was a RUSA Notable Book, and winner of the ALA/YALSA Alex Award. Cruz divides her time between Pittsburgh, New York, and Turin.

Luz Batista is a story artist and illustrator who grew up in New York City, New Jersey, and Atlanta and spent many summers longing for a visit to the Dominican Republic. Luz graduated from the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in animation, and she's currently a story artist and creative consultant at Disney TVA. Angélica and la Güira is her first picture book. Learn more about Luz at luzbatista.com and follow her @johnnyoctopus on Instagram.