“My Name is * Me llamo”

The life of Celia Cruz

La vida de Celia Cruz

Brown, M., & Pez, R. (2004). My name is Celia: The life of Celia Cruz = Me llamo Celia : La vida de Celia Cruz. Flagstaff, Ariz.: Rising Moon.

Readability Lexile: None Available

Target Audience: Ages 5 and up

Setting: A magical Latin dreamland

Theme: Language learning

Characters: A cast of singers, dancers, musicians, animals, and beautiful landscapes.

Summary: Celia Cruz was born in Havana, Cuba on October 21, 1925. She first gained recognition in the 1950s, as a singer with the orchestra Sonora Matancera. Relocating to the United States after the ascent of Fidel Castro, Cruz recorded 23 gold records with Tito Puente, the Fania All-Stars and other collaborators. Cruz died in New Jersey in 2003, at the age of 77. 

Monica Brown, the author of My Name is/Me llamo/The Life of Celia Cruz paints a beautiful picture of Cruz's life in this bi-lingual book. It's pages are filled with beautiful scenes of dancing, singing, animals, and wonderful landscapes. The pictures are vibrant and busy. Each page tells a story in Spanish and English. As you go through the book, memories of Cruz's childhood are recalled: long bus rides to singing competitions, her schooling, her family, and the Revolution.

Cruz's Father wanted her to be a teacher, but she wanted a career in music. Cruz enjoyed a successful life and won many Grammy's for her music. She was known for living her life to the fullest every day and often reminded people to do the same. This is a wonderful book that tells her story and doubles as a learning experience. It meets the requirements for high quality literature as set forth by Norton (2011).