Mi Ciudad Sings

by Cynthia Harmony, Teresa Martinez (Illustrator)

Overview

After experiencing a devastating earthquake, the spirit of a charming and vibrant Mexican neighborhood might be shaken, but it cannot be broken.

As a little girl and her dog embark on their daily walk through the city, they skip and spin to the familiar sounds of revving cars, clanking bikes, friendly barks, and whistling camote carts. But what they aren't expecting to hear is the terrifying sound of a rumbling earthquake...and then...silence.
 
With captivating text and lively, beautiful illustrations, this heartwarming story leaves readers with the message that they can choose to be strong and brave even when they are scared, and can still find joy and hope in the midst of sadness.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593226841
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	06/14/2022
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	182,338
Product dimensions:	10.44(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.42(d)
Lexile:	AD760L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Cynthia Harmony is an educational psychologist who has created exhibits and bilingual learning materials for children and science museums. Originally from Mexico City, Cynthia is a children's author and translator, and this is her debut picture book.

Teresa Martínez is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including The Halloween Tree, Sing with Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla, and It’s Not a Bed, It’s a Time Machine. She lives in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Editorial Reviews

"Mi Ciudad Sings is both a heartwarming ode to the musical heart of a city and a reminder that even though the tune may change, we are strongest when we lift our voices and our hands together in hope and love." —-Andrea Wang, author of WATERCRESS


"Harmony’s sweet story line about humanresilience is brought to vivid life by Martínez’s illustrations, which clearly mirror the movement ofa tumultuous natural disaster, as well as the joy in recuperating after such an event. A helpfulglossary sits at the back of the book, ready to help young readers with the Spanish vocabularyand phrases present in the text." —-Booklist


"Mi Ciudad Sings is a lovely poem about community, friendship, and hope. ¡Me encanta!" —-Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor–winning author and Young People's Poet Laureate Emeritus


"In this sweet and hopeful story, Harmony pays homage to the city of her birth. At first the streets of Mexico City ring with happy sounds and song as the young protagonist stomps, skips, and leaps through her neighborhood. With the great rumble of an earthquake, there is suddenly silence, and new sounds—of fear. Soon though, hands clasp together as people help each other, and the ciudad wakes up once again to music." —-Monica Brown, award-winning author


This lovely picture book will inspire kids (and adults) to take a moment to listen to the world around them. It will also inject a sense of pride in their neighborhood and surroundings. The familiar 'Look to the helpers' is accompanied by 'look to your neighbor' in this stirring picture book" —-School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/08/2022

K-Gr 2—A sweet tale of community and hope in the face of adversity. A little girl with brown skin and her dog walk through their city, admiring the sounds it makes—the revving of the cars, humming radios, the whistling of street cars. Its harmony is interrupted by the loud rumbling of an earthquake, and for the first time, the city is silent. Without skipping a beat, the community members unite to help those who were affected by the natural disaster. Sounds from sirens and helicopters fill the air, and emergency personnel step in, but that's not all. The little girl decides to put her part by returning the baker's dog to him. And as her neighbors work to repair their beloved city, they sing and dance to the traditional Mexican song "Cielito lindo." This lovely picture book will inspire kids (and adults) to take a moment to listen to the world around them. It will also inject a sense of pride in their neighborhood and surroundings. The vibrant and colorful art depicts a city with Spanish-language signs, esquite carts, and compote stands. The diverse cast of background characters have expressive faces, and the artist's loose lines bring to mind the movement of dance and song. Pops of pink lend a layer of joy to the illustrations, despite the difficult circumstances. An author's note explains how the book was inspired by a devastating earthquake in Mexico City when the author was a child in 1985, and by another in 2017. VERDICT The familiar "look to the helpers" is accompanied by "look to your neighbor" in this stirring picture book. Recommended.—Shelley M. Diaz

School Library Journal