Miguel and the Grand Harmony

October 1, 2017

K-Gr 2- La Musica narrates this warm, lyrical tale of artistic exploration. The golden, fairylike character is born out of sound, "a single string plucked/or a note blown/or a beat rapped." Music is present in all of life's events, highs and lows, and takes part in the "Grand Harmony." For some unexplained reason, Miguel, a boy the narrator is drawn to, is forbidden to play music. He secretly practices on a makeshift guitar while his family joyfully make shoes. Noticing the colorless void that plagues Miguel when there is no music, La Musica engineers a genius plan involving mariachis, a mischievous dog, and a broken guitar to make the boy's dream to play the music in his heart come true. The character Mama Coco is referenced throughout (the mariachis are shushed by Miguel's grandmother so they don't upset Mama Coco), and this book ties into the plot of Pixar's Coco, but knowledge of the film isn't necessary to understand the work's celebration of music, creativity, and family. Ramirez's lively and vivid art captures the frenetic flow and the languid and exultant surge that music inspires. A candy-colored palette of oranges, purples, blues, greens, and reds depict varied settings, from a Mexican village square to quiet spaces of contemplation. Readers will want to drink up every page and phrase. VERDICT A must-purchase for picture book collections.- Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2017
Grades 1-3 La Musica narrates this touching, beautifully illustrated story about a boy with a seemingly impossible dream. As she travels through the town of Santa Cecilia, the music is everywhereat a wedding, a quinceanera, and beside a family in a cemetery. When the music comes across young Miguel, she instantly recognizes the longing in his heart, which he only shows when he is alone, and she knows that she must find a way to bring music into his life. Vivid and striking illustrations in vibrant colors cover every part of this story, showing the bustling town and the excitement in Miguel's heart, as well as the sadness. The calm, poetic writing nicely contrasts with the bright, lively pages to evoke the simple yet mysterious magic of the lure of music, which affects a wide range of cartoonish characters, from Miguel to his dog Dante to Mama Coco, who is saddened by music. Readers will cheer when the story comes around full circle and there is hope in Miguel's heart for a future full of song.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)