Drum, Chavi, Drum!/¡Toca, Chavi, toca!

Rating:
Summary: FUNtastic, Vibrant, Colorful, Inspirational!
Review: A wildly creative/artistic romp through Cuban Miami's Calle Ocho festival in Little Havana. Feisty, strong Cubanita tumbadora player's drum sounds leap off the pages. Your children (and you)will fall in love with Chavi and want to start speaking Spanish, drumming, and dancing merengue! Tender, heart-felt bilingual story (written in Spanish and English) about a drummer girl who shows the world that unlike what her teacher, family and barrio friends think, Cuban girls CAN and SHOULD be able to play tumbadoras!

A must buy for kids who love fun stories that inspires them to think critically, create, and perform. For Latino/Cuban book collectors, parents who want to teach their children Spanish or English, libraries, teachers of ESL, music teachers, performance art teachers, and for anyone interested in Latino cultures, particularly the Miami Cuban working-class culture.

FUNTASTIC!

Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly rough and authentic.
Review: Chavi loves to play the drums and she is determined to represent her school in the most popular celebration of her barrio, "el carnaval de la Calle Ocho". She is the best drummer in her school, and wants to be rightfully recognized for her talent. Author and illustrator make a perfect match in bringing to live the colors, sounds, and flavors of Miami's Little Havana. Coupled with colorful and very amusing illustrations, the lively text maintains the roughness and authenticity of a Cuban-American child growing up in Miami. The Spanish language translation, filled with colloquialisms, is even more enjoyable than the English. Drum, Chavi, Drum is another example of Children's Book Press' dedication to depicting the reality of growing up Latino in the United States.

Rating:
Summary: Spunky Cuban Girl/Tender Little Havana Festival Story
Review: Cuban-American Chavi has such character and spunk. Your children will fall in love with her conga sounds/passion for perseverance/spunky attitude/and the cartoon-like, wild illustrations. A must buy for anyone interested in exposing children to ethnic cultures set in US communities/barrios and Spanish & English language.

Rating:
Summary: Clinical Psychologist
Review: I was so thrilled to find this children's book! Not only does it speak about issues of cultural diversity, but also of gender diversity. The main character, a delightful and energetic Chavi, has a dream that will not be broken by others, despite their strong opposition resulting from cultural and societal norms. This book also teaches about the Cuban culture in a way that is not only authentic, but fun. Drum Chavi Drum is a light-hearted story of a child who has a dream that is innocent and noble, and that cuts across gender stereotypes. She has a significant lesson to teach every child who reads it, and most importantly, every parent. I congratulate Ms. Dole for such beautiful and sensitive work.

Rating:
Summary: Rhythmic Spanish/English Story Set in Little Havana
Review: In a promising debut, author Mayra L. Dole takes young readers to the Cuban-American celebration on Calle Ocho in the heart of Miami's Little Havana neighborhood. Gender roles are addressed with thh story of young Chavi who loves to drum out rhythms on anything handy -- empty paint cans, store windows, pots and pans. She wants so much to play the drums for the school's float at the Calle Ocho festival, but the male music teacher has already chosen a boy without giving her a chance. Chavi's family and neighbors share this outdated view that playing the drums is for boys only. Undeterred and with the help of her best friend, Chavi dons a disguise in order to play the bongos at the festival. There, she delights the crowds, and proves to her mother and others that she was ... "born to play drums." Vibrant watercolor artwork by Cuban artist Tonel captures many of the traditions of Hispanic-American life in South Florida. The layout could have used less text per spread so that the illustrations could relate better to the events taking place. Tonel's highly stylized art takes smoe getting used to, but overall, the work offers a rich multicultural experience because of the subject and the presentation of a bilingual text. Recommended for children and classrooms dealing with Hispanic-Americans; gender roles; and the love of making music.

Lucy Calderon
Children's librarian

Rating:
Summary: Exuberant!
Review: Mayra Dole's character, Chavi, is a touching, vibrant, young female character you will want to introduce to your children. In fact, Chavi is so "touching" that she can't keep her hands from tap-tap-tapping everything that she comes in contact with. Chavi is a drummer in a culture where girls are not supposed to drum. Despite the strong forces trying to stop her, Chavi perseveres and lives out her dream. This book will give you a taste of Miami and its unique blends of cultures. Beautifully illustrated and written in both Spanish and English, this is a story that will most certainly...touch you.

Rating:
Summary: Exuberant!
Review: Rhythmic as a conga beat. Highly entertaining, motivates critical thinking, strong/fun girl characters, jam-packed with Cuban culture, and my 2nd grade class loves it! 10 stars! A++