Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa by Veronica Chambers (2005)is a lovely story of an artist with persistence. Celia Cruz “sang like a bird” at a young age. Her beautiful voice attracted neighbors outside her home in Cuba as she sang lullabies to her younger siblings. In high school, she sang in school shows and local clubs. Her father encouraged her to train to be a teacher, but Cruz attended Cuba’s National Music Conservatory after high school. Despite her natural talent, a career in music was not easy to find. When she was hired by a popular band, its fans were furious. But the band kept Cruz and “rewrote the history of Cuban music with new arrangements and a fresh, innovative style.” Cruz left Cuba in 1960 and politics dictated that she could never return. Although she found fame and love in the United States, leaving Cuba was “a heartache she carried her whole life through.” Julie Maren’s illustrations reflect the text with little embellishment. This book has a two-page author’s note, glossary, and bibliography.
