CRUZITA AND THE MARIACHEROS

When Cruzita’s great-uncle Chuy passes away, the family bakery is put in jeopardy, and Cruzita scrambles to save it in the only way she knows how: through her singing.

Although 12-year-old Cruzita is Mexican American and growing up in the historically Black and brown Los Angeles community of Pacoima, she struggles with her identity. Her peers look down on her as a “no sabo kid” and a “coconut” (brown on the outside, white on the inside). After the death of her beloved Tío Chuy, the family members pull together to save the struggling panadería, Lupe’s Bakery. Though Cruzita dreams of finding pop stardom—and saving the bakery—through the Encore Island theme park singing contest, her family needs her feet to be more firmly planted on the ground: for example, by helping out in the bakery over her summer vacation. Hoping to support her, Cruzita’s abuela signs her up for mariachi classes, but playing the violin and singing in Spanish aren’t Cruzita’s idea of a good time. Still, through the classes, she begins to make friends, and these relationships help her claim her heritage. Holding on to to her dreams of singing stardom while balancing the present-day needs of her family pulls Cruzita in uncomfortable new directions. Many readers will resonate with the demands on her time, and the children and grandchildren of immigrants will likely identify especially strongly with Cruzita’s journey toward connecting with her roots.

A sweet summer quest for identity and belonging.