VIVA'S VOICE

When a boisterous Latine girl learns to direct her energy toward justice, she finds how much her voice is needed.

Viva’s mighty voice shakes the playground and sometimes overpowers others. Viva also has a loving family, including her beloved Papi, who has a quiet voice but drives a loud city bus. Viva loves to join Papi on his route whenever she can, until one day she can’t because Papi and his fellow bus drivers are going on strike for better working conditions. But Viva begs to join her Papi on the picket line, as it seems like just the place for her big voice—“I know how to make lots of noise,” she says. Viva loves the energy of the picket line, and her enthusiasm helps give Papi the boost he needs to speak up for himself and his fellow workers. Inspired by the author’s own experiences on a picket line with her father, Viva’s story reminds us all of the power of our voice when used to help elevate the voices of others. Colorful illustrations expertly render Viva’s enthusiasm and her father’s trepidation, depict the bustling, diverse community that Viva calls home, and give a strong sense of place. Though the location is never specified in the text, small details in the illustrations evoke the author’s childhood home of Los Angeles. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Inspiring and bold.