Selena

Gr 2-5–This vibrant biography covers singer Selena Quintanilla’s rise to fame, along with the struggles she overcame. Readers learn how Selena got her name, how she sang in the family’s band as a young girl, and about the creation of Selena y Los Dinos. The smoothly paced story combines informative paragraphs about the subject’s life with quotes from those who knew her, as well as from Selena herself. The colorful, almost vintage-style illustrations bring the entertainer and everything around her to life, including her trademark electric smile. The book shows how she reached impossible career heights and also mentions Selena’s interests (designing clothes and working with children). A time line and additional text provides more information about Tejanos, Tex-Mex music, places where Selena lived, the tragedy that ended her life, and its heartbreaking aftermath.