Queen of Tejano Music: Selena by Silvia Lopez and illustrated by Paula Escobar (Tejas Star Award winner)

 

 
 
Summary

This text is an illustrated biographic of the life of the iconic Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla-Perez (1971-1995). The text chronicles her journey from performing as a child and teenager singing in her family's band to a barrier-breaking artist in Tejano music who accomplished many accolades and successes. These accolades and successes include being one of the most successful and celebrated Latin-American music artists of all time.

Justification for this text

I selected this text because it is a Tejas Award winning-book. Plus, I think that inclusion of this text will encourage curiosity in students about Tejano music and culture. It could also serve as their introduction to Selena who tragically passed away nearly 30 years ago. This text could teach them the major impact that she had on Hispanic-American culture and music in her very brief life. The book does mention her tragic and violent death at the hands of her former fan club president and friend, Yolanda Saldivar going into explicit detail about how she died to preserve the age-appropriateness of the text (ages 6-10).

Attractive Design

Illustrator, Paula Escobar, captures the beauty and elegance that Selena was known to exude in her life. The illustrations are full of life and supports Selena's life and career in a vivid and elaborate manner.

Accurate Representation of Cultural Details

In the "A Little More About . . ." section, information is shared about the history and origins of Tejanos as well as Hispanics and Latinos and their journey of migrating to the United States since the days of Christopher Columbus. It also gives brief information about Tejano or Tex-Mex music prior to the popularity of Selena's band, Selena y Los Dinos. Also, information about quinceaneras, a party that takes place in many Latin cultures when a girl turns fifteen signifying her entry into womanhood.

Read the Pictures

Much of the book is written in narrative format, but a struggling or reluctant reader could still easily follow along because the vivid illustrations adequately support the narrative presented throughout the book. 

Citation

Lopez, Silvia. (2020). Queen of Tejano music: Selena. Little Bee Books.

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