I Am Salsa

PreS-Gr 3–In this lighthearted picture book, a young girl relates how she overcame her initial shyness and learned to love salsa dancing. At this Puerto Rican family’s frequent parties, traditional food is featured, as is lively music and dancing. Marisol watches as everyone dances: Mami and Papi; her older sisters, aunties, cousins, and grandparents. Papi patiently guides her and explains salsa’s Afro-Caribbean heritage through its instruments: conga drums from Africa; the clave from Cuba; the guiro from Puerto Rico. An English text is sprinkled with Spanish words and phrases, which include definitions and phonetic pronunciation. Playful pen-and-ink illustrations, with bright colors and twirly lines, add vibrancy and detail. Skin tones in Marisol’s family range from light to dark brown, and the cartoon illustrations, conveying nuanced expressions highlight the bonds among them.