Drum Dream Girl

I loved this children’s picture book because it involves a little girl with a big dream—to play drums in public—which was forbidden to girls in Cuba at the time.

Despite many obstacles, she practiced and practiced and finally reached her goal. I also love that this story was inspired by a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba’s tradition of the taboo on female drummers.

This rhythmic book will take you on a magic drum trip with this Chinese-African-Cuban girl, who broke the taboo of girls not being allowed to play drums. This is a poem song filled with rhythmic words, sounds, and heart. Beautiful words, beautiful art,  gorgeous story. I hope after reading it, you'll feel inspired to dance and to dream. I danced around the house, then I sat down and wrote beautiful stories and dreams. 

The riot of color and texture of Rafael Lopez’s immersive, full-bleed spreads in Drum Dream Girl feed my soul. I only wish the book were bigger so I could crawl right in! In this story, inspired by Chinese-African-Cuban musician Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, who broke Cuba’s taboo against female drummers, one little girl’s rhythmic passion leaps off the page. The vibrant Cuban environment, in which even the sun and moon smile upon and support our protagonist, are a perfect, jewel-toned complement to Margarita Engle’s dynamic, alliterative text. Picture books are meant to be read aloud, of course, and there’s plenty of… show more.