Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for the digital arc.
If you are unfamiliar with the Mexican tradition of mariachi bands and music, this book is a superb introduction! For the littlest listeners, Adela relates her frustration of not being in the band. For everyone else, there is a Spanish vocabulary lesson, and very informative back matter on the culture of the mariachi band. I learned quite a bit in this 32 page picture book. Belongs in every elementary school, regardless of music program or student demographics.
#AdelasMariachiBand #NetGalley

Little Adela desperately wants to perform with her family's mariachi band, but she hasn't quite mastered the skills needed to play an instrument, or dance in a long skirt. Then one day she realizes there is a way she can join in the fun.

I LOVE mariachi music, and it was wonderful learning more about this unique sounding artform through the pages of this gorgeous, brightly colored book. The illustrations by Erika Medina really add to the fun.

This book is so cute! Perfect for read-alouds with the big, bright pictures and fun words and sounds.

Adela's Mariachi Band is a perfect picture book about young Adela who loves mariachi music.
This is one of the best picture books that we have read in 2024. The art style is perfect. Adela's own style (avoiding spoilers) was the best touch.
Her tantrums, expressions and feelings are very well conveyed, and the repetition of the some of the lines make the story even more humorous.

I love how Adela's Mariachi Band introduces young readers to the world of mariachi music AND introduces them to a young character who is, at times, just like them in the way of wanting to find ways to feel like they belong somehow. I also really love the playful nature of the story with the sounds of all the instruments. It was a fun story to read and I'm looking forward to seeing it on bookshelves.

I am the firm believer that you can read children’s book even when you are an adult. This book proved my point. The message about belonging and finding your place is relatable when you are 4 or 30. As with any kid’s book the story was short and uncomplicated but still had enormous heart. The illustrations were simple and beautiful and served as a compliment to Vega’s story. Get this for your little ones or for our bigger kids that may need a reminder that they will always have a place to belong.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @charlesbridgepublishing for providing this book for review consideration

An adorable children’s book sharing a love for Mexican music. We follow along with Adela and her family's Mariachi Band as they share their beautiful music. Adela wants to be a part of the family band so badly, but she doesn’t know how. We get to share in her adventure as she tries different instruments, singing and dancing to see how she can fit it. Beautifully written with a rhythmic text and illustrations vibrant and colorful. We really enjoyed this story and it is one of our new favorite read-alouds. We are thankful to have received the ebook ARC and can’t wait to add this one to our home library. Your family will love this musical adventure too.

Adela loves her family’s mariachi band and everything about it, in ADELA’S MARIACHI BAND (written by Denise Vega, illustrated by Erika Rodriguez Medina, published by Charlesbridge). She loves the big, bright notes from her Papà’s la trompeta, and the crisp, sweet sounds when Tío Mateo plucks the strings of la vihuela. And what about when her mamá and sisters dance, twirling and floating around with their colourful, flowing skirts?? She loves that too, of course! The only problem with her family’s mariachi band, is that SHE isn’t part of it! She tries her best at playing the instruments, and even dancing, but it is way too hard… Adela wants to be a part of her family’s mariachi band NOW, but how?? Will she ever find her place in the band?

Vibrantly and adorably illustrated, ADELA’S MARIACHI BAND is the perfect book for Cinco do Mayo, but also if you are in search of a sweet story about a young child wanting to belong, fit in, and feel like they matter in their family. Another great lesson is the importance of practice and perseverance. Readers can also learn about the different instruments (and their Spanish names for them) in a mariachi band, as well as all other elements of one (like the dancing). The back matter includes some educational information about the history of mariachi music, as well as the author’s own family mariachi band.

Have you watched a mariachi band perform live before? I haven’t but would love to, especially after reading this book!

This is such a lovely picture book! The illustrations are colourful, beautiful, and perfectly represent the story and the character's emotions. I loved the added sounds of the music instruments and I think it'll be appealing to kids. This story is really sweet and follows Adela as she wants to be part of her family's mariachi band, but can't find the right instrument or place for her. Kids will be able to relate to her feelings and frustrations, and see how Adela finds a solution for it as she finally finds her place.

What a cute book! I loved how it showed that the MC needed patience and growth to be in the band with her family! Such an important lesson for kids to learn! My own son is learning to play the piano and he is having the exact same struggles. He really related well to this story.

A sweet story about feeling left out. A story about wanting to belong but struggling to find a way that feels right.

Everyone in Adela’s family belongs to their mariachi band. Some play instruments. Some dance. Others sing. Adela loves when her father and uncles play while her mom and aunts dance, bringing big smiles to the faces of the audience. Adela loves everything about her family’s mariachi band, everything but the fact that she’s not part of it.

Mariachi music has a special place in my heart, courtesy of the many mornings of listening to my mom, singing Cuco Sanchez while cooking breakfast, and the many summer picnics by the river with my grandmother’s tiny transistor radio broadcasting Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete. So, when I saw the cover of this book, I had to check it out.

The story is fun and reading it out loud only makes it better (a must have for any good picture book), by providing plenty of opportunities for the child to interact and participate. Adela and her troubles are easy to relate to, particularly for children with older siblings—it’s always easy to feel left out when an older brother or sister does things one can’t do yet.

And, of course, there’s also the introduction to what mariachi music is and who are the people who play it, which will be a nostalgic moment for some—like me—and interesting new knowledge for others.

The illustrations were the only thing I wasn’t super enthusiastic about . They’re beautiful but they feel a bit flat and somehow empty. Mariachis are known for the intricacy of their suits and the embroidery in their hats, and most of those details are missing from the illustrations in this book. Same about Adela’s dress and those of the traditional dancers. I understand this is a children’s book and simplification serves a purpose, but for me, this flatness feels like a missing opportunity, that’s all.

Adela loves her family band but isn't part of it because she is too little. She wants to be part of it NOW but everything takes too long to learn/grow. The end of the book gives information and details of mariachi and performances.

This is a wonderful children's book! I am a first grade teacher and I love bringing new books into my classroom library to read aloud to my students. They really enjoyed this one. I love how there is a lesson for all students to relate to, while the story still potentially introduces students to things they may not have known about. The illustrations are beautifully done and add to the story. I enjoy when books include words in other languages. The author's note is a great addition to this book as well.

What a beautiful story that captures the Hispanic/Mexican culture wonderfully. A great book to introduce such a unique culture to your little one. The picture book was also so detailed and its colors helped bring the story to life! A story for every little one to enjoy!

If you love mariachi and family member who play trompeta, vihuela, and dance, then this is a perfect book for you. Adela wants to be part of the mariachi band but she does not know how. Find out how she discovered what her talents are. This is fun book, and the illustrations are amazing. It makes one long for family celebrations and enjoy music all around!

This was a really cute book! Great way to introduce our culture to our children! I read this book with my son and we discussed Mariachis and I even shared some songs that I liked. Even the memory of my grandmother hiring a mariachi for my quinceanera and her dedicating a song to me. Highly recommend this book!

I loved this cute, quick, brightly colored book. This one will be perfect for little hands, and it’s a good way to teach children about different cultures. What a fun book!

This was a cute book with colourful illustrations. My preschooler enjoyed learning about new musical instruments and a new culture. The story was easy for her to follow, she was engaged and it inspired her curiosity. She enjoyed asking questions about the illustrations.

This is a cute, energetic picture book about a young girl who wants to be part of her family's mariachi band. The text is snappy and fun, especially with the descriptions of how different musical instruments sound, and the illustrations are funny and expressive. This is a great cultural heritage story, and I also enjoyed the author's note at the end.

Colorful, empowering, and a lovely story that will be a hit at family storytimes. I would love to see versions of this in Spanish as well to incorporate into bilingual storytimes.