A run-in with Ernie Bublassi sets Dominguita on a quest to become a knight, just like Don Quijote, and she sets out to explore her Cuban-American neighborhood for ways to prove her bravery and help people. Along the way she meets new friends, finds out that it isn't always easy to do good deeds, and although she makes a lot of mistakes, she ends up happy with the support and love of her family, excited about her new friends Pancho and Steph, and eager to send the stories she's lived to her abuela to read. She's also ready for new adventures, featuring pirates from Treasure Island!
Simple black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the pages, showing Dominguita's close-knit urban neighborhood and her adventures. As an adult, it's frustrating that the teachers did not interfere with Ernie's bullying and sexist comments, but Dominguita manages to come out on top with her family's support and love and her own determination and kind spirit.
I think this will appeal most to younger children with a high reading level. Dominguita is in 3rd or 4th grade, but her behavior seems younger, dressing up as a knight and acting out the stories in her favorite classic books. While there certainly are kids this age that enjoy make-believe, they are unlikely to want to read a book along these lines. The different local cultures are smoothly integrated and Dominguita is proud of her Cuban heritage, as are her neighbors and friends, although they celebrate it in different ways.
Verdict: I'm not sure if this will appeal to my audience or not, but it's something I'd like to feature in book club and see what the kids think. I do have a small number of voracious readers who prefer books with simple, humorous stories that don't touch on serious subjects, so they might like this one.
ISBN: 9781534465039; Published March 2021 by Aladdin; Borrowed from another library in my consortium
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