Sunday, July 17, 2022

Review: Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules!

Young girl with pig tails on each side of her head is wearing sunglasses and holding up two pencils. She has a big smile on her face. Books and crayons are in the air above two desks to show that she is banging on the desks.
Title: Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules! 

Authors: e.E. Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller

Illustrator: Joe Cepeda

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Review copy: Final copy via publisher

Availability: On shelves now

Publisher summary: When Lupe Lopez struts through the doors of Hector P. Garcia Elementary in sunglasses with two taped-up Number 2 pencils—drumsticks, of course—poking from her pocket, her confidence is off the charts. All day, Lupe drums on desks, tables, and chairs while Ms. Quintanilla reminds her of school rules. Lupe has her own rules: 1) Don’t listen to anyone. 2) Make lots of noise. ¡Rataplán! 3) Have fans, not friends. But with her new teacher less than starstruck, and fans hard to come by, Lupe wonders if having friends is such a bad idea after all. Can it be that true star power means knowing when to share the spotlight? With its spirited illustrations and a simple text threaded through with Spanish words, this picture book is proof positive that being a strong girl moving to her own beat doesn’t have to mean pushing others away. 

When a sassy drummer starts kindergarten, the rules of school cramp her style. What’s a young rock star to do?

My Thoughts: Lupe is full of confidence and excitement as she bounces through the door into her kindergarten. I could help but be entertained by her. Though Lupe and her teacher don't see eye to eye, the teacher does seem to keep a smile on her face even when she was delivering information Lupe wouldn't appreciate. Young readers seem to enjoy mischievous characters and here they will definitely see someone who stands out and pushes boundaries. The illustrations are bright and upbeat and add a lot to the story. 

Recommendation: This would be a nice story to use at the beginning of the school year to have a discussion about rules and why we have them and/or why we choose to follow or break them.

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