Eida De LA Vega

Gustavo wants to be a Mariachi. Gustavo wants to be the best Mariachi. He wants to wear a sombrero and a charro and play the guitar, or the trumpet or the violin. He wants everyone to clap when he plays. Unfortunately for Gustavo he can't play the violin or the guitar. He can't play anything. He is not the best mariachi in the world, he is the worst mariachi in the world! He would never get to wear a charro or a sombrero and nobody would every clap for him. One day he gets up early to sing. show more He can't stop singing, and he is good at singing! Everyone claps for him and he is no longer the worst mariachi in the world, he is the best mariachi in the world!

I tried reading this book to my children since they would be the best judges of whether this was a good book for their age group. I found that the book was a good read aloud book, with nice illustrations and a good moral about not giving up and trying to find your best role in life. Gustavo was an appealing character who you really wish the best for and are happy to find can do something really well. My kids let me know that the story is sticky and that there are parts that small children will remember for a long time. Weeks after reading this book my son (four) remembered that the book was called the “Best Mariachi. This book also introduces children to Mexican culture and teaches them a few Spanish words. To be honest my daughter did not like this book as much as my son did, who kind of “adopted” the book and carries it around with him. But it really seems to be easier to find books that appeal to girls than books that appeal to boys.

I would recommend this book to any children from around 4 to 7, especially little boys. show less

Gustavo’s family was a Mariachi family… all except Gustavo, who was told over and over that it was not for him. It left the impression that he was broken or less than part of their family. To deal with his sadness of being the worst mariachi, he begins to go into the desert to sing early each morning. One morning the people in town hear him singing and realize that Gustavo does have talent after all. Gustavo overcomes the unacceptance of his family. In fact, they allow him to be the lead show more singer in their band – the Best Mariachi in the World.

I was a bit disappointed with the story. It was a bit too realistic from the standpoint that some families are unfair and unaccepting of their family members unless they have special talent. They must earn their place in the family instead of being accepted, especially if there is a brother, sister, aunt, uncle or cousin that is better at almost everything. I would have a hard time reading it to young children since I am trying to teach tolerance and acceptance of others.

This tale is beautifully illustrated. It is not bilingual. I think this was not marketed quite right. There were a few Spanish words with a glossary in the back. I would like to see a pronucation guide in the back for the few Spanish words that were included. The definition of bilingual - spoken, written, or containing similar information in two different languages. It had great information in the back about mariachi and is a good reference for the instruments used. show less

The Best Mariachi in the World is the story of a boy who doesn't fit into his musical family. Every other family member plays a musical instrument, but he cannot. Finally, he finds out that he can sing and he is quickly dubbed the best Mariachi in the world.

I like that English and Spanish are both included in the telling of the story. It is fun to teach children some Spanish words and code switching is so natural for ELL students that this book will be a great addition to any classroom show more working with ELL kids. I also enjoyed the musical theme as it will be useful in my Creative Experiences course here at CU.

In the classroom, I would provide the instruments mentioned in the story for students to play. Labeling them with both English and Spanish words would encourage students to learn new vocabulary in two languages. In addition, we would listen to some Mariachi music and discuss the cultural uses of this type of music. show less

With absolutely gorgeous illustrations, an inspiring message about finding one's own way, and text integrating Spanish-language concepts, J.D. Smith and Dani Jones have created a memorable story with a unique voice. Gustavo’s family members are all Mariachi: his cousins, his uncle, his siblings, his father; each has his own special instrument with which to play, but not Gustavo. Gustavo is not allowed to play any instruments belonging to his family members; none of those instruments are show more for him. But, with determination and practice, Gustavo discovers that he is not the worst mariachi, as some of his family members had supposed, but really the best in the world. Gustavo’s instrument is his own voice and he joins his family’s band with confidence.

Not only does this narrative teach some Spanish vocabulary, but it also provides a wonderful story inspired by Latino culture and teaching lessons of the importance of self-confidence and determination. I found this book easy to read aloud, but because a few pages are a little text-heavy, I would recommend for pre-K to first grade. The back-of-the book glossary was slightly misleading and not all of the terms used were clearly defined, but the background information about mariachi was informative and wonderful supplement. show less