Tito Puente, Mambo King/Tito Puente, Rey Del Mambo

A Pura Belpré Honor Book!

In this vibrant bilingual picture book biography of musician Tito Puente by award-winning author-illustrator team Monica Brown and Rafael López, readers will dance along to the beat of the mambo king's life.

Tito Puente loved banging pots and pans as a child, but what he really dreamed of was having his own band one day. From Spanish Harlem to the Grammy Awards—and all the beats in between—this is the true life story of a boy whose passion for music turned him into the King of Mambo.

Brown and López bring the remarkable story of this talented legend to life in this captivating and informative picture book.

"My father was an inspiration to many generations of Latin music fans worldwide. This book is a testament to that. Now his name and likeness will reach a brand new group of young fans who will discover his genius and talent." -- Tito Puente Jr.

"Brown and Lopez collaborate in this energetic bilingual tribute to salsa drummer and band leader extraordinaire. Lopez's pictures convey salsa's rhythmic exuberance via a riotous palette. A vibrant, reverent celebration of the godfather of salsa." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Irresistible. The vibrant imagery hums right off the page, full of high-contrast color and energetic composition, and decorated with swirling, starry embellishments." -- Horn Book Magazine

"Brown's bilingual text echoes the rhythms of salsa, mambo, and jazz .Lopez's sizzling acrylics are anything but flat." -- Publishers Weekly

"Like so many of Brown's biographies, Tito's story introduces readers to a vibrant Latino figure. Award-winning illustrator López brings Tito's story to life in vibrant acrylic salsa reds and oranges, which are splashed behind every shake of Tito's hips and wink of his eyes." -- ALA Booklist

Monica Brown is the author of Small Room, Big Dreams: The Journey of Julián and Joaquin Castro; Pelé, King of Soccer / Pelé, El rey del fútbol; and Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez / Lado a lado: La historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez, as well as the Pura Belpré Honor Books My Name Is Celia / Me llamo Celia, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, and Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina. Monica lives in Flagstaff, Arizona, with her family. Find her at monicabrown.net.Monica Brown es la autora de Small Room, Big Dreams: The Journey of Julián and Joaquin Castro; Pelé, King of Soccer / Pelé, El rey del fútbol; y Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez / Lado a lado: La historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez y de los libros ganadores del Honor Pura Belpré My Name Is Celia / Me llamo Celia, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos y Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match / Marisol McDonald no combina. Monica vive en Flagstaff, Arizona, con su familia. Encuéntrala en monicabrown.net.Rafael López grew up in Mexico City, where he was immersed in the rich cultural heritage and color of street life. He is the bestselling illustrator of many vibrant picture books, including the acclaimed Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle and Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell. He has received the Pura Belpré and Américas Awards multiple times. Rafael López also designs and creates community-based murals nationwide. He divides his time between San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and San Diego, California.

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