I’ve got a fun book recommendation that’s perfect for 3 to 7-year-old children. It’s called Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules written by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo and Pat Zietlow Miller and vibrantly illustrated by Joe Cepeda. It’s a great back-to-school themed picture book that beautifully weaves culture, humor, and important lessons into a fun story starring Lupe, a spunky, confident, and creative little girl that you’ll love getting to know.
Lupe Lopez is a self-trained rock star drummer starting kindergarten at Hector P. Garcia Elementary School in the state of Texas. She arrives on the first day of school ready to rock out and make fans. The thing is that even self-proclaimed rock stars have to follow rules when they are at school or at least that’s what Ms. Quintanilla, Lupe’s teacher, tells her. Let me tell you a little bit more about Lupe and her journey.
Who is Lupe?
Lupe is all sass and confidence, especially after spending all of summer teaching herself how to be a drummer with two “banged-up, taped-up No. 2 pencils.” On her first day of kindergarten, she shows up wearing sunglasses and ready to drum on every surface and build her fanbase.
But kindergarten isn’t really the place to rock out and make fans.
Lupe learns quickly that her teacher is not OK with Lupe using all surfaces including the map of Texas on the wall to drum on with her pencils. Lupe ends up getting in trouble and she learn that rock star rules don’t apply in kindergarten.
And it turns out fans are hard to come by.
Lupe does her best to make fans, but no one seems to be interested in joining her fan club even after she invites them by yelling, “Wanna roll with a rock star? Join my fan club! Meet me after school in the library.”
Then something wonderful happens.
Lupe decides to play by school rules on the following day even though it means she can’t be drumming on everything with her pencils. Then, at lunch, Lupe makes friends and realizes that friends are way better than fans. She and her friends start a band that practices after school.
It’s a great reminder that we all have to follow rules sometimes.
Turns out that even rock stars follow rules sometimes and it’s not such a bad thing. In kindergarten and life, we aren’t always going to be the center of attention. We all have to learn how to share the spotlight.
What are critics saying about the book?
“Employing Spanish words and onomatopoeia, and Cepeda’s full-bleed, sunshine-bright cartoons, this story assures even the most exuberant kid that they can master the big social-emotional task of kindergarten: holding onto individuality while becoming part of a community,” writes Publishers Weekly.
Lupe Lopez: Rock Star Rules! is available for purchase now.
