Cantora (Spanish Edition): Mercedes Sosa, la voz de Latinoamérica by Melisa Fernández Nitsche
ISBN: 0593704991
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

“Cantora Mercedes Sosa, La Voz de Latinoamerica” by Melisa Fernandez Nitsche is a picture book biography about Argentiniean singer and activist Mercedes Sosa. We start with Mercedes’ childhood in Argentina, growing up among the sounds of the cicadas and the smell of oranges. She enters a radio competition under a false name and wins handily. From there her singing career took off. She sang songs about poverty and injustice and was called the voice for those who have no voice. The government dictatorship arrested her and she then fled to Europe and spent three years in exile before returning to the country she loved to continue singing.

The illustrations are stylized and colorful. The back of the book contains a note from the author, a timeline, playlist, and selected sources, so there is a lot of supplemental information given in case readers want to learn even more about Mercedes Sosa. Recommended for ages 6 to 8, this book is a suggested purchase for all youth biography sections. I read the Spanish edition of this book.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.