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Drum Dream Girl
Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music | Margarita Engle
49 posts | 29 read | 1 reading | 7 to read
Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that ruleuntil the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongs. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. But when at last her dream-bright music was heard, everyone sang and danced and decided that both girls and boys should be free to drum and dream. Inspired by the childhood of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's traditional taboo against female drummers, Drum Dream Girl tells an inspiring true story for dreamers everywhere.
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review
erinhannahs
Pickpick

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music was written by Margarita Engle. This book shares the story of one little girl who loved music. However, music was banned for girls on the island that she lived on. But, one day, she decided to follow her heart and do what she loves.

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WineAuntKK

so the drum dream girl
had to keep dreaming
quiet
secret
drumbeat
dreams.

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WineAuntKK

Beautiful book about a girl who chose to never give up and chase her dreams of drumming.

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WineAuntKK
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Pickpick

2016 Pura Belpre award winner. This book is about a girl who dared to dream. She lived in a village where only boys and men were allowed to play the drums. She dreamt nigh and day about playing the drum and all kinds of them. Until one day her dreams became a reality.

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Jhill24

This book tells a beautiful story of a little girl. In her culture girls are not allowed to use drums, only boys. Though, girls are expected to help make music on the music island. This idea can be applied to other aspects or issues in the real world!

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Jhill24
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“And both girls and boys should feel free to dream.”

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Jhill24
Pickpick

Love love this book! 11/10 review. Takes readers into a magical world. Also, it encourages femininism as the underlying / deeper meaning.

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emmadomo

So the drum dream girl had to keep dreaming and drumming alone until finally her father offered to find a music teacher who could decide if her drums deserved to be heard.

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emmadomo
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emmadomo
Pickpick

Recipient of the Pura Belpre Award this fictional story is full of music and rhythm. A young girl‘s drumming dream becomes her reality as she continues to chase her dream (even when people told her no). The story reminds us that life always has challenges but no matter we can conquer them and let our light shine

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kierstenkaplan
Pickpick

This book won the Belpre award and The Newberry award. It was published in 2015. This book was such a good women‘s rights and power book! It would bring about a good lesson for children.

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kierstenkaplan
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I love how peaceful and not caring what others think she looks in that photo!

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kierstenkaplan

“Her big sisters were so excited that they invited her to join their new all-girl dance band”

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KamrynWaites

“Both girls and boys should feel free to dream”

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KamrynWaites

Overcoming societal norms and following your dreams. Girls can do anything boys can do!

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KamrynWaites
Pickpick

This book was published in 2015 and received the Pura Belpre Award. This was a beautiful story about a girl who persevered despite being told no because she was a girl. This is an inspiring story about never giving up on dreams and pushing past societal norms. This book is about girl power!

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Mboyd28

“The brave drum dream girl dared to play tall conga drums small bongó drums and big, round, silvery moon-bright timbales”

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Mboyd28

Inspiring story of a young girl breaking cultural norms and chasing after her dream.

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Mboyd28
Pickpick

Drum Dream Girl won the Pura Belpré award and author Margarita Engle was awarded the Newbery Honor. This book was about a girl who dreamed of breaking the cultural norm that only boys could play drums. Throughout the book the girl kept dreaming and dreaming and how she kept playing the drums even when she was told it was only for boys.

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victoriaberns

Favorite quote: “where everyone who heard her dream-bright music sand and danced and decided that girls should always be allowed to play drums and both girls and boys should feel free to dream.”

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victoriaberns

This is a great book to use when teaching about cultural differences for young children!

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victoriaberns
Pickpick

Pura Belpré Award, published in 2015. This book did a great job of portraying the music, customs, social norma, etc. of the culture of Cuba. I liked how some of the pages had words that were printed sideways instead of the standard upright like most books. Illustrations were very colorful and helped to explain the story of the drum girl.

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ashleyweer

This book was outstanding! I would love to read this in a future classroom. Even today, some girls feel like they can‘t do certain things boys can do. I don‘t want any of my future students to feel that way, and I think this would be a great book to read to show ALL my students that they have the freedom to do what they want.

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ashleyweer
Pickpick

The book Drum Dream Girl, winner of the Pura Belpré Award, is an amazing book. The book follows a girl who dreams of drumming, but can‘t play the drums in her town due to the fact she‘s a girl. One day, she has her dad and a music teacher take a chance on her and she is finally able to play drums like all the boys in her town! After that, she decides that all girls AND boy should be free to drum and to dream.

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ashleyweer

“So the drum dream girl had to keep dreaming and drumming alone”

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Cgulan

….the brave drum dream girl dared to play tall conga drums small bongó drums and big, round, silvery moon-bright timbales.

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Cgulan

This book is the perfect read for students struggling with what is accepted with their gender. This shows that no matter what your gender is you‘re likes and interest are accepted no matter what. I believe reading this book would make your students feel comfortable in the classroom.

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Cgulan
Pickpick

The Newbery Honor book, Drum Dream Girl was by far one of my favorite reads so far. This book takes the reader through the main little girls story and dreams. This story goes through the process of dreams turning into real life. The illustrations help portray the girls feelings and wants too.

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Emitalski

“And even though everyone kept reminding her that girls on the island of music had never played drums the brave drum dream girl dared to play…”

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Emitalski

Persistence is key for this young girl who really wants to drum. With her courage and dreams she was able to achieve all she could ever want!

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Emitalski
Pickpick

Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle and Rafael López is the story of a girl who‘s dream is to drum. Unfortunately, the little girl knows that drumming is for boys only but that does not stop her from dreaming about drumming. Her persistence and practice drives her to be a great drummer. This book is a Pura Belpre Award winner and the bright illustrations keep the reader wanting more. I must also add this book is a poem turned picture book!

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Apolandvery

“The brave drum dream girl dared to play tall conga drums small bongò drums and big, round, silvery moon-bright timbales.”

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Apolandvery

The illustrations in this book are very beautiful and this book portrays a wonderful messages to children!

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Apolandvery
Pickpick

Drum Dream Girl- How One Girl‘s Courage Changed Music by Rafael López is a Pura Belprè Award winning book. This book was inspired by a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who went against the norm of her culture and became a drummer. This book is great for children to know that they can do anything they dream of!

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TheBookHippie
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Pickpick

Girls cannot be drummers. Long ago on an island filled with music, no one questioned that rule—until the drum dream girl. In her city of drumbeats, she dreamed of pounding tall congas and tapping small bongós. She had to keep quiet. She had to practice in secret. ... #FOODANDLIT CUBA

GingerAntics This is legit a thing!!! I‘m so glad someone wrote a book about this. For some reason, a female in percussion is downright revolutionary, even in 2022. To some, it‘s even offensive. 🙄 I clearly need this book in my life. 2y
TheBookHippie @GingerAntics it‘s a true story. ♥️ 2y
Catsandbooks Love this! 2y
See All 7 Comments
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie sadly, that doesn‘t surprise me. Hopefully it has a happy ending. 2y
TheBookHippie @Catsandbooks so wonderful the books we find with this challenge! 2y
GingerAntics @TheBookHippie I loved your post on IG about this book. What a wonderful, girls rock kind of story that isn‘t a dead rich white woman to boot. 2y
49 likes1 stack add7 comments
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ravenlee
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Part four of library discards #bookhaul includes a book I‘ve been wanting - as a female percussionist the tagged seems perfect. One Smart Cookie goes with Cookies, which we have and enjoy. Sea Glass for the mermaid, and a graphic novel Holocaust memoir.

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erzascarletbookgasm
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Powerful true stories are important..these non-fiction books are educational and illustrations are lovely, best of all they feature strong, brilliant girls/women. From ‘a girl who broke down walls for female drummers‘, a courageous slave, a fascinating woman who stood up for what she believed, to the mathematicians who worked at NASA, these are great for kids.
#fallfinds #factual

Eggs Beautiful presentation 👏🏻📚👏🏻 4y
78 likes1 comment
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bsiqueira
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Pickpick

This B picture book is both a Newbery and Pura Belpre award winner! It shares a heartwarming story about a Chinese- African- Cuban child who dreams of becoming a drummer since it was forbidden on her island many years ago. Will she break the rules? I guess you‘ll have to read and find out! This book would be perfect for a SR due to its theatrical words. #ucflae3414su20

bsiqueira https://doors2world.umass.edu/mmr/drum-dream-girl This website resource provides read alouds, cuban maps, cuban songs, and many other elements that relate to this book. This lesson can incorporate a wonderful historical lesson as well! A good UDL strategy would be 2.4 “Promote understanding across languages” because this book demonstrates culture and history in many ways. A good EL strategy would be #11 “Place language in meaningful text.” 4y
DrSpalding What a beautiful book. This certainly does promote understanding across languages! Lopez is a wonderful illustrator and has many books out currently. I am adding this to my stack. 4y
4 likes2 comments
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GatheringBooks
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Pickpick

#MagicalMay Day 23: There are many things that young children of today take for granted – the courage to dream despite all odds is one of them. Millo held that beat in her #dreams, she listened to the imaginary pounding in her mind, everything had a dancing rhythm to it – all of nature is alive with the sounds of the drum dream girl‘s beat. Lovely biography of a Chinese-African-Cuban girl sent to me by the author! https://wp.me/pDlzr-9zJ

Eggs Stunning 👏🏻👏🏻 4y
40 likes1 comment
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leximcmillin
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Pickpick

This B picture book is a Newbery and Pura Belpre award winner about a girl who dreamed of pounding on all kinds of drums because long ago on her island, girls weren‘t allowed to be drummers. This story is inspired by the childhood of Milo Castro Zaldarriaga, a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba‘s rule against female drummers. This story would be great as a shared reading because it is very theatrical. #ucflae3414f19

leximcmillin https://doors2world.umass.edu/mmr/drum-dream-girl This resource contains a variety of extra resources including music that matches the book, book reviews, and more. A UDL principle that would align with this book is 2.5 Illustrate through multiple media. You can illustrate this book in many different ways, rather than just showing the pictures. An EL strategy that aligns with this book would be 11. Place language in meaningful context. 4y
DrSpalding I am so happy you picked this resource that offers so many wonderful classroom application ideas for this beautiful book. I added this to my stack. Again, you know how to align universal design and English learner strategies well. This will help you in the future. 4y
3 likes1 stack add2 comments
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EadieB
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TheSpineView 😍😍😍 5y
41 likes1 comment
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jb72
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Pickpick

A wonderful children‘s book with amazing illustrations.

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Krisjericho
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Pickpick

Did you know that there was a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba‘s traditional taboo against female drummers? Me neither! It seems like this is a story people should know. I‘m glad this book exists so that people will know about Millo Castro Zaldarriaga. Poetic and beautifully illustrated, to boot.

50 likes2 stack adds
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Peddler410
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So this came home with me yesterday. Having just finished Lion Island by the same author I couldn‘t pass it up.

#poetrychallenge2018

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amandagrant
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Pickpick

Drum Dream Girl is a beautifully written B based on the true events of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga who broke the stereotype that only men could play the drums. It proudly won the Pura Belpre award. I classified it as a B, but it‘s definitely also P. I thought it would be a fantastic choice for PR.

https://www.teachingbooks.net/media/pdf/HMH/DrumDreamGirl.pdf This link contains discussion questions that students can do in pairs.

amandagrant UDL – 7.2 Optimize relevance, value and authenticity

EL – 32. Use student pairs for team learning, especially for reports, experiments and projects
6y
1 like2 comments
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Sace
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#bookmail! Surely these will get me over the slump?

minkyb 👍🏻 7y
55 likes1 comment
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girlreading
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Pickpick

Picture book biography of Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, Cuba's first female drummer.