Drum Dream Girl

BOOK REVIEW: Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music

Engle, Margarita and Rafael Lopez. Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. ISBN: 0544102290

SUMMARY:

Drum Dream Girl is about a girl who was told that girls on the island of Cuba didn’t play drums.  But, she was a drummer at heart, and persevered to play drums in her dreams. She couldn’t deny who she was, and therefore she continued to play drums when should could and in her dreams. The girl continued to practice and she was finally allowed to play in public, where she was so amazing that everyone agreed: girls should be allowed to play drums.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

This lovely poetry book is about how a girl’s courage changed a perception in Cuba in the 1900s that it was taboo for girls to be drummers. The girl was continually told by her father and others that girls don’t play the drums, but she couldn’t help herself. She drummed her fingertips on items in her house, and played every type of drum she could find. Her sisters even joined, showing that courage is contagious. She couldn’t deny her dreams, and so she continued to drum, until her father got her a drum teacher to find out if she was good enough to keep playing. This act of love from the father shows insight into the Cuban culture. They are loyal to traditions, but value family intensely. The father did not agree that she should play, but he recognized her perseverance and courage, and decided to help her. The two main characters in the story are the girl and her father, who both are dynamic in nature. The girl’s desire and courage towards her dream continues to build in the story, and her father ultimately changes his mind about his daughter playing drums. It is a satisfying story and one that will teach children to dream big dreams. 

Engle’s poetry is mostly non-rhyming in this free-flowing poetry book. The poetry tells a story beautifully, with italicized cultural words such as timbales and bongo drums. Lopez’s illustrations are vibrant, showing Cubans as musical and the Drum Dream Girl as living in her own lovely world of music, free and flowing. The reader can sense the music in the pictures. The illustrations are done in acrylic paint on wood board, and two pages are turned sideways to see a vertical scene that incorporates both pages of the open book. The clothing of the people is colorful and flowing, which is accurate of that which Cubans wear. Other cultural markers include people enjoying Cuban coffee, carnivals with dancers on stilts, dragons, and lots of music and dancing. The mannerisms of the people are free, happy, and musical, with only two grumpy faces painted in the book – one of the disapproving father and the other of an older lady unhappy to be seeing a drummer girl. The island is portrayed with palm trees, a large moon, statues, outdoor cafes, and dancing. And the scenes including nature reveal water, a large starry sky, and animals that seem to be smiling at the music of the drumming girl. Some whimsical scenes show the girl dreaming by drumming against the moon or dancing through the air in her living room.

This story shows that children can achieve their dreams with perseverance and courage.  The girl practiced and practiced, and one day was good enough to change the way an entire island felt about girl drummers.  A historical note informs the reader that this story is based on a true story in 1932. Millo Castro Zaldarriaga was a Chinese-African-Cuban girl who broke Cuba's traditional taboo against female drummers when she performed with her sisters in Cuba. She then went on to perform for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Now there are many female drummers in Cuba.

REVIEWS AND AWARDS:

Charlotte Zolotow Award (2016)

Pura Belpre Metal for Illustration (2016)

Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Picture Book Honor (2015)

School Library Journal:

"In Cuba, Millo Castro Zaldarriaga longs to play her drums for all to hear, but on her island only boys are allowed to perform with drums. She perseveres and continues to play and to dream. Eventually, she is invited to join her sister's all-girls band. Her father will not permit her to perform with them, though he allows her to be taught. She continues to practice and dream of a time when she can perform. Finally, she is able to perform in public, and she convinces those who listen that girls, too, can play drums. Adriana Sananes's musical voice invites listeners to dream along. Lovely music, drumbeats, and sound effects accompany the entire tale. The audio production includes a second track with page turns, and a historical note is included in the final track. VERDICT Inspired by a true story, this is a wonderful addition to any collection."

Kirkus Review:

“Pura Belpré winner and Newbery honoree Engle, known for writing free-verse historical fiction, introduces readers to Millo Castro Zaldarriaga with this illustrated poem, inspired by her subject’s childhood. Millo became a world-famous musician at quite a young age. Before fame, however, as Engle’s account attests, there is struggle. Millo longs to play the drums, but in 1930s Cuba, drumming is taboo for girls, “so the drum dream girl / had to keep dreaming / quiet / secret / drumbeat / dreams.” This doesn’t stop Millo; she dares to let her talent soar, playing every type of drum that she can find. Her sisters invite her to join their all-girl band, but their father refuses to allow Millo to play the drums. Eventually, her father softens, connecting her with a music teacher who determines that her talent is strong enough to override the social stigma. The rhythmic text tells Millo’s story and its significance in minimal words, with a lyricism that is sure to engage both young children and older readers. López’s illustrations are every bit as poetic as the narrative, a color-saturated dreamscape that Millo dances within, pounding and tapping her drums. Though it’s not explicit in the text, her mixed Chinese-African-Cuban descent is hinted at in the motifs López includes. A beautiful account of a young girl’s bravery and her important contribution toward gender equality in the creative arts.”

CONNECTIONS:

An extension activity for students after reading Drum Dream Girl would be to showcase some Cuban music that incorporates drums. The following website has information about the history of Cuban music. http://www.hostedhavana.com/resources/cuban-music-history. Students could learn about the history of the music, and attempt to recreate the Cuban music themselves.