Sweet, lovely picture book with an Abuelo's caring voice, and a suggestion that singing can cure almost any sorrow, bring an end to loneliness, and ease the heart. ( )

I loved the art, and I really liked the author's note. ( )

Once a year Abuelo would come from Mexico to visit his grandchildren in the states. H would always bring his guitar and tell stories and sing with his family. He told them that everything is made better by singing.
This book is recommended for ages 2-5. The simple text and large illustrations make it a great multicultural read aloud for even younger children. The pictures add to the story allowing for discussion about the American and Mexican cultures. This book will also work well for a music themed storytime. ( )

Every year Abuelo comes from Mexico to visit his two grandchildren, bringing his guitar, his music, and his great spirit with him. "Sing, Don't Cry," he tells his grandson and granddaughter, helping them through the disappointments of childhood, from being left out of the football team to losing one's favorite stuffed animal. Singing keeps the spirits up, and may lead to good things, he tells them... and so it proves.

Apparently inspired by author/artist Angela Dominguez's own grandfather, Apolinar Navarette Diaz, a successful mariachi musician in Mexico who would visit Dominguez and her family when she was a child, Sing, Don't Cry offers a heartwarming look at a loving, close-knit family, and is clearly meant as a tribute to the optimistic spirit that Diaz imparted to his loved ones. The artwork, done in pencil and then colored digitally, is charming, perfectly capturing the emotional register of each scene. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books with a Latino / Mexican-American cultural background, or for children's stories about the grandparent-grandchild relationship. ( )