Mi Ciudad Sings

Have you ever heard your city sing? This short Spanish picture book tells the story of a little girl and her dog, Pancho, overcoming a shocking earthquake in Mexico City. Every day, she walks with Pancho through the city to her mom’s flower shop, listening, dancing, and jumping to familiar sounds and rhythms, but one day, all of a sudden, her city rumbles, and after, there is silence.

Teresa Martínez illustrates this story beautifully with unique, colorful drawings. It is likely this book was intended for native Spanish speakers; however, I found the Spanish to be at an intermediary level so it shouldn’t be too hard to understand, with occasional help, for Spanish beginners.

This book teaches important lessons about perseverance, courage, and looking out for others. I suggest reading the author’s note at the end of the book as it includes more information about Mexico City’s history.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to a multitude of people, including anyone interested in advancing their Spanish, people looking to learn the history of Mexico City’s major earthquakes, or anyone who could benefit from a heartwarming story about a little girl and her dog.