This week we read two books about a small village in Paraguay called Cateura, which made it onto the international stage (literally) when some determined, innovative people figured out how to turn trash into music. It is a truly inspiring story which has since been turned into a documentary, been written about, and has led to a TED Talk by teacher Favio Chavez. You can read more below.
The two books we read this week were the only ones I could find about Paraguay. I scoured the internet, asked on Instagram, Twitter, and checked with my usual sources, all to no avail. If you know of any others, please please please share!
As always, I would love to hear about other picture books set in, or about Paraguay, or by a Paraguayan author/illustrator. If you know of any please email me, or DM me on Instagram so I can add them to my list.
Kid Reads
Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music From Trash
Music is powerful. It can heal, bring hope, entertain, improve memory, promote empathy, and motivate.
Based on a true story, Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music From Trash, shows just how powerful music can be, and the lengths people will go to to make it a part of their lives.
After studying environmental science, Favio Chavez went to Cateura, Paraguay, a village built on a landfill, where the people worked collecting garbage they could sell to make money. When his friends from Cateura came to see him conduct music in a nearby village, they were captivated and wanted their children to learn too. After lessons started, Chavez discovered there were more children than instruments. What could he do?
While watching a man collect garbage one day, he had an idea. They could use the garbage they collected to make instruments! Their plan worked, and once the children learned to make music of their own, their little village had renewed hope for the future.
Building an Orchestra of Hope is an inspiring story about the tenacity of the human spirit. It will encourage and empower readers to make small changes in their own communities. It is simply and beautifully written, easy for even small children to understand, and the illustrations help give the story a strong sense of place.
If used in the classroom, Building and Orchestra of Hope is ripe with opportunities for cross-curricular activities with art, technology, science, and engineering.
The documentary on which this book is based, Landfill Harmonic, is available for purchase on YouTube. There is also a TED Talk by Chavez, which I linked in my profile. Back matter in Building and Orchestra of Hope provides more information about the conditions in Cateura, Paraguay, the orchestra, and how you can help.
Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music From Trash, a Junior Library Guild selection, is by Carmen Oliver, illustrated by Colombian artist Luisa Uribe, and published by Eerdmans Books For Young Readers, who graciously sent me this book for review. All opinions are my own.
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay
Yesterday I shared Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music From Trash (check out my last post), which beautifully tells the true story of how Favio Chavez took trash and turned it into a beautiful children’s orchestra amidst the landfill in Cateura, Paraguay.
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay tells a similar story, but focuses on how one specific child’s life was changed as a result. Ada grew up in Cateura with her siblings, parents, and grandmother, who signed her up for music lessons when she saw a sign posted by Favio Chavez on the wall of a chapel. As Ada learned music, she also learned self-respect and persistence. Her confidence soared. As news of the orchestra spread, they were asked to give concerts around the world, and even toured with Metallica.
Ada’s Violin shows just how life-changing music can be. Her violin helped Ada escape both mentally and physically from life at the landfill. Now she and others have permanent homes away from the flood zone which every year caused evacuations when the river would rise. This inspiring story is beautifully illustrated using collage, glazes, paint, and drawings.
Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay is by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport, and published by Simon & Schuster Books. I borrowed this book from our local library.
I’d love to hear what books, projects, artists, music, and other fun things you’d recommend from Paraguay. Email me, message me, or comment/DM on Instagram.
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Kids Read the World 