Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

In her first middle-grade novel, award-winning picture book author and illustrator Angela Dominguez tells a heartwarming story based on her own experiences growing up Mexican-American.

Stella Díaz loves marine animals, especially her betta fish, Pancho. But Stella Díaz is not a betta fish. Betta fish like to be alone, while Stella loves spending time with her mom and brother and her best friend Jenny. Trouble is, Jenny is in another class this year, and Stella feels very lonely.

When a new boy arrives in Stella's class, she really wants to be his friend, but sometimes Stella accidentally speaks Spanish instead of English and pronounces words wrong, which makes her turn roja . Plus, she has to speak in front of her whole class for a big presentation at school! But she better get over her fears soon, because Stella Díaz has something to say!

Stella Díaz Has Something to Say introduces an infectiously charming new character with relatable writing and adorable black-and-white art throughout. Simple Spanish vocabulary is also integrated within the text, providing a bilingual element.

2019 Sid Fleischman Award winner
A 2019 Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Notable Children's Book
A New York Public Library Best Book for Kids 2018
Top 10 Showstopper Favorite
One of Chicago Public Library's "Best of the Best Books 2018"

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Picture book author-illustrator Dominguez (Sing, Don't Cry) moves into middle grade with the story of Stella Díaz, whose family moved to Chicago from Mexico City when she was a baby. Now in third grade, Stella doesn't always feel like she belongs, especially after she learns more about her resident status at school ("because of this green card, I'm an alien?"). Stella goes to speech therapy class to learn "how all the letters and words are supposed to sound in English," but she finds it hard to speak up, especially when new student Stanley arrives in school. Stanley is complimentary of Stella's artwork (one of her two passions, along with fish), but Stella feels extra shy around him. Drawing on her own childhood, Dominguez smoothly blends Spanish and English into the narration and dialogue, Stella's Mexican-American culture fully informs her perspective and family life, and chunky spot art helps establish the setting. Readers should easily relate to Stella, her struggle to use her voice, and the way she feels caught between worlds at school and at home. Ages 6-9. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-5-When Stella was a baby, her family moved from Mexico City to Arlington Heights, near Chicago, where Stella still lives with her divorced mother and supportive older brother. Stella struggles to pronounce English words and regularly attends speech therapy at school. She's not confident in her Spanish skills either; she never has the right words when her Mexican relatives visit. When Stella learns that she's an "alien" because she only has a green card, she wonders, "If I become a citizen, will I finally feel normal?" With the help of her family and friends, Stella learns to shine like the star she's named after as she deals with the class bully, survives her first spelling bee, and proudly aces her oral presentation. Realistic relationships ground this character-driven story; most notably, Stella's relationships with her loving mother and not-so-great, mostly absent father. School and home life feature prominently. Cultural markers, including food and music, are incorporated into the story just as naturally as the Spanish words explained in context. Dominguez's black-and-white spot illustrations are friendly and appealingly childlike, providing context and visual variety. According to the author's note, this story is "82.9 percent based" on Dominguez's childhood. Like Stella, Dominguez struggled with both languages, was born in Mexico, and had a Vietnamese best friend. VERDICT Fans of Clementine and Alvin Ho will be delighted to meet Stella. A first purchase.-Amy Seto Forrester, Denver Public Library © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Stella is shy and has trouble speaking up when she wants to say something, largely because she jumbles languages and can't find the right words. When her teacher assigns a project and an accompanying presentation, she starts to dread having to speak in front of her class, even if it'll be about a subject she loves (marine life!). To make matters worse, she wants to befriend a new boy in her class, but she can't work up the nerve to have a conversation with him. Things come together for her with help from her goofy older brother, encouraging mother, and her best friend. Stella shows everyone that she's stronger than she looks, just like a starfish. Simple black-and-white cartoons sprinkled throughout the text break up the story just right, as Stella works up the courage to finally speak up. Based significantly on her childhood, Dominguez's novel introduces a character many readers can relate to, especially bilingual kids or English-language learners who struggle with expressing themselves. An excellent, empowering addition to middle-grade collections.--Pino, Kristina Copyright 2017 Booklist

Horn Book Review

Shy, artistic third grader Stella Daz sometimes struggles to express her thoughts aloud, feeling self-conscious about her accent and occasionally using a Spanish word when she means to use English. Stella, who emigrated from Mexico to Chicago when she was a baby, is worried about being in a different class than her Vietnamese American best friend, Jenny. But a new student is arriving, and Stella hopes shell make a friend. When that student turns out to be a confident boy named Stanley, Stellas anxiety threatens to derail her. With the help of her beloved mother, her mostly wonderful older brother, her supportive teachers, and (occasionally) her primarily absent father, Stella manages to build self-confidence. Stellas cross-cultural experiences, such as taking speech classes to refine her American accent, questioning what it means to be a green cardholder, and feeling not-Mexican-enough for her grandparents, may spark discussions about contemporary immigration. Told in Stellas voice, the story sometimes sounds like a middle-grade novel and other times a book for a much younger audience, but many readers will relate to and sympathize with the protagonist. Lively interspersed black-and-white illustrations showing elements of Stellas day-to-day life and of her imagination add dimension to a rich narrative. christina l. dobbs (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Kirkus Book Review

Speaking up is hard when you're shy, and it can be even harder if you've got two languages in your head.Third-grader Estrella "Stella" Daz, is a shy, Mexican-American girl who draws pictures and loves fish, and she lives in Chicago with her mother and older brother, Nick. Jenny, Stella's best friend, isn't in her class this year, and Stella feels lonelyespecially when she sees that Vietnamese-American Jenny is making new friends. When a new student, Stanley Mason, arrives in her class, Stella introduces herself in Spanish to the white former Texan without realizing it and becomes embarrassed. Surely Stanley won't want to befriend her after thatbut he seems to anyway. Stella often confuses the pronunciation between English and Spanish sounds and takes speech classes. As an immigrant with a green carda "legal alien," according to her teacherStella feels that she doesn't fully belong to either American culture or Mexican culture, and this is nicely reflected in her not being fully comfortable in either language, an experience familiar to many immigrant and first-generation children. This early-middle-grade book features italicized Spanish words and phrases with direct translations right after. There is a small subplot about bullying from Stella's classmate, and readers will cheer as they see how, with the help of her friends and family, Stella overcomes her shyness and gives a presentation on Jacques Cousteau. Dominguez's friendly black-and-white drawings grace most pages.A nice and timely depiction of an immigrant child experience. (Fiction. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.