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A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer!
Pura Belpré Honor winner Anika Aldamuy Denise (Planting Stories) and New York Times bestselling illustrator Leo Espinosa (Islandborn) tell the story of Rita Moreno, the Puerto Rican superstar best known for her Oscar-winning performance in the original West Side Story film, in this gorgeous picture book biography.
When young Rosita moved from Puerto Rico to the mainland United States, she didn’t know what to expect—but she knew she loved to sing and dance. Working to overcome the language barrier and bullying she experienced in a strange new country, Rita eventually made her way to Hollywood with a dream to be a star. There, she fought to be seen and heard and eventually reached the pinnacle of success, landing her iconic role in West Side Story and, finally, winning her groundbreaking Oscar.
Brought to life by Leo Espinosa’s bold and vibrant illustrations and Anika Aldamuy Denise’s lyrical text, this gorgeous tribute to the life and career of the first Latinx person to have earned an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award will inspire little dreamers everywhere.
Informative author’s note and timeline also included.
A Spanish-language edition is also available.
Praise for Anika Aldamuy Denise:
“[Anika’s] lyrical text, sprinkled like fairy dust with Spanish words, begs to be read aloud.”—New York Times Book Review on Planting Stories
When young Rosita moved from Puerto Rico to the mainland United States, she didn’t know what to expect—but she knew she loved to sing and dance. Working to overcome the language barrier and bullying she experienced in a strange new country, Rita eventually made her way to Hollywood with a dream to be a star. There, she fought to be seen and heard and eventually reached the pinnacle of success, landing her iconic role in West Side Story and, finally, winning her groundbreaking Oscar.
Brought to life by Leo Espinosa’s bold and vibrant illustrations and Anika Aldamuy Denise’s lyrical text, this gorgeous tribute to the life and career of the first Latinx person to have earned an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award will inspire little dreamers everywhere.
Informative author’s note and timeline also included.
A Spanish-language edition is also available.
Praise for Anika Aldamuy Denise:
“[Anika’s] lyrical text, sprinkled like fairy dust with Spanish words, begs to be read aloud.”—New York Times Book Review on Planting Stories
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
264 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 18, 2022
When I think of Rita Moreno, so many images pop into my head. I see her singing "America" as Anita in West Side Story. I remember her from my after school TV days on "The Electric Company." When I watched the reboot of "One Day At a Time" on Netflix, there she was again. Although I have not yet seen the new screen version of "West Side Story," I am told that she is a part of that story in a small way as well. Generation after generation, Rita Moreno has made herself known as a talent and an advocate for many causes including racial equality, immigrant families, and Puerto Rico relief. Her career has spanned seven decades already. This book is a delightful story showing us the beginning of her story as Rosita Dolores Alverio and continuing to her Academy Award in 1962. Also included is a Timeline from 1950 - 2020, a Bibliography, and an Author's Note. One of the most noteworthy facts about Rita Moreno is her status as one of only six women with an EGOT (An Emmy! A Grammy! An Oscar! And a Tony!). Enjoy this fantastic picture book about a beloved Latinx performer.
November 20, 2022
The story of Rita Moreno transcends the west side - wonderful first book on this American treasure. I can remember her when I use to watch The Electric Company as a boy; even then she really stood out in a very strong cast. Would really like to see her get a part in the MCU - in a future America Chavez film?
December 3, 2021
This is a delightful and inspiring picture book about the early life of award-winning actor, dancer and singer Rita Moreno. Moreno had an early interest in singing and dancing and was born as Rosita Dolores Alverio in Puerto-Rico in 1931. She learned to adapt to a different life in America when she came to New York City at a young age. The story takes us from her years of dance lessons, going to Hollywood and taking roles that were given to a Latina, to her big break as Anita in West Side Story and winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1962. There is a timeline along with a selected bibliography, articles, and quotation sources for those who want to learn more about Rita Moreno.
Reviewed by: Liz Glazer, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library
Reviewed by: Liz Glazer, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library
June 13, 2022
Fabulous Pb bio of the unforgettable and inspiring Rita Moreno. Art captures the color, movement, song and dance, of Rita’s life. I would have liked a mention of her baby brother in the back matter - did they ever reunite?
December 28, 2020
A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! is a children's picture book written by Anika Aldamuy Denise and illustrated by Leo Espinosa. It is the story of Rosita Dolores Alverio – best known today as Rita Moreno – a girl from Puerto Rico who loved to sing and dance.
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Her career has spanned over 70 years and covers musical films, television series, notable films, theater, and animated series. Moreno is one of the few artists to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.
Denise's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It covers Moreno's life from a child to when she won an Oscar for her role of Anita in West Side Story, touching on the setbacks and discrimination along the way. Backmatter includes an author's note and a timeline of Moreno's accomplishments. Espinosa's illustrations are as vibrant as the character he portrays.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. At a young age, Rosita leaves her island home with her mother to settle in New York City. Her new school is a fortress of brick where she is teased for her accent, darker skin, and curly hair. In order to speak back to the bullies, Rosita practices until her English is perfect – it is this tenacity will continue throughout her life. As her dancing and acting careers progress, gender and ethnic stereotypes pen her in and she must put on a fake accent to play stereotypically exotic parts. Finally, the role of a strong Puerto Rican woman comes, and it is hers: Anita in West Side Story. For this she wins the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress – the first Latinx performer to ever win an Oscar.
All in all, A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! is an inspiring account of a woman who followed her dreams.
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Her career has spanned over 70 years and covers musical films, television series, notable films, theater, and animated series. Moreno is one of the few artists to have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.
Denise's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. It covers Moreno's life from a child to when she won an Oscar for her role of Anita in West Side Story, touching on the setbacks and discrimination along the way. Backmatter includes an author's note and a timeline of Moreno's accomplishments. Espinosa's illustrations are as vibrant as the character he portrays.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. At a young age, Rosita leaves her island home with her mother to settle in New York City. Her new school is a fortress of brick where she is teased for her accent, darker skin, and curly hair. In order to speak back to the bullies, Rosita practices until her English is perfect – it is this tenacity will continue throughout her life. As her dancing and acting careers progress, gender and ethnic stereotypes pen her in and she must put on a fake accent to play stereotypically exotic parts. Finally, the role of a strong Puerto Rican woman comes, and it is hers: Anita in West Side Story. For this she wins the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress – the first Latinx performer to ever win an Oscar.
All in all, A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! is an inspiring account of a woman who followed her dreams.
February 26, 2021
Beautiful picturebook biography of Rita Moreno. Tells her life from birth to immigration, dealing with a language barrier and overcoming racist bullies. It also highlights the frustrations of assimilation with end notes that give a bit more detail on this point.
June 6, 2021
We may hate West Side Story, but we love Rita Moreno!
This is a great picture book that does not shy away from the “ethnic” roles Latina actresses where pigeonholed into. Moreno is a remarkable woman with a long-lasting career... even when she herself apologizes for the stereotypes she portrayed.
This is a great picture book that does not shy away from the “ethnic” roles Latina actresses where pigeonholed into. Moreno is a remarkable woman with a long-lasting career... even when she herself apologizes for the stereotypes she portrayed.
April 21, 2021
A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! There's a lot to like here. I really enjoyed reading it and found it interesting and touching and beautifully told. Anyone in the theater world knows about Rita Moreno for her Oscar-winning role in West Side Story and she is one of only a very few performers to receive have cinched the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Awards). The book appears to be thoroughly researched and the back matter includes a timeline; a selected bibliography, articles and quotation sources; and author's note. Rita's love of dance shines through as does her undaunted spirit as she faces prejudice and struggles to fit into white society and Hollywood.
If you share this with young children, though, be prepared for some serious talking points such as Rita and her mother leaving her baby brother behind in Puerto Rico so that they could move to America (I'm not sure why the baby brother was never sent for? this part was confusing and unanswered) and assimilating enough to be accepted by Hollywood yet initially accepting roles that portrayed negative racial and gender stereotypes as that was the only way in. In order to break barriers and eventually become the first Latina to win an Oscar, she had to first take roles that made her fake an all-purpose accent to play maidens, slaves and Spanish spitfires -- and even in the iconic West Side Story all the actors had to wear make-up to make all Puerto Ricans appear the same shade of brown*. I can't imagine how hard these decisions were for her and I don't mean to sound judgmental in any way yet I could see this being potentially somewhat confusing for young children and may lead to questions and the need for more discussion especially given the progress made (and still needing to be made) regarding representation for POC on the big and small screen.
The story itself ends with her wining the Oscar but the back matter shows that that Rita Moreno has been an inspiration to many not only for her incredible performances but for her later work for racial and gender equality, childhood education, immigrant families, and relief for her native Puerto Rico.
*Speaking of which, note that several reviewers didn't find that the skin tones in the book were varied enough to portray the rich range of diversity among Puerto Ricans. I did not pick up on that, but looking back through the book I do see that it's somewhat homogeneous though I do think that a variety of skin tones are portrayed so I'm not sure if it is an issue of print quality. Kirkus Reviews says: "Espinosa’s illustrations are as vibrant as the character he portrays. Rosita and her mother have beige skin and black hair, and the New Yorkers are multiethnic, but the people—mostly men—that surround her in Hollywood are White."
If you share this with young children, though, be prepared for some serious talking points such as Rita and her mother leaving her baby brother behind in Puerto Rico so that they could move to America (I'm not sure why the baby brother was never sent for? this part was confusing and unanswered) and assimilating enough to be accepted by Hollywood yet initially accepting roles that portrayed negative racial and gender stereotypes as that was the only way in. In order to break barriers and eventually become the first Latina to win an Oscar, she had to first take roles that made her fake an all-purpose accent to play maidens, slaves and Spanish spitfires -- and even in the iconic West Side Story all the actors had to wear make-up to make all Puerto Ricans appear the same shade of brown*. I can't imagine how hard these decisions were for her and I don't mean to sound judgmental in any way yet I could see this being potentially somewhat confusing for young children and may lead to questions and the need for more discussion especially given the progress made (and still needing to be made) regarding representation for POC on the big and small screen.
The story itself ends with her wining the Oscar but the back matter shows that that Rita Moreno has been an inspiration to many not only for her incredible performances but for her later work for racial and gender equality, childhood education, immigrant families, and relief for her native Puerto Rico.
*Speaking of which, note that several reviewers didn't find that the skin tones in the book were varied enough to portray the rich range of diversity among Puerto Ricans. I did not pick up on that, but looking back through the book I do see that it's somewhat homogeneous though I do think that a variety of skin tones are portrayed so I'm not sure if it is an issue of print quality. Kirkus Reviews says: "Espinosa’s illustrations are as vibrant as the character he portrays. Rosita and her mother have beige skin and black hair, and the New Yorkers are multiethnic, but the people—mostly men—that surround her in Hollywood are White."
August 12, 2020
If you asked me for an opinion for a Puerto Rican superstar worthy of a biographical picture book, Rita Moreno would be on top of that list. A Girl Named Rosita is an incredibly colorful story, with a personable character who's finally given a spotlight. Rita's story is one of immigration and assimilation into white society in America, especially as she delves into show-business. Her identity as a Puerto Rican remains at the surface level throughout the story, especially after she learns English, finally proving she's assimilated into white American culture. Her race/ethnicity only becomes an issue later when she's not being considered for roles, instead she takes roles intended for Native people, or South East Asians like in The King and I.
Maybe I take issue with her yellowface and other appropriative roles, or perhaps to the fact that her most famous role is one where she's sexually assaulted by white men and that's the only way in which the Academy of Motion Picture sees POC. But one big thing I have issue with is in a page where Rita is described as having "darker skin" than the white children surrounding her, yet that's not reflected. I don't know if it's the quality of the illustration on my computer, but her skin tone appears to be exactly the same as the white kids' skin tones. To add, there are zero dark-skinned people in the whole book, creating a homogenized picture of what Puerto Ricans, or even New York, looks like.
Overall, a great book for kids to learn about one of the pioneers of Puerto Rican acting, but I'd encourage grown ups, especially parents to read more about Rita, especially to pick up her memoirs.
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the ARC of this book!
Maybe I take issue with her yellowface and other appropriative roles, or perhaps to the fact that her most famous role is one where she's sexually assaulted by white men and that's the only way in which the Academy of Motion Picture sees POC. But one big thing I have issue with is in a page where Rita is described as having "darker skin" than the white children surrounding her, yet that's not reflected. I don't know if it's the quality of the illustration on my computer, but her skin tone appears to be exactly the same as the white kids' skin tones. To add, there are zero dark-skinned people in the whole book, creating a homogenized picture of what Puerto Ricans, or even New York, looks like.
Overall, a great book for kids to learn about one of the pioneers of Puerto Rican acting, but I'd encourage grown ups, especially parents to read more about Rita, especially to pick up her memoirs.
Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for the ARC of this book!
September 15, 2020
This book is a wonderful book about an amazing actress and performer. It shines the most lovely light on this talented person and trailblazer. Anika's story gets just the perfect amount of details to tell the story without getting bogged down in unnecessary details, an issue with many current biographies. However, for people who want to know more, there is expansive backmatter that helps the reader learn more. The illustrations are wonderful and help shine the most beautiful light on the story.
November 7, 2021
Readers who loved Planting Stories, Anika Aldamuy Denise's picture book biography of Pura Belpré, will want to talk a look at A Girl Named Rosita as well. This picture book biography of Rita Moreno is equally lyrical, and lush illustrations by Leo Espinosa capture the drama of Moreno's life. Children who love performance and dance will be drawn to her story, and readers of all backgrounds will learn more about how Puerto Ricans face prejudice when emigrating to the continental United States. Highly recommended for library collections.
January 8, 2021
Anika Denise and Leo Espinosa beautifully capture the spirit and musicality of beloved Latinx icon Rita Moreno. From Anika's repeating refrains and lyrical language to Leo's vibrant and joyful images, we get a peek behind the making of one of cinema's greatest stars. From Rita's early struggles to adapt to life in the U.S. to the choosing of a Hollywood name with such duds as Orchid on the table, the reader is given a real sense of the challenges that Moreno faced as she worked her way past stereotypes and into the hearts of audiences across the globe.
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January 11, 2021I absolutely love this in just about every way, except for the way absolutely every human being is the exact same color, which isn't just obnoxious from a social justice standpoint but also...not realistic? And doesn't really help with the point that people "made fun of her for her darker skin," because she is literally the same color as every other child and adult in the entire book.
August 13, 2021
Picture book biography. Don't miss the backmatter timeline & author's note - there is an emphasis on the problematic portrayals offered to Rita Moreno as an actress in Hollywood and how that impacted her and her career.
*Edited to add: Having read some valid critiques of this book, I can see some hesitation with using it. I am still contemplating.
*Edited to add: Having read some valid critiques of this book, I can see some hesitation with using it. I am still contemplating.
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November 5, 2020This was a really pretty book and fun, too. I loved learning her story. But don't we all just want to know what happened to the baby brother?! Did he ever come to the mainland, did he die, what happened to him?
February 28, 2021
As a child of the 70's, I know Rita Moreno from The Electric Company and the catchphrase "Hey, You Guys!" And there is a certain way to say that catchphrase, which if you too are a child of the 70's I know you read it correctly.
December 30, 2020
I grew up with her on the Electric Company and loved her in all of her roles
May 26, 2021
This was so beautiful! Made me tear up
January 30, 2021
this was confusing for me, tho i don't know much about the real life and career of rita morena. colleagues have been raving about this and i just dont see it! I'm not sure how a story about a woman who sheds her island, her little brother (wth happened to francisco my students wondered), her accent, and her name to reach stardom is supposed to affirm brown kids to chase their dreams. do they need to shed their identities in order to be affirmed? perhaps if i knew more of her bio... i also noticed like some other reviewers that though they write about her being made fun of for her darker skin in her classroom, the illustrations don't seem to reflect any differences in skin color. lmk if i am out of pocket please or what I'm missing! i loved planting stories from the same author and don't feel this story meets the standard of that bio of pura belpre.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2021
The illustrations were fantastic! I know it’s a true story, so I can’t really complain— but it made me really sad that Rosita had to leave her brother. Which left me to wonder whether she ever got to see him again???
And the way that she had to change her name to suit the white men in charge of her career??? I understand this was a different time period, but it still hit my injustice feelers.
And the way that she had to change her name to suit the white men in charge of her career??? I understand this was a different time period, but it still hit my injustice feelers.
November 21, 2020
There is usually a song, or a group of songs, which define portions of our lives. One record (vinyl) which captured the attention of a young teen in the 1960s was the soundtrack for the movie, West Side Story. To her parent's probable annoyance, it was played nonstop. Can you imagine her joy when her high school sweetheart took her to see the production at the nearby Michigan State University Fairchild Theatre? She hummed and sang her favorite songs for months and months after seeing the show in person.
One of those songs was America. In the movie it was sung by the actress who played the part of Anita. A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, November 3, 2020) written by Anika Aldamuy Denise with illustrations by Leo Espinosa presents to readers the remarkable life of the woman who never stopped believing in or pursuing her dreams.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
One of those songs was America. In the movie it was sung by the actress who played the part of Anita. A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno: Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! (Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, November 3, 2020) written by Anika Aldamuy Denise with illustrations by Leo Espinosa presents to readers the remarkable life of the woman who never stopped believing in or pursuing her dreams.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
August 25, 2022
Love this biography of Rita Morena from her early childhood in Puerto Rico through her success on Broadway.
Feel like it's weird that there's so much emphasis on her brother in the beginning and then he just drops out of the story and is never mentioned again. What happened to him? Did they ever re-unite?
Also, it's unclear what was up with her parents. She and her mom move to the US. Her dad and brother stayed in Puerto Rico. At first, I thought the family might be reunited later, but then her mom gets married in the US. You're left wondering were her parents not married or did they get divorced or what? (They got divorced.)
Feel like it's weird that there's so much emphasis on her brother in the beginning and then he just drops out of the story and is never mentioned again. What happened to him? Did they ever re-unite?
Also, it's unclear what was up with her parents. She and her mom move to the US. Her dad and brother stayed in Puerto Rico. At first, I thought the family might be reunited later, but then her mom gets married in the US. You're left wondering were her parents not married or did they get divorced or what? (They got divorced.)
June 12, 2021
A good one but our whole family was just consumed by trying to figure out what happened to Francisco, Rositas little brother Francisco :(
Loved the illustrations and life in this one. While the story itself wasn’t overly engaging it gives you a good sense of Rita’s personality and spirit. And I’ll admit I definitely got choked up at the end when the whole city celebrates her Oscar win.
My four year old was very into this story and started pointing out people with curly hair after saying “that looks like Rosita!”
Loved the illustrations and life in this one. While the story itself wasn’t overly engaging it gives you a good sense of Rita’s personality and spirit. And I’ll admit I definitely got choked up at the end when the whole city celebrates her Oscar win.
My four year old was very into this story and started pointing out people with curly hair after saying “that looks like Rosita!”
June 13, 2021
About Rita Moreno from childhood (leaving Puerto Rico for the US) through winning her Oscar for playing Anita, though the timeline and other info in the endnotes extend later.'
Some of the timeline of what's going on early in the book isn't super clear (maybe not helped by her looking more adult in the illustrations, I think, than she was), but the book does a really good job of talking about the obstacles Moreno faced and the problems with many of the roles she was cast in.
Some of the timeline of what's going on early in the book isn't super clear (maybe not helped by her looking more adult in the illustrations, I think, than she was), but the book does a really good job of talking about the obstacles Moreno faced and the problems with many of the roles she was cast in.
July 1, 2021
We read this together in Spanish today and felt we missed a few things since it’s not our native language. We look forward to re-reading soon. I never realised Rita also played the role of Tuptim in the King and I. Beautiful Illustrations! We have a remaining question though…why did Hollywood so often change the names of actors in the 50’s and 60’s? Do they still do it as frequently or is it more of an actor’s choice now?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 21, 2020
Rita Moreno is a well known actor, singer and dancer, but my students know her as the cool lady on YouTube that reads I Need My Monster.
They were so excited when I told them that's who the book is about.
In A Girl Named Rosita, we learn all about how the actress formally known as Rosita becomes Rita Moreno.
They were so excited when I told them that's who the book is about.
In A Girl Named Rosita, we learn all about how the actress formally known as Rosita becomes Rita Moreno.
December 17, 2020
I've always liked seeing Rita Moreno in movies and on TV, but I never knew much about her. This is a perfect introduction to her life. The pictures are full of life and color; the story doesn't shy away from some of the harder truths of being a POC in Hollywood in the 1950s and 60s. I really really liked this one.
December 30, 2020
Possible contender for the Mock Caldecott Awards in January. I loved the colorful illustrations in this book and since West Side Story is one of my all time favorite musicals, the story about Rota Moreno was interesting and gave me a little walk down memory lane. If you shared this book with an older child and then had them watch West Side Story, I think it could be a great bonding experience.
July 20, 2021
Full color illustrations accompany the story of young Rosa 'Rosita' Delores Alverio, who grew to become Rita Moreno, smashing through walls and breaking barriers in her field of performing arts so that others could follow. Enduring personal heartbreak and professional setbacks, Rosita persevered (and still does to this day!)
February 7, 2021
A wonderful picture book biography of EGOT legend Rita Moreno. From her humble beginnings in Puerto Rico to her rise to fame and being the first Latina to win an Oscar. This book will fascinate and inspire our kids for sure.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews