Wepa

by J. de Lavega

Introduce your little ones to Wepa, in both English and Spanish!

Her mom thinks she is too messy; her teachers think she is too loud. But Grandma says that’s nonsense. Mia Emilia Lucia Renata simply has too much wepa!

Mia tries to bottle up her wepa, but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t contain it. With a bit of inspiration from Grandma and her friends, Mia discovers the perfect place to release her wepa. A place where her wepa is celebrated and isn’t too much.

Parents will celebrate the wepa behind this bilingual English-Spanish hardcover as they teach their little ones to be passionate about who they are and how they express themselves in their everyday life.

Genres: Picture Books, Adhd, Spanish Literature, Childrens, Latinx

48 pages, Hardcover

First published May 9, 2023

Reviews

[Feliciana · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 5 year old loved this and she gave it 5 stars.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love the bilingual nature of this book. It's gorgeous! And it would be excellent in a bilingual household. It is also a wonderful book that celebrates a child with ADHD.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’a a cute book with positive ADHD rep.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy and this book is delightful!

"Wepa" isn't a word from my culture, but wow did this book describe my kid! I could so easily see my energetic, wonderful, slightly overwhelming 6-year-old in Mia. (My child also has ADHD, and this is a great read for validating the energy and enthusiasm some ADHD kids have, that doesn't directly talk about ADHD.)

The illustrations are lovely and engaging, and it doesn't take long to pick up on how much more COLORFUL life is when Mia lets her wepa fly!

If your child is a fan of "Ada Twist, Scientist" and other books from Andrea Beaty, Mia & her wepa will be a great addition to your bookshelf.

The text is also in both English and Spanish which is wonderful if you have a bilingual reader or someone looking to deepen their skills.

[NoNieqa Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seeing the word WEPA as the title of author illustrator J. de la Vega’s bilingual picture book made my Boricua heart sing. Through the fashionable, creative character of Mia, J deftly takes the cultural concept of Wepa and pairs it with the struggle to manage the challenges and celebrate the gifts of being neurodivergent. The author’s note explains that Mia has ADHD. Vega’s playful, pillowy, buoyant illustrations invite the reader to dive into each page. Children will love free spirited Mia’s journey as she discovers an outlet for her energy and a place to shine. BIPOC readers will love that Mia’s happy place vibrates with la cultura!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Mia, a child who has been told she is different in a negative way. She has an important connection with someone who notices her genius, her Abuela. This bilingual story combines gorgeous illustrations and message that hits home hard. I cannot think of one book that I had to hand my son (or people who struggled to see him and notice his strengths) that represents a brilliant bilingual with a disability. The reader enters into Mia's world at a pivotal moment for her. It is also relevant to our current moment and world where loving yourself for who you are is a radical and necessary act. I highly recommend that you, families and educators, GO BUY THIS BOOK.

[Sheila Colón-Bagley · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Puerto Rican and the mother of a child with ALOT of Wepa, this picture book made my heart sing. I love how J de la Vega takes what are usually deemed “negative” traits associated with ADHD and puts a positive spin on them by using a word that means all things fun. Mia’s personality just leaps off the page!!! I wish this book had been available when my daughter was first diagnosed with ADHD. It would have been helpful in explaining her diagnosis to her—while celebrating her beautiful differences and those of children with ADHD. I think this book would make a great addition to any home, school, or pediatric practice library!

[Sylvia Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

With leap-off-the-page energy, expressive spreads, and vibrant colors brimming with joy, WEPA excels for showing versus telling what wepa is, excellent interplay between playful text plus irresistible art, and memorable voice and relatability. And if you look deeper into what WEPA is bringing to the forefront, this picture book stands out in so many strong ways: presenting wepa as a metaphor for ADHD, fully bilingual English-Spanish text, finding places that best fit you, celebrating and expressing who you are to the fullest, and raising ADHD awareness and acceptance to build a better world. A true gem of a picture book!

[TheRetiredSchoolLibrarian |Mrs. Ferraris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief summary: Besides being intelligent, Mia likes to be creative and fashionable but has some things she does not do well. Her Mami says she has too much wepa. Mia tries ballet, hoping to get some of the wepa out, but it does not work. She finally finds an avenue where she releases her wepa.

Comments: According to dictionary.com, wepa means "a Spanish slang used to convey excitement, congratulations, and joy, similar to the English Oh yeah!, Wow!, or That's awesome!"

The author shares that everyone in her family has ADHD.

This is a bilingual English-Spanish picture book.

Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wepa is a bilingual English/Spanish book about Mia, who is a lot of things and sometimes a little "too much." Mia is worried about what everyone says about her and how they see her. Her excitement and enthusiasm can be seen as a bad thing, but Mia find a way to manage it all and be herself. She's spunky and cute and the story appeals across a diverse range of readers. Love the latin culture made accessible to English-speakers as well.

Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[Misty Na · Rating 5 out of 5]

J. de Lavega does it again with her newest, "Wepa". Similar to her other children's book, "Petunia Brown," Wepa follows a little girl as she navigates her world through the magic that's within her. Some of those around her may not appreciate that Wepa and it's with support that Mia is able to find an outlet for that magic.

Great for bilingual practice, stories that center around girls and WOC. Look for other titles by this author.

[Melissa Stagg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wepa is a fun story that stands as both a window and a mirror for its readers! Mia is a delightful character who reminds us that children only know how to be themselves and as adults, we must guide their development and not dictate it. I, like the author, have come from chancla culture and there is no shame in that. The shame is in staying there. Wepa calls us to action and says, "Ancestors, we thank you for all you've done to make us a people! We'll take it from here!".

[Darlena Glenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great storyline, teachable story, perhaps relatable to young learners. I really like the bilingual aspect for take-home reading with students whose parents speak Spanish. However, I am not fond of the artwork where all of the faces are basically the same with the rosy cheeks which is not realistic for dark brown people. There are a few faces that look different, but I am just not fond of digital art in this way. Very colorful, though. I really like that.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this was sweet. I really, really loved the ending when she's dancing with all the old people 😂. That brought me so much joy! After reading "ADHD is Awesome" by Penn Holderness, I really have an appreciation for books like this. Kids with ADHD have different brains. They can't fit into the mold of kids who are able to sit still and focus for a long time. That's not the brain God gave them. We all have different gifts. Kids with ADHD are so creative and full of life. That's beautiful!

[Lilly Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having a son with too much ‘Wepa’, this book hit home. I didn’t realize until after reading this book that I too am the one saying he’s too much.. this gave me a different perspective on giving my son an opportunity to channel his Wepa into something productive. Amazing illustrations and love love love it being bilingual. Great job!

[Delia Ruiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A positive spin and celebration for WEPA! This book touches on ADHD and one young girl's journey to discover a safe place to release her wepa and love herself and her energy. This bilingual title shows the beauty of those with too much wepa and and their everyday expression. A must have for all classrooms!

[Crystal B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only did I love the illustrations, but I fell in love with the story. As someone who has ADHD, this book easily found a very special place in my heart. I wish I could time travel to the past and give my childhood self this book! There are very few books about what happens when an ADHDer finds the places where they belong. A beautiful  5 out of 5 stars book.

[Maureen Yusuf-morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wepa is the book I needed to read my older child when he was younger. A term so distinctly defined with no translation in English that truly captures the heart of a spirited child. IYkyk! Love that the main character is a brown femme child too. 😍🌈👏🏾

[Kelly]

I liked the cover under the jacket better than the actual muted cover. I think it's a great book to show how people need to act out their energy and that there are some places where it's ok to do that but not everywhere.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

WEPA is about a character who is told she's a bit much, but knows her wepa, or energy, is perfect. Great book for children with ADHD and their parents. And it's bilingual! Vibrant, fun illustrations pair well with the energetic main character.

[Araceli Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great bilingual book. It can bring diversity into the classroom ad it helps students recognize differences that people have as the main character has ADHD and it is highlighted as something good.

[Garrett Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ese libro es bueno. El libro trata sobre una niña y ella ADHD. Las palabras es simplista para me. Yo comprendo el libro.

This book was good. This book was about a girl and her ADHD. The words were simple for me. I understood the book.

[Lauren McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous artwork and vibrant words in two languages!

[Dana G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book packs a lot of energy, empathy, and joy into its vividly colored pages. Recommended!

[Tanisha Kamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this with my mini. We both loved it. She felt as though she could relate to Mia. She said Mommy that's me!

[Abbigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book landed somewhere in between promoting self-control and self-acceptance; I think it was a little unclear overall.

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 4 out of 5]

MC has a whole bunch of wepa -- energy! This is a bilingual story about identity, both as a Latina and a person with ADHD. The artwork perfectly matches the livliess of the text.

[Sam W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discover what wepa is and what Mia does to contain it. This picture book has lively illustrations and an endearing theme.

[Thomas Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book, though I am a bit disappointed by her family for not being as helpful as they could be.

[Rosemary Cubero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book storytelling a child’s journey with ADHD and finding a place where to express themselves.