Hispanic Star: Selena Gomez

by Claudia Romo Edelman, Karla Arenas Valenti, Alexandra Beguez (Illustrator)

Read about Selena Gomez, who is among the most groundbreaking, iconic Hispanic and Latinx heroes who have shaped our culture and the world in Hispanic Star: Selena Gomez , from Claudia Romo Edelman's gripping Hispanic Star biography series for young readers.

Meet Selena Gomez--once just a girl from Grand Prairie, Texas, who loved to perform for her family. Her courage, drive, and empathy have been guiding posts in her lifelong career since her beginnings on Barney & Friends . Selena’s skyrocket to fame took her from the Disney Channel to becoming one of Time magazine’s most influential people in the world in 2020. An emblem for her generation, Selena shows that you can be exactly who you are and follow your passions wherever they may lead you.

Hispanic Star proudly celebrates Hispanic and Latinx heroes who have made remarkable contributions to American culture and have been undeniable forces in shaping its future. If you can see it, you can be it.

112 pages, Hardcover

Published May 16, 2023

Reviews

[Kryssy · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5**

Selena may have become an international star due to her music, but she has done so much more than I remember.

Throughout the last few years, i know that she has really been trying to go back to her roots and focus on what is enjoyable to her. That’s why she released spanish albums and has even stopped releasing music

I had no idea how many organization she has been involved in, especially since she was diagnosed. She knows when she needs to take a break and does what she can because she loves it!

Selena is such a beautiful person, inside and out. I’m glad to be in her generation so I can see all the good she does and will continue to do

I’m glad this was a look at her life work instead of focusing in boyfriends or friends that may be more popular than her and take the focus away.

I do wish that it went into more detail about her home life because it was mentioned that her mom really set up the path for selena to become who she is

- Parents were both 16. Raised by grandparents
- Even though they were in a tough spot, always found time to help
- Went on barney because it filmed close to home. On for 2 years
- Sure life of Zach and Cody was her first kiss
- Playing mikayla showed her acting range
- Wizards was HUGE for the Hispanic and Latinx communities
- Started singing career by doing songs for her acting projects
- Selena formed the band
- Albums were not received well by critics. They were by fans
- While filming in Puerto Rico, noticed many homeless animals. Got involved in organizations to help
- Formed a production company with her mom
- Launched a fashion line and fragrance
- Became less of a person and more of a brand. Everything had to be perfect
- Became burned out and cancelled international legs of tour
- Checked herself into a mental health facility
- Kept acting and recording but all performances suffered
- Lupus diagnosis was in 2014! Wow. I didn’t think it was that long ago
- Cancelled tour again. Another mental heath facility
- Went through chemotherapy
- Needed new kidney. Went on waiting list that could be up to 10 years
- Francia was her roommate at the time. Immediately volunteered to be tested
- Gift box with kidney beans: “a sister is a forever friend” 🥺🥺🥺
- Surgery. Afterwards Selena started spazzing out. Straight into another surgery
- Transplant seemed to completely change her health
- Social media was becoming toxic. She deleted it all
- Launched cosmetics line. Makeup isn’t something you use to change yourself. It is an art form you use to complement your natural beauty
- “Everything that attached to has a charity aspect. If something good have coming out of it, I’m not going to do it. I don’t need money. I need people who want to fight with me”
- JFK: “every American who has ever lived, with the exception is one group, was either an immigrant himself or a descendant of immigrants” 👏👏👏
- Created a docu series about immigration and living undocumented
- Unicef ambassador at 17
- Continues to super good causes such as LGBTQ+ rights, Black Lives Matter, and the importance of voting. She even lent out her social media account to experts so they can properly talk about the cause

[IrenesBookReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an informative and entertaining book about the courageous Selan Gomez! You may have seen stories in the tabloids about her but until you read this book you will not truly understand her.  The book walks you through her life from her humble upbringing thru her tv stardom, singing career and health struggles.  This book is geared towards children, and I thought it did a fantastic job explaining some of the issues she encountered at their level.  There were basic explanations of her heritage and her health issues.  I thought it was written well with an informative nonjudgmental voice.  I would recommend this book to anyone who has a child interested in her life.

Macmillan Children's Publishing Group
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, for the temporary digital ARC that I read and gave my honest opinion of.

[Carlee Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very educational and handled challenging topics like mental and physical health in a way that would be more easily understood by children. It defined things that kids may not be familiar with such as the Selena that Selena Gomez got her name from and what lupus is. It focused on Selena Gomez' childhood and career as a Hispanic person, but also the challenges she faced both in her career and personal life. I learned a lot about Selena Gomez as an adult who has followed Selena Gomez since her Disney Channel days. I appreciated that this book did not delve into her romantic relationships at all and focused on her. This was a really great book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advanced digital copy!

[Rebecca Morrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because in 5th grade, my students are always looking for contemporary biographies in my classroom. Until nearly the end, I was a fan of the book. The author's focus shifts to causes Ms. Gomez believes in. I don't believe enough attention was paid to her accomplishments in acting, and her life was mostly glossed over. However, the author did a superb job in documenting Selena's lupus struggles, which were interesting and inspiring. Overall, 7th to 9th grade students are recommended to enjoy this biography.

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very informative and entertaining biography of Selena Gomez’s life so far. This book did a great job at covering tough topics like mental health struggles, health issues, and worldly issues we encounter today. The author did a good job at explaining each topic in a way that a younger audience could understand, but still makes it an enjoyable read for an older audience as well. I liked how the focus of this book was about Selena’s positive attributes and her accomplishments and not on her romantic life at all. This would be a good pick for anyone who is a fan of Selena Gomez.

[Jacob Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This biography exemplifies how to engage intermediate-grade readers. It skillfully balances factual information with personal sentiment, capturing the dynamic life and health challenges of Selena Gomez. Notably, the inclusion of concise blurbs defining terms like "dialysis," providing facts about Puerto Rico, and explaining acting roles such as "background talent" and "day player" enhances understanding. These additions are both relevant and appropriate, making the biography well-written and an inspiring story to share.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, informative, and comprehensive biography of Gomez's life. It's appropriate for children in grades 4 and up. I especially liked how the authors included brief sidebars about various concepts that may be unfamiliar to children.

It may be a little long or information-rich for the average child who picks it up, but they always have the option of skimming to chapters of interest.

[Jody Porta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is super cute! I love Selena Gomez. The book has adorable drawings in it that go along with her story. If you love Selena,you will love this book.