After writing the Martinez Kids Adventures, I have become fascinated with the variety of ways that Spanish may be incorporated into an English book. This book does a beautiful job of capturing the experience of a bilingual family!

Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene by Emma Otheguy is the story of a 5th grade daughter of Cuban immigrants. Ballet is the Acosta family's identity, and all are getting ready to dance in the Nutcracker. However, is ballet really Sofia's niche? Is it possible to be part of her family without being a prima ballerina?

I loved the Spanish language woven into this story. The Acosta family slips between the two languages in such a natural way, code-switching smoothly depending on the audience. I do feel like it would be helpful to know some Spanish when reading the book, though the author reveals enough in context that it is not necessary.

The social issues addressed in the story start to accumulate as it advances, moreso than I expected. However, I appreciated how Sofia begins to grow into herself and the awareness of the ways kids can be welcoming of immigrants. 

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