Mamiachi & Me: My Mami’s Mariachi Band (a Picture Book)

Mamiachi & Me is a lyrical and empowering picture book written by Jolene and Dakota Gutiérrez and illustrated by Mirelle Ortega, winner of a Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor, about what it means to be a mariachi in an all-female band.

Today’s the day! Rosa will take the stage next to her mami and play along with her popular mariachi band. But as they fasten the shiny botonaduras and tie the moños on their charra suits, Rosa begins to worry. What if the audience doesn’t like her? Is she ready to perform?

With her ＂mamiachi＂ and madrinas by her side, Rosa’s stage fright is soothed away by the sound of trumpets, guitars, and violins. Centering on the power of sisterhood, community, and music, the warm and lively text by mother-and-son writing duo Jolene and Dakota Gutiérrez--joined by Mirelle Ortega’s beautiful illustrations--provides a unique perspective to the male-dominated world of mariachi. Back matter includes additional context on the history of the beloved Mexican tradition and the rise of all-female mariachi groups, as well as a glossary, a bibliography, further reading, and a fun, detailed look at a mariachi’s signature charro suit!

Jolene Gutiérrez and Dakota Gutiérrez see the magic in music, from singing in a choir to enjoying mariachi performances in Mexican plazas. Dakota’s father’s family is from Jalostotitlán (a town in Jalisco, Mexico), so mariachi music has a very special place in Jolene and Dakota’s lives. When a year of virtual learning meant Dakota couldn’t join his high school’s mariachi band, the pair teamed up to write Mamiachi and Me as their way of honoring the strength and beauty of women performing in what historically has been a male-dominated art form. Jolene is an award-winning teacher-librarian and author of many books for young readers, including Too Much! She lives in Denver, Colorado, and is an active member of SCBWI and the Author’s Guild, part of the KidLitCollective group, and a co-creator of #KidlitZombieWeek and Picture Book Gold. Dakota is a college student at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, with a passion for music and writing. He is majoring in civil engineering and is active in the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and intramural sports. Mirelle Ortega is a storyteller and author-illustrator of River of Mariposas and Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land, for which she received a Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor. She was born and raised in Mexico surrounded by amazing mariachi music and Son Jarocho. She now lives in Los Angeles, California.