“Mami! Mami! I heard the most wonderful thing today.” Young Ofelia heard her teacher play the piano and thought it was the most beautiful sound in the world!
Ofelia wanted to learn how to play like her teacher and begged her mother for a piano, but they couldn’t afford one. That night in bed, longing for her very own, she pretended to press keys on her pillow. The next day—and throughout her childhood—the girl imagined herself playing the instrument and writing songs. She made up many, some of which reflected her love for her mom and dad and others that reminded her of the sound of rain on the roof and even galloping horses. She grew up and never learned to play the piano, though she never forgot about her dream.
Later, when she saw a piano for sale, she had an idea that would help other low-income children fulfill their wish to play a musical instrument. “Finally, my dream will come true!” Working with friends, Ofelia established a community center in Central Texas that to this day offers all kinds of enrichment programs for a nominal fee—or even for free! This inspiring bilingual picture book with imaginative illustrations by Gabhor Utomo shares the joy of music, as well as the fulfillment that helping others brings.
Named to the Pima County Public Library’s 2026 Southwest Books of the Year
“This English-Spanish bilingual rendering of one woman’s story, accompanied by vibrant watercolor illustrations, highlights the subject’s determination and generosity as well as her love for music and her community.”—Booklist
“A heartfelt and inspiring story and a strong choice for library collections, especially where bilingual titles and stories about perseverance and the arts are valued.”—School Library Journal
“…an inspiring, bilingual (English/Spanish), biographical picture book that celebrates the joy of music and Ofelia’s accomplishments to help other children, men and women of limited means to learn to create music for themselves, their families and their communities.”—Midwest Book Review
“The illustrations are as central to the story as the words in this picture book. Rendered in a whimsical and impressionistic watercolor style, musical notes are woven into every image, beautifully symbolizing Ofelia’s dream and her enduring love of music.”—Pima County Public Library
DIANA GARCÍA, a native of San Antonio, Texas, has been a bilingual educator for over 30 years. She has won numerous awards for her teaching, including the HEB Excellence in Education Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 and a Humanities Texas Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities award in 2022. She lives and works in San Marcos, Texas.
GABHOR UTOMO was born in Indonesia and received his degree from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco in 2003. He has illustrated several children’s books, including Arenas y trinos: Abecedario del río / Sand and Song: The ABCs of the River (Piñata Books, 2020), Lupita’s First Dance / El primer baile de Lupita (Piñata Books, 2013) and Kai’s Journey to Gold Mountain (East West Discovery Press, 2004). Gabhor’s work has won numerous awards from local and national art organizations, and his painting of Senator Milton Marks is part of a permanent collection at the California State Building in downtown San Francisco. He lives with his family in Portland, Oregon.
