LUNA RANCHERA

Gather round and hear the story of Luna the dog and her daughter Ranchera, the most famous singing sensations in the Nuevo Wild West.

A cat stands on a stage before an audience of diverse humans and animals and tells of this doggy duo. As the story goes, Luna was forced to resort to stealing to feed herself and her puppies, including the feisty and courageous Ranchera. One night, a man shot at her, and Luna ran till her legs ached. When she stopped, she was stung by a bee and began to howl—“It was the pain of constant hunger, the pain that comes from never havin’ whatcha need.” The sorrowful sounds brought everyone from far and wide, led by Ranchera. Ranchera howled along with her mother, and their heartbreaking song was heard by humans and animals alike. After that, Luna and Ranchera became famous and sang for audiences far and wide. This rags-to-riches story of a mother-and-daughter pair making it big will pull at readers’ heartstrings. The framing device—that of the cat recounting the story for an appreciative audience—is inspired. Translated from Spanish, the writing has an appealingly folksy, tall-tale feeling. Reminiscent of Raul the Third’s artwork, the illustrations feature large-eyed, anthropomorphic animals wearing sombreros and scarves in a hip, Western-inspired desert setting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A strikingly original story of overcoming the odds.