3rd grader Stella Diaz has a lot on her plate: a father who is distant, a mom that works, a best friend that’s not part of her class this year. Beteeen that and working with a speech specialist on her language skills, she has to give a presentation in class and is eagerly excited about getting to know the new student who transferred from Texas and strangely considered an “alien”

A delightful first chapter book peppered with Spanish phrases that embraces diversity, here hoping the second will be equally engaging.

A great chapter book that is perfect for beginning readers and a middle grade audience! I really loved Stella and her lovable Mexican family. The sprinkling of Spanish words throughout the book makes for an authentic reading experience. This book would also be perfect for a read aloud.

Definitely recommend!

Adorable book, and perfect for my elementary library, especially in a school with over 60% Hispanic population!

Stella Diaz is a relatable and loveable character. What I loved most about this story was the realistic family dynamic and school setting. “Stella Diaz Has Something to Say” was an absolute joy to read! This book deals with so many relevant topics that plague our country today. Immigration, language barriers, single — parent homes and bullying in schools are just a few issues our children face daily. Characters such as Stella, can help kids see they are not alone. Dominguez tells a story of a young girl, learning about herself and those around her, infused with humor and wit, Stella is a winner. Diverse books are so essential in schools and in libraries. We need more characters like Stella.

I loved this book and knew I had to share it with my 3rd-grade students. Stella's story is one that is prevalent in so many classrooms, especially in mine. My kids love that Stella is a 3rd grader who struggles with making friends, is learning to find her voice, and comes from a unique background. They love the fact that she is a writer, too. As a class, we've had some great conversations about culture and how our differences enrich our classroom. I highly recommend adding it to your classroom or personal library.

I really enjoyed this little chapter book. I think my students will enjoy it, as well. Stella is a very relatable little girl. She is a pretty good student, and a great artist, but is in speech therapy and struggles with her Spanish although her mother and brother are fluent. She struggles with shyness, and is terrified to speak in front of groups. She even has to deal with a mean girl (although the mean girl is pretty mild compared to some books, and it felt pretty genuine to me). She learns and grows throughout the books, makes new friends, and all the while you enjoy cheering her on. Hand this to your fans of Junie B. Jones who are ready to move on to something different.

This was a delightful book. It reminded me of the many students I’ve worked with over the years who are not only trying to figure out their identity and place in the world, but who are also doing that while navigating two cultures. Dominguez does an excellent job portraying this struggle and has created an excellent and engaging main character. I highly recommend this book.

Note: Miss Magee’s Reads was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thanks for reading!

Sometimes, you pick up a book, and you just know it will make a difference for your students. Stella Díaz Has Something to Say is, without a doubt, that type of book.

Stella Díaz is a third grade student with a lot to think about. Her best friend is in a different homeroom, she is attending speech therapy, and she wonders what life would be like if her family had stayed in Mexico City instead of immigrating to Chicago. Stella struggles with turning these thoughts into spoken words, and shyness seems to prevent her from saying what she wants to say. With the support of her best friend, her brother, and her mom, she is able to focus on her strengths. She is a talented artist, and she loves learning about animals. When Stella's teacher assigns a research project with a 5-minute class presentation, Stella worries. How can she show the world what she has to say?

What I absolutely loved about this book is that Stella is, in so many ways, more than one thing. She has so many strengths and so many things she is working on. We have so many students in our classroom who are more than one thing, and they need to find themselves in books like this. My students whose families have immigrated will connect with Stella. My students who are in speech therapy will connect with Stella. My students who have ever wanted a new friend will connect with Stella. My students whose parents are separated or divorced will connect with Stella. I know that so many students will see themselves in Stella. I also know that through reading Stella's story, students may begin to empathize with their classmates who are like Stella in some other way.

This book allows kids to celebrate all the things that they are. I can't wait to put this book in the hands of my third grade students, who all have something to say.

Charming tween novel about a girl in Chicago who struggles with shyness about her speech and reading, but really has so much to offer to the world around her. She lives with her mom and older brother and enjoys being with her best friend. By the end of the book, her world has opened up much more and she has grown significantly in what she feels she can do.

Stella, her brother and their radio executive mother live in Chicago. Stella's father lives in Colorado and does not get in touch very often. Stella loves learning about marine animals and has a betta fish for whom she enjoys caring. It's a tough year at school, since Stella's best friend Jenny isn't in her class anymore, and Stella is still seeing a speech teacher to work on her language skills, which are fairly solid but which could use some improvement and make Stella self conscious about speaking in class. She has to deal with a new boy in her class who is from Texas, learning that she is not a US citizen but rather an "alien" with a green card, and missing her family, many of who still live in Mexico City. Stella does her best to get ready for her class presentation despite her challenges because she does in deed have "something to say".
Strengths: Stella is a fun character, and seems very typical for a third grader. Being without her best friend is hard, and she worries that Jenny will make other friends. She misses her father, but realizes that he just isn't going to be involved in her life. She has a warm and supported relationship with her mother, who is doing her best to support her family. The school scenes strike me as realistic, and Stella's struggles with language are delicately and constructively described.
Weaknesses: I worry that this will be too young for many of my readers, although my struggling ELL population will enjoy the story, the length of the text, and the inclusion of pictures. I just wish there were a similar story with an 8th grade character, because most of my students do not want to read about a third grader.
What I really think: I will purchase for my readers who need easier chapter books that appeal to their own experiences.

Stella, who hasn't yet mastered English, feels different from the others in her class. She feels uncomfortable speaking in school unless it's to her friend Jenny. This book tells the story of Stella's struggle to fit in and find her voice. Stella's story is one that some students will be able to relate to and will help others empathize with those who may have a similar struggle. Stella shows that it's possible to overcome our fears and that it's okay to be oneself. The author's note at the end of the book explains that much of the story is based on her own life.

For middle grade readers of realistic fiction, Stella Diaz is a wonderful character. She is smart, but shy. She worries over speaking in front of others because her words come out wrong sometimes, even though she has been in speech class for three years. Part of her confusion comes from the different sounds that letters make in Spanish and in English; even though her family moved to Chicago from Mexico City when she was very young, those sounds are still giving her trouble in the third grade. Another problem is that her best friend Jenny is in another homeroom this year, so she doesn't have that support and isn't sure how to make new friends. Of course, there is always someone unkind at school and that happens to be Jessica, who teases Stella and says she is weird or stupid.

Slowly, as the year goes by, Stella makes other friends to sit with at lunch, and even overcomes her shyness enough to talk to the new boy in class without turning bright red. Along the way we get to see her wonderful home life with a loving big brother and mom, her talent as an artist and a writer, and her attempts to speak up for herself. The final project of the year with its 5-minute presentation in front of the class offers the chance to show off her newfound confidence and let everyone hear what she has to say.

This book has many components that make it a great choice for middle grade readers. The topics of immigration, single-parent homes, teasing, and friendship are all blended into the story in a realistic and organic way. Stella is shown as a character with both strengths and weaknesses, and we can see her work to overcome her shyness and fear of public speaking while sharing her talents as an artist and writer with her family and friends. The depiction of a bilingual household is not exaggerated for comic effect, but shows a family with its own unique background and how that cultural heritage comes through in their daily lives.

Altogether a satisfying book that would work well as an independent read or as a read-aloud.

A great and important work that should be required reading from coast to coast.

STELLA DIAZ HAS SOMETHING TO SAY is super charming. It covers a lot of ground - immigration, being bilingual, be different, divorced parents, social anxiety - but it does it all in a very fun, charming way that will appeal to many lower MG readers.

A charming book about a young Hispanic girl living in Chicago. Stella still has issues with speaking in public, and sometimes says something in Spanish instead of English, but she's smart, spunky . . . and painfully shy. How she learns to overcome her shyness and share her enthusiasm with everyone is told in a charming story with equally delightful illustrations throughout, which are integral to the story. The inclusion of frequent Spanish phrases is a bonus. Will speak to anyone who is shy, who feels alone, who is a non-citizen, who is the new kid, or who is afraid of having to talk in front of a class. Very enjoyable.

Stella, is a sweet girl who believes she is made up of the fact that she is an "alien". With the help of her brother and her mother she is able to come out of her skin and learn somethings about being herself and using her voice.

A charming book about a little girl who has some problems with her speech and because her best friend isn't in her class this year, she has more problems than usual. She accidentally speaks Spanish, drops her crayons and is bullied by some of the girls in her class. However, once she makes up her mind to not listen to what they say, her life begins to turn around. The new boy in her class who she was so shy with becomes her friend and she begins to make other friends. Life and school become a glorious adventure again. . An inspiring book which I really enjoyed,.