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2 Books about Shakira by Latino authors

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The Colombian singer continues to be a reference for Latino readers, whether they are adults or children. AL DIA recommends one for each audience

You may not be a big fan of her songs, but in the last few weeks it is very likely that you have heard the name Shakira more than once. The famous Colombian singer and ex-partner of the blaugrana player Gerard Piqué has been the subject of media attention after releasing a song with a feminist tone together with the Argentine music producer Bizarrap in which she ‘attacked’ the player for having broken off the relationship and started dating another much younger girl.

Who is Shakira really, and what are her origins? AL DIA recommends two тιтles to delve into her life and artistic trajectory, which today continue to inspire thousands of Latinos around the world. One for adults, and  another for the little ones.

1. Shakira: Woman Full of Grace (2001) by Ximena Diego

Published when Shakira was only 24 year-old, New York based Argentine journalist Ximena Diego follows the story of Shakira’s early success. She landed her first record deal when she was a mere thirteen years old, recorded her second album at fifteen, and starred in a popular soap opera in her native Colombia. She was only nineteen when her third album, Pies descalzos (Barefoot), made her the bestselling female rock star in Latin America. Though her fourth album, Dónde están los ladrones? (Where Are the Thieves?), went platinum eight times in the U.S., it was her electrifying performance at the first annual Latin Grammys that captured the attention of the nation.

At that time, Shakira remained remarkably balanced, confounding the usual stereotypes ᴀssociated with rock stars. She was a devout Catholic, lived with her parents, and traveled  everywhere with them. According to Diego, she was “one of those rare stars who combine talent, charisma, and boldness, and at the same time keep their feet firmly planted on the ground.

2. Shakira (February 2023) , de Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Author), Laura Díez (Illustrator)

This inspiring book features stylish and quirky illustrations about the world’s most popular Latin American singer and inspiring facts about her life.  The author is Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, a writer and creative director from Barcelona who likes writing  books about little people with BIG dreams. “From designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream,” Sanchez Vergara says of her book series. Shakira is one of them. 

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