Eleven-year-old Ana María lives in a cramped apartment in Washington Heights with her parents and three sisters, with another baby on the way. Ana María hopes to get a full scholarship to a private girls’ school by impressing them with her academic prowess and her skills at playing the piano. But prospects of attending the school have made her aware of everything she doesn’t have in terms of material things, making her resent the coming baby and some of the other choices her parents have made. When her family travels to the Dominican Republic to attend her aunt’s wedding, Ana María is struck by the economic disparities between her aunt’s affluent lifestyle and the lives of many of her less fortunate relatives. Ana María also finds it unsettling to see how her aunt, whom she’s always admired, treats the girl Ana María’s age who works for her. It gives Ana María pause. Ana María’s growth comes in fits and starts in this warm, realistic story. There is no magic transformation but she does slowly gain a deeper understanding of her own privilege and things that really matter even as it remains an easy, breezy middle-grade novel, one full of humor, cultural authenticity, and surprising depth. (Ages 8–11)

The Penderwicks meets In the Heights in this sparkling middle-grade debut about a young Dominican American girl in New York City.

Her last name may mean "kings," but Ana María Reyes REALLY does not live in a castle. Rather, she's stuck in a tiny apartment with two parents (way too lovey-dovey), three sisters (way too dramatic), everyone's friends (way too often), and a piano (which she never gets to practice). And when her parents announce a new baby is coming, that means they'll have even less time for Ana María.

Then she hears about the Eleanor School, New York City's best private academy. If Ana María can win a scholarship, she'll be able to get out of her Washington Heights neighborhood school and achieve the education she's longed for. To stand out, she'll need to nail her piano piece at the upcoming city showcase, which means she has to practice through her sisters' hijinks, the neighbors' visits, a family trip to the Dominican Republic... right up until the baby's birth! But some new friends and honest conversations help her figure out what truly matters, and know that she can succeed no matter what. Ana María Reyes may not be royal, but she's certain to come out on top.