La Paz is a happy, but noisy village. A little peace and quiet would make it just right. So the villagers elect the bossy Don Pepe as their mayor. Before long, singing of any kind is outlawed. Even the teakettle is afraid to whistle! But there is one noisy rooster who doesn’t give two mangos about this mayor’s silly rules. Instead, he does what roosters were born to do. He sings: “Kee-kee-ree-KEE!”

The silenced populace, invigorated by the rooster’s bravery, ousts the tyrannical mayor and returns their city to its free and clamorous state.

Carmen Deedy’s masterfully crafted allegory and Eugene Yelchin’s bright, whimsical mixed-media paintings celebrate the spirit of freedom, and the courage of those who are born to sing at any cost.

Reviews:
This subtle, modern multicultural tale is a must-have: “Kee-kee-ree-KEE!” Indeed!
– Kirkus

Deedy’s message about speaking up and speaking out rings as clearly as a bell.
– Publisher’s Weekly

Deedy’s original story of the noisy village of La Paz has the feel of a well-told folktale — one with plenty of dry wit.
– The Horn Book

Here we have a book that not only celebrates those people that speak up when everyone else cowers around, but also makes it very clear that while there is a messiness and a noise to everyday society, the alternative can sometimes prove much much worse.
– School Library Journal