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Building an Orchestra of Hope: How Favio Chavez Taught Children to Make Music from Trash
Last updated Friday, March 13, 2026
Author: Carmen Oliver
Illustrator: Luisa Uribe
Date of Publication: 2022
ISBN: 0802854672
Grade Level: 3rd (GLCs: Click here for grade level guidelines.)
Date(s) Used: Mar. 2026
Synopsis:
In Cateura, Paraguay, a town built on a landfill, music teacher Favio Chavez longed to help the families living and working amid the hills of trash. How could he help them find hope for the future? Favio started giving music lessons to Cateura's children, but soon he encountered a serious problem. He had more students than instruments!
But Favio had a strange and wonderful idea: what if this recyclers' town had its own recycled orchestra? Favio and Colá, a brilliant local carpenter, began to experiment with transforming garbage into wonder. Old glue canisters became violins; paint cans became violas; drainpipes became flutes and saxophones. With repurposed instruments in their hands, the children of Cateura could fill their community - and the world - with the sounds of a better tomorrow.
Based on an incredible true story!
| Discussion topics for before reading: |
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Do you listen to music?
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What types of music do you listen to?
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Do you play any instruments?
Vocabulary:
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orchestra - a large group of musicians playing various instruments together, typically led by a conductor
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innovative - trying a new method, making something better, or using creativity to solve a problem
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accomplishment - something you complete successfully usually requiring hard work and practice
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| Discussion topics for during/after reading: |
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Out of all the instruments made, which one would you want to learn how to play?
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Would you want to be in a band/orchestra and play music with others?
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| Craft ideas: |
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Make a Paper Plate Guitar! Materials: two paper plates (one plate if thick enough:, 3 rubber bands, popsicle sticks, paper towel roll. 1. Use a thick paper plate or two paper plates. 2. Decorate the plate with markers, crayons, or colored penceils. 3. Cut 3 slits at the top and bottom of the plate(s) 4. Put a rubber band in each slo5. 5. Attach a paper towel tub or two popsicle sticks to the back of the plate with glue, staples, or tape.
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| Special activities: |
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Charades: One player chooses a book title, famous person, character, movie or song. Then that player acts out the item they picked without using words. The other children try to guess what is being acted out.
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*Note: These craft ideas are just suggestions.
You can use them, but you don't have to use them.
You can expand upon them, or add your own twist.
Remember, though, that the focus of your time should
not be on the development and execution of a craft;
the focus should be on the read-aloud and the
enjoyment of the book!
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