Chato and the Party Animals

Chato's back. Having learned his lesson from his encounter with the mice in "Chato's Kitchen" this kitty cat is now at peace with every animal he encounters. So much so, in fact, that he is quite the partier. While attending the birthday celebration of the dog Chorizo, Chato discovers a sad fact about his buddy Novio Boy. Originally from the pound, Novio Boy never knew his mother and never had an official birthday. That's all the info Chato needs as an excuse to throw for Novio Boy one of the biggest birthday celebrations ever. He hires a dj, buys tons of food and presents, even purchases a gigantic blow-up dog to fight with. As the guests arrive, however, one fact remains alarmingly clear. Novio Boy was never invited to his own party! After some scrambling and a mistaken death everything turns out for the best and Novio Boy has one of the best pachangas a cat could hope for. If you've never read a book that combines the effortless writing style of Gary Soto with the eye-popping grandeur of Susan Guevara, you're in for a treat. Like "Chato's Kitchen" this book provides a useful Spanish/English glossary for quick referencing. Spanish words pop up in appropriate places, never sounding forced or out of sync with the storyline. But illustrator Guevara has truly outdone herself here. In the previous Chato book the crazy energy and color of life was remarkable but not overwhelming. Here, on the other hand, Guevara's pulled out all the stops. From the guardian angel-like imagery of Novio Boy's mother that flies, unseen, from picture to picture, to Chorizo's beret and the repetitive phrase (which I loved ) "We are not a minority" that appears in a couple scenes in the background, this book has it all. Best of all is the moment in which each character (thinking Novio Boy dead) stands and thinks of what they liked best about him. As they do, Novio Boy appears on each person's head, acting out their compliments. Guevara also has a sense of movement that allows each character to slouch, run, relax, or dance in a natural free flowing way. It's a talent most illustrators pray they'll attain in their lifetimes. Some people might be put off by the energy and dynamics in this book. If so, I am truly sorry. My advice would be to flip through this book to make sure you're up to the challenge of reading it to your kids. After all, if your reading style is flat and colorless, this is not the book to put your children to bed with. You are, in fact, unworthy of the text. If instead, however, you have a sense of style and flair that can match this eloquent book, definitely seek it out. Honestly, you've never seen anything like this before.

"Chato and the Party Animals" is a fun children's book by Gary Soto. The story is superbly complemented by Susan Guevara's illustrations. The book opens with a Spanish-English glossary. The text is in English, with Spanish words from the glossary ("comida," "el barrio," etc.) blended in.Chato is a cat -- described as a "party animal since he was a kitten." But he's also a caring cat, and the story's plot is set into motion when Chato comes up with an idea to cheer up Novio Boy, a friend of his who is feeling sad."Chato" is really hilarious. In addition to the Spanish words, Soto spices up the dialogue by having the cats call each other "dude" and "Homecat." The story involves a nice mix of silliness and warmth, and ultimately celebrates friendship. Guevara's outrageous, colorful pictures are full of energy and packed with surreal details. Definitely something out of the ordinary, and something special.

This book is great on so many levels. I read it with students I tutor and they requested it again and again. At the end of the year I gave them each a copy as a gift. Both of them opened it and got wide-eyed as they saw what it was! One of them said, "This is my favorite book ever!" This was wonderful to hear from a kid who started out so reluctant to read. The story is great on so many levels; there is a message of friendship that is not sappy, but very sincere. Soto also skillfully weaves in the culture of the barrio with his use of Spanish and Mexican themes. What a lovely story.

Novio Boy is a tough kitty, but he does have one soft spot. He comes from the pound. He never knew his mami, and since he doesn't know when his birthday is, he's never had a party. When his best friend Chato realizes how sad this makes him, he decides to throw him a huge birthday party. This is a delightfully fun story of community and friendship. Soto cleverly intertwines Spanish and English, bringing in slang from both languages, creating a cool, hip atmosphere. These homecats kick back and say things like, "he was muy kind," and "the coolest carnal in all the barrio." The language gives us a true taste of barrio spanglish. When Soto's deliciously funny words marry Guevara's festively vibrant acrylic illustrations, the story truly becomes alive.