Chato's Kitchen
Gary Soto. Putnam Publishing Group, $16.99 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-399-22658-8
Soto (Too Many Tamales) commands a poet's gift for defining characters quickly, densely and, in this case, with hilariously choice words. Paired with Guevara's (The Boardwalk Princess) wickedly funny, urban paints, Soto's story of Chato, a cool, ``low-riding cat'' of East Los Angeles, is a scream. Chato and his friend Novio Boy plan a dinner for (and, they hope, of) the new mice next door. But the mice bring a surprise guest named Chorizo (sausage), who turns out to be a truly low-riding dachshund. Foiled, the cats resign themselves to mouseless fajitas. It's a basic enough tale, but close to brilliant in its execution. Guevara's cats are delicious send-ups of barrio characters, and Soto's words glisten with wit: ``We brought Chorizo,' Mami mouse called./ Sausage! Chato and Novio Boy danced, and with clean paws they gave each other a `low-four.'"" Salud to this magical pairing of talents. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)
Details
Reviewed on: 03/20/1995
Genre: Children's
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-1-59112-528-0
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-1-59112-205-0
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-1-59112-207-4
Analog Audio Cassette - 978-1-59112-206-7
Open Ebook - 1 pages - 978-1-4619-0839-5
Paperback - 32 pages - 978-0-698-11600-9
Paperback - 978-0-87499-439-1
Prebound-Sewn - 28 pages - 978-0-7807-7427-8