Chato's Kitchen (ISBN 0698116003)

Amazon.com Review:
"Chato, a low-riding cat with six stripes, was slinking toward a sparrow when he heard the scrape of tiny feet coming from the yard next door." You get the idea. Chato is a sly, mustachioed "cool cat" from an East Los Angeles barrio. The tiny feet? Those belong to the new mice (ratoncitos) next door--"five mice the color of gray river rock," to be precise. Chato promptly invites them over for dinner, in exactly the sense you might fear. "That Chato cat seems muy simpatico, very nice, I'm sure," says Papi mouse. The mice (being cheese lovers) spend the day making quesadillas for the fiesta, while Chato and his best friend Novio Boy busily prepare side dishes for a meal con ratoncitos. Instead of the anticipated gruesome ending, a surprise twist is in the works. Gary Soto, author of Too Many Tamales, is brilliantly witty, and Chato's Kitchen--an ALA Notable Book and a Parents' Choice Award Winner--is truly marvilloso. Susan Guevera's comical, deliciously detailed, richly colored depictions of the creatures are priceless as well, earning her the 1996 Pura Belpre Award for Illustration. A culinary concoction that no youngster (or adult) will be able to resist. (Ages 4 to 8)

One of the books I read the most!:
The book put me in a good mood. It is in English, but there are some Spanish words that are hard to read sometimes. I really liked the part when the cat was sneaking up behind the bird. The cat then heard the five mice walking, and he started swinging his tail to the rhythm of their walking. The cat goes up to the gate and ends up scaring the mice. That was only one of the funny scenes. The book has one more funny part at the end that I don't want to give away. Anybody who reads this book will love it!

Another Gary Soto hit!!!:
Any controversy surrounding this book is misplaced. It is a well-written story that entices children to want to to read it and other books. Rarely is there such a fine blending between the words of the author and the pictures of the illustrator. My students love this book and read it again and again.

Pretty Kitties, Pretty Good Book:
Chato is a character in more than one Soto book. He is an urban cat who looks Hispanic and, frankly, a little sleazy (his cat friends likewise have mustaches and wear gold chains and wife beaters). When a family of ratoncitos (mice) moves into the neighborhood, Chato hatches a scheme to invite them to dinner. They will be dinner, of course. The mouse family reluctantly accepts the invitation, thrilling Chato and his friend, who hasten to begin preparing side dishes to go with the mice. But when the mice arrive on the back of their dog friend, the cats are frightened into toeing the line for the rest of the evening. This Pura Belpre award winner includes what appear to be acrylic illustrations featuring thick, black outlines and lots of purple morning glories. I suspect there is more in the illustrations than meets the unpracticed eye. For instance, a group of birds seen several times are celebrating a wedding. There is a religious-looking shrine set up in Chato's house. And when the cats first encounter the dog their skeletons are visible underneath their skin. One of the cats looks like Edvard Munch's The Scream. There are also a glossary and a menu of Spanish terms. Anyone who frequents Mexican restaurants would be familiar with most of the menu terms. I believe this book would be a favorite choice for read-aloud because there is a good deal of silly action you could act out.

Sleek and sophisticated:
A remarkably original book. The illustrations are well wrought, and the story contains some of the most evocative I've heard in a picture book. Describing Novio Boy's collar, the book says it was, "a leather one with real gems that sparkled at night when cars passed in the street". The cats themselves are a twinge odd. Drawn with cat bodies but human eyes, teeth, and moustaches, they are just disturbing enough to keep the pictures interesting. It's a colorful book as well, full of beautiful swirling scenes and bold shapes. The use of Spanish throughout the text is seamless as well, never striking the reader as out of place or jarring. This book would read well with other stories that incorporate more than one language in their text. Or, kids could read it with other picture books that take place in Hispanic communities. Or, it could be paired with other stories where hungry preying animals fail to get a meal. A beautiful book to read aloud to groups.

Chato's Kitchen really cooks some fun:
Chato's Kitchen is a wonderful children's story. Is fun and entretaining. I'm an adult and I just love the drawings. I think every parent and school teacher should share this story with the children.