Chato, the coolest cat in el barrio, loves to party—but not his best buddy, Novio Boy. Birthday parties always make him blue. "I'm from the pound," he tells Chato. "I don't know when I was born. I never knew my mami. I never even had a birthday party, or nothing." So Chato plans the coolest surprise party for Novio Boy, inviting all of el barrio, and cooking up a storm. But he forgets the most important thing—inviting Novio Boy! Luckily, just as everyone starts remembering all the things they used to love about their long-lost friend, the birthday boy arrives with his own surprise—himself! In a starred review, Publishers Weekly called Chato's Kitchen "Wickedly funny...Guevara's cats are delicious send-ups of barrio characters, and Soto's words glisten with wit. Salud to this magical pairing of talents."
Chato decides to throw a "pachanga" for his friend Novio Boy, who has never had a birthday party, but when it is time to party, Novio Boy cannot be found.
This story is about Chato and his best-friend Novio Boy, they are at Chorizo's birthday party when Novio Boy announces that he his never had a birthday party. Novio Boy doesn't even know when he was born since he was in a pound, so Chato decides he is going to through him a birthday party. Chato orders a cake, gets decorations, gets party games/favors, and invites all of their friends. * Spoiler Alert * When the day of the party happens Novio Boy is missing.
In the beginning of the book there is a list of the Spanish words used throughout the book with the English translations.
LemaMichelle
Posted October 28, 2010
Chato is the coolest cat in the barrio. He's social and loves to party and have a good time. But his best friend, Novio Boy is the total opposite. He was born in a pound and never knew his mother or father. The two friends are at a birthday party when Novio boy comes to the realization that he's never had a birthday party of his own because he didn't have a normal childhood. So what's Chato, the best friend to do? This book is all about how a good friend and community come together to help one of their own. It's a great story that reflects the flambouyant atmosphere of el barrio. Author Gary Soto adeptly captures the flavor and life in el barrio and its inhabitants. This story was a great read and would definitely be useful in a classroom to show diversity and friendship.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Chato is a Latino-American cat in East Los Angeles. Ever since he was a little kitten, he loved partying with his friends from the neighborhood. However, his friend, Novio Boy, is feeling down at a birthday party. Birthdays, especially his own, depress Novio Boy because he was adopted. He never knew his real mother or exact birth date. After he leaves this party, Chato wants to cheer up his friend. So he goes through the process of planning an extravagant birthday party for Novio Boy. However, when the party is about to roll, Chato along with all the other guests realize one thing is missing- Novio Boy! After a long search, all the dogs, cats, and mice at the party begin to worry about Novio Boy. Suddenly, he shows up, and they partied until the moon came up.
Because this book does not have a complicated plot, Chato and the Party Animals is very suitable for the audience- K-2nd grade. This book is also a great example of Animal Fantasy. The characters are animals that have the same actions as humans. In this book, not only do the animals walk and talk like humans, but they play games, shop, and partake in other human-related activities. I think this aspect of the book makes it more fun and humorous for children.
I also loved the diversity in Chato and the Party Animals. It exemplifies Latino America through beautiful illustrations showing the setting and characters. I also felt the few Spanish words incorporated added to the diversity in this book in a fun and educational manner. If the reader gets stuck on a Spanish word while reading, they can always flip to the glossary conveniently located in the front.
Anonymous
Posted November 26, 2007
Chato and the Party Animals By Gary Soto Illustrated by Susan Guevara Putman, 2000. In Gary Soto¿s picture book, Chato plans a surprise birthday party for Novio Boy, who has never had one. This is a party everybody will love. There¿s only one small problem nobody knows where Novio Boy is, so because they can¿t start the party without the birthday boy, the birthday party turns into a search party. Illustrations for this ghetto tale are wildly creative and are like vibrantly colorful graffiti. Together they set the perfect stage for the story. For example, in one illustration, we see Soto¿s story come to life, is out of this world! As an adult I couldn¿t help but laugh out loud, couldn¿t wait to share with my friends and family!!! Everyone has a party side and this brings it out! Because of its universal themes of friendship and kindness readers will relate to this very hip story. Don¿t forget to read the other books about Chato and his friends, Chato¿s Kitchen and Chato Goes Cruisin¿ they¿re exciting too. Gary Soto and Susan Guevara¿s three-book series with Chato, the coolest cat in the East L.A., are cool in the way they relate to our culturally diverse society. Great job, guys¿Do it again please!!!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 17, 2000
I read this last night to my kids. What a great book. The sprinkling of spanish words into the text make it a fun read. The artwork was fabulous as well, with lots of hidden items for the parents to find. I think I was as tickled as my kids.
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Overview
Chato, the coolest cat in el barrio, loves to party—but not his best buddy, Novio Boy. Birthday parties always make him blue. "I'm from the pound," he tells Chato. "I don't know when I was born. I never knew my mami. I never even had a birthday party, or nothing." So Chato plans the coolest surprise party for Novio Boy, inviting all of el barrio, and cooking up a storm. But he forgets the most important thing—inviting Novio Boy! Luckily, just as everyone starts remembering all the things they used to love about ...