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I think every parent and school teacher should share this story with the children. I'm an adult and I just love the drawings. Chato's Kitchen is a wonderful children's story. Is fun and entretaining.
Chato is a character in more than one Soto book. I suspect there is more in the illustrations than meets the unpracticed eye. When a family of ratoncitos (mice) moves into the neighborhood, Chato hatches a scheme to invite them to dinner. 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.
There are also a glossary and a menu of Spanish terms. For instance, a group of birds seen several times are celebrating a wedding. And when the cats first encounter the dog their skeletons are visible underneath their skin. 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. One of the cats looks like Edvard Munch's The Scream. 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).
There is a religious-looking shrine set up in Chato's house. 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. This Pura Belpre award winner includes what appear to be acrylic illustrations featuring thick, black outlines and lots of purple morning glories.
The cats themselves are a twinge odd. Or, kids could read it with other picture books that take place in Hispanic communities. The illustrations are well wrought, and the story contains some of the most evocative I've heard in a picture book.
The use of Spanish throughout the text is seamless as well, never striking the reader as out of place or jarring. Or, it could be paired with other stories where hungry preying animals fail to get a meal. This book would read well with other stories that incorporate more than one language in their text.
A remarkably original book. It's a colorful book as well, full of beautiful swirling scenes and bold shapes. A beautiful book to read aloud to groups.
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". Drawn with cat bodies but human eyes, teeth, and moustaches, they are just disturbing enough to keep the pictures interesting.
My students love this book and read it again and again. Rarely is there such a fine blending between the words of the author and the pictures of the illustrator. 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.
The book has one more funny part at the end that I don't want to give away. The cat goes up to the gate and ends up scaring the mice. That was only one of the funny scenes. The book put me in a good mood. Anybody who reads this book will love it. I really liked the part when the cat was sneaking up behind the bird. It is in English, but there are some Spanish words that are hard to read sometimes. The cat then heard the five mice walking, and he started swinging his tail to the rhythm of their walking.
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