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Customer Reviews (4)

Book
This was purchased for a children's program at our local library.Can't comment on the book itself, as I haven't read it.But shipping was fast and book was in the condition promised.

Young readers, especially boys, will love this story
Gary Soto, author of Accidental Love, offers another helpful work of fiction to teenagers stuck in the dramas of puberty, young love, and physical education classes. Mercy on These Teenage Chimps is an account of Ronnie and Joey, who both wake up on their thirteenth birthdays and discover that they have become chimpanzees overnight.

Ronnie and Joey are not literally chimpanzees, though one would be hard pressed to convince them of that in the midst of all the monkey-related humor in this novel. They are young men transitioning from childhood to adulthood by way of facial hair, body odor, and an attraction to a young lady at their school. It is in front if this young lady that the P.E. coach humiliates Joey, who then promptly decides to perch himself in a tree and not come down.

Ronnie, a loyal friend, attempts to rectify the offense, and to convince the cute girl to give Joey a chance. And if these two feats were not enough for a plot line, Ronnie also must confront bullies, his P.E. coach's estranged marriage, and his own struggles to accept himself. Despite his preoccupation with his similarities to monkeys, Ronnie manages to overcome, bringing this charming novel to a close with a flurry of awkward heroism.

Young readers will easily identify with the likable Ronnie and Joey. This amusing story of friendship and self-acceptance is sure to be a hit with adolescent males.

Note: This reviewer recommends this book to teenage boys who come into a major metropolitan library where she coordinates youth services.

Armchair Interviews says: Good to see a book for teen, especially boys.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
How many books capture the angst of the teenage girl--her changing body, her constant mood swings, her unpredictable complexion and her yearning for attention from the boy of her dreams? Hundreds? Thousands?

Now, how many books take the opposite point of view--how many books go into the mind of the teenage boy and capture his frustration with his seemingly disproportionate body? His struggles to understand the "crooked road" that is life (p. 123)? And, of course, the blush of first love--unrequited, but first, nevertheless. As any reader of young adult fiction knows, books unabashedly delving into the struggles of life as a teenage boy don't come along often.

Author Gary Soto examines the everyday life of the adolescent male in MERCY ON THESE TEENAGE CHIMPS. According to newly-teenaged Ronnie, the transformation from boy to chimp begins on one's thirteenth birthday: "I examined my reflection in the bathroom mirror. What was this? The peachy fuzz on my chin? The splayed ears? The wide grin that revealed huge teeth? ... I wiggled my ears. My nose appeared flatter than ever" (p. 1). And, so begins this inevitable leg of the transformation from boy to man.

The most intriguing aspect of this story is the sensitivity Soto explores in the characters of Ronnie and his best friend, Joey. Too often in our society, boys are taught that they are required to lose--or, at minimum, hide--their sensitivity, lest they be considered less of a man as they mature. Throughout the story, the reader is privy to Ronnie's innermost thoughts and fears, some of which he shares with Joey: "Do you think any girls will like us?" (p. 4) is one question met with silence from his best friend--well, silence and Joey's attempt to spit on his cat. Still, such raw honesty between males is eye-opening, refreshing, and too rarely conveyed in young adult literature.

At times, the constant stream of chimpanzee references become a bit grating, but the honesty of the characters trumps this particular negative. Soto's MERCY ON THESE TEENAGE CHIMPS works, for male and female readers alike, comforting adolescent males and assuring females that, yes, the boys have the same awkward, frightening fears as the girls, whether they are open about their feelings or not.

Have mercy!

Reviewed by:Mechele R. Dillard

A fun, fast, and amusing glimpse at puberty
Biology is a tricky thing, especially at 13. Just as we get to that age where we're figuring ourselves out and we exhibit some control over who we are, we go through a volcanic eruption and all the rules change. Our bodies rebel, our brainwaves scatter...and it's hard not to feel like someone --- or something --- else.

Ronnie Gonzalez and his best friend, Joey Rios, have just turned 13. As if their lives weren't already fraught with hardship, this magical new age brings with it a curious side effect: they have become chimps. At least that is how they perceive themselves (and how they believe they are perceived by others). Strange hair forms on their bodies, their eating habits go ape (pun intended) and their wild behavior begins to attract more attention than usual, often leading to the simian comparison.

It is a burst of this feral energy --- Joey scales walls and rafters at school to retrieve a balloon for a girl he likes --- that causes the boys' coach to chew out Joey and send the young man into a depression. Joey climbs up into a tree at home and resolves never to come down. Ronnie, who understands the value of friendship and asserts that he owes it to his brother-in-chimpdom, goes on a journey to find the girl Joey likes, believing that she alone can coax Joey out of the tree.

Like any good quest, Ronnie meets an assortment of quirky characters, some who help him along the path, others who offer obstacles to his goal. It is here where Gary Soto shines, crafting the heart and soul of the book through Ronnie's interaction with these people. While each flirts with being a caricature, Soto masterfully lends each a twist that prevents them from becoming so familiar as to be cardboard cutouts.

MERCY ON THESE TEENAGE CHIMPS is a fun, fast read that offers an amusing glimpse at that awkward age when the body and mind rebel and no one quite feels like themselves anymore. The good news Soto imparts: you adapt to the new body, you make peace with the new brainwaves, and you move on. And everything turns out fine.

--- Reviewed by Brian Farrey ([...]). ... Read more

Product Description
Catch election fever when fifth grader Miata Ramirez runs for president against school prankster, Rudy Herrera. Miata and her running mate, Ana, mean business. But the boys are loud and get attention. With time running out, the girls try to think of how to quickly change their image before the election. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Julia - Farmersville, CA
Off and Running is about Miata, a girl who wants to be president of her school.She is running against Rudy.She wants to win to make the school a better place but Rudy only wants to do things that are not going to help the school.This is really a great book.I think you should read this book to find out who will win.It is funny.

Miguel - Farmersville, CA
This is a good story.I hope you like it when you read it.I did.I would read it again and again.I am not going to give away the ending for you.I will only tell you that it is about a girl who wants to be class president.Vote for Miata!

Enjoyable, but lacks convincing suspense
"Off and Running" is a quick read with pleasant characters and vignettes, but although the central event--the election for student body president--should quicken the pulse, it fails to. Everyone is just too nice. Miata, the very serious girl, is portrayed fairly realistically, asare her modest goals if she should be elected (sprucing up the school,creating a "lake of flowers" around it). Her opponent, Rudy, is abuffoon, but not a nasty one, which is not so realistic. No one gets hurtvery much, and there are no hard feelings, which, given the intensity ofchildren's emotions, is a little hard to believe. If only it were sosimple!Of particular interest is Miata's desire to connect to older,successful politicians, to learn from them.

No child will have nightmaresfrom having read this book, and it's possible that it might inspire alittle desirable imitation. It's not demanding and will help childrenmaintain reading skills during the summer. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A Very Good for Hispnic Teens
As a librarian I am always looking for books for Lation Kids.The short stories in this book are fun.Great characters and plots.Latino teens will enjoy reading this particular book!!! ... Read more

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Who would bring the door, "la puerta", to a picnic instead of the pig, "el puerco"? An old man who's great at gardening but lousy at listening to his wife! "A playful original folktale that is sure to get laughs".--"School Library Journal". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

very funny, with illustrations that support the text well
I love using this book with K-2nd graders...they really laugh at the grandfather's hilarious mistakes. Many children can identify with having a grandfather who is losing his hearing, as well. The Spanish is well-woven into the text, in a way that is friendly both to Spanish-speakers and non-Spanish speakers alike. Also, the illustrations match the text particularly well.

Some people don't listen at all!
This book is apparently based on a Spanish song about how "el puerco" (the pig) and "la puerta" (the door) sound alike when you're old and deaf.

In the way of fool stories, the old man's silly mistake (bringing a door to a party when a little thought would've told him that's absurd and he should bring a pig!) turns out to everybody's benefit as he repeatedly stops to use his door to help people. It's astonishing how useful a door can be!

And so when he shows up late, without the pig but WITH the door and several useful things balanced nicely on it, his wife has no choice but to forgive him.

This is a good, funny story for kidlets.

very cute book
This is cute little book that was recommended at an ELL workshop.It's cute.

Just like my grandparents
I really enjoyed the book and gave it to my grandparents because that is exactly how they are.(and Mexican too!) A great fun story that teaches about love kindness and patience.

First graders loved this silly story!
How many ways can YOU think of to use a door?My first graders loved this silly story of an old man who thinks his wife told him to bring a door ("la puerta") to a friends's barbeque.Of course, she said bring"el puerco" -- a pig -- to the party. But the old man is too busyto listen carefully...and off he goes down the street with the door on hisback!On the way, he meets with multiple adventures -- all of whichrequire a door for assistance.By the time he gets to the barbeque, he hasa few special gifts -- and a funny story -- to contribute.(But still nopig...)Like all Gary Soto books, the conversation is sprinkled withSpanish.The illustrations by Joe Cepeda are colorful and lively.Thiswas (by a narrow vote) my student's favorite Gary Soto book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Free Verse with Rhythm and Magic
Partly Cloudy is a collection of poems about young love.From sad love to happy love, poet and author Gary Soto captures these amorous feelings using two perspectives: boy and girl.Surprisingly, Soto manages to write these poems without making them sappy.They are funny and touching, not overly sentimental.

Gary Soto's poems do not rhyme, but have a rhythm and magic of their own.Soto provides an interesting take on love.While a girl describes an ex-boyfriend as a fickle bee in one poem, a boy in another poem describes a pretty girl as a basketball center.

A National Book Award finalist and Pulitzer Prize nominee, Gary Soto is an acclaimed writer for children and adults.His other works include his first children's book, Baseball in April (a collection of short stories), several picture books, novels, and other poems and short stories.Unlike most poetry books about love, Partly Cloudy is enjoyable for both boys and girls.Chuckles are guaranteed.
--Reviewed by Veronica L. Hernandez
... Read more

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National Book Award finalist Gary Soto returns to his favorite themes of place, childhood, and kinship with the down-and-out in his sparkling and satisfying new collection of poems. The title poem concerns a young man's attempt to rid himself of the family dog by leading it so far from home that it becomes lost for good a metaphor for the poet's attempt to rid himself of the pulls of childhood. ... Read more

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Chato is so happy to see that a family of mice has moved into the area, he decides to invite them over for dinner, but the mice know he has something else in mind and so bring one additional guest along. Reprint. AB. SLJ. PW. "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) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Chato has something cooking
The pictures in Chato's Kitchen were so detailed and so colorful. The colors were deep and dark, which sets these illustrations apart from other children's books who use watercolors. There is a lot to look at so it definitely catches the eye of the reader. The story is a trickster tale with a mischievous hip cat who tries to trick his new neighbors (mice) into coming to dinner, but Chato himself ends up being tricked. I like the whole story and the use of the spanish words in the text. A child could learn a lot from this book and gets them familiar with new foods and what they are. I am very pleased with this book and glad i picked it!

Chato's friendly encounter
Chato's Kitchen is a great culturally intriguing book with alot of character. Gary Soto creates a blend of humor and culture in this delightful book for children. His uncanny cast of cats,dogs,and mice make this a wonderful concoction that is sure to keep children laughing. When a group of mice invade Chato's barrio, he quickly invites them over for a friendly dinner. The mice accept the invitation and decide to bring their friend Chorizo along. Chato has other intentions for his new neighbors and invites his friend Novio Boy over to assisst with the his meal plans. As the mice and Chorizo arrive, Chato's plans are quickly interrupted. Chato's Kitchen is a Pura Belpre award winning book.

my kids and students LOVE this story.
I think I need a new copy because the first was LOVED to death by enthusiastic students and children. It's funny, the illustrations are fabulous (the freak-out scene with the deathhead art is amazing) and Chato and his buddy are loveable even when you know they are up to no good.

A lot of Salsa
It's got that Mexican-South American/East L.A. flavor with the low-riding cat. A multi-cultural children's picture book that's fresh, it's got a nice rhythm to it. Story's cute.

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. ... Read more

Product Description
Rigo doesn't like being the youngest brother. He always has to wear his big brothers' hand-me-downs.Plus, his brothers-Hector, Manuel, and Carlos-always seem to lose buttons, rip holes, and wear the clothes out before they get to Rigo! But Rigo's luck changes on his birthday when his mom gives him a pair of shoes. He loves them for their shine and style, but most of all he loves them because they are brand-new. After he outgrows the shoes, and trades them to his uncle for old Mexican centavos, Rigo learns that some hand-me-downs are better than brand-new. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

cute and real
I like the realism of the protaganist's problem and solution. This is not a fairy tale world, but a setting and characters with big hearts and little pocketbooks. My kids really can identify with that.

Great Story
I liked this story because I learned a lot of things. For example, I learned that hand-me-downs can be cool.

cute family story
When you're the youngest brother of 5 sometimes you feel like you're missing out, especially when it comes to clothes and shoes. Rigo forms a close relationship with his uncle all based around a pair of loafers. It is a cute story with some Spanish and slightly exaggerated illustrations about this Mexican American family. My son and I enjoyed reading this together even though he is an only child so far, we saw the love in this family. ... Read more

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Product Description
Powerful personal narratives by the renowned author of Living Up the Street. These small essays are not unlike Dutch paintings of the sixteenth century. They are clear and precisely rendered, and are either thematically domestic scenes or pedestrian in their observations of the ordinary. There is a delirious joy in Soto's writings, and heartbreak. This collection features his much-lauded essays "The Jacket" and "Like Mexicans," along with new essays such as "Childhood Worries, or Why I Became a Writer," "Getting It Done," and the title essay in which Soto fashions himself to be Fresno's own Knut Hamsun, the Norwegian writer of the 1920s who lived on nothing more than his five senses. Poet and critic Christopher Buckley said of his poetry, "[Soto has] mastered his form, has found his voice, and has the life experiences to provide meaningful content." He could have been speaking of his prose as well. Soto is at home with the essay; he is able to paint moments that would otherwise seem dull and not worthy of comment. He picks up hitchhikers, sorts through the mystery of finding a wife, and pulls together his wits to solve the hunger of stray dogs. He is tender and outrageous; he is reflective on worldly matters and cagey with his family and friends. In all, his dazzling effects of language will keep the reader continually surprised. These portraits are set in his hometown, Fresno, and in his current residence, the San Francisco Bay area. They therefore mark his time and place, but honor the instincts of the master Knut Hamsun, who walked around his town, a spectacle of wonder. This volume includes forty-eight pieces: all of the personal narratives formerly collected in Small Faces, the best of Lesser Evils--both volumes long out-of-print--as well as five new essays. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This is writing
If you missed Gary Soto's short stories the first time around, here's your chance to enjoy a great collection of his older pieces along with some new ones. While Soto makes it look easy, his series of generally two- to three-page recollections are a primer on how to see the things people walk past, overlook or forget, the things right in front of you. From stories pulled straight from his childhood in Fresno and reflections on growing up to the present, Soto's gift is evoking what he's seen and felt and combining it all in honest, vivid prose. In The Effects of Knut Hamsun on a Fresno Boy you will find writing that is sad, funny and sadly funny. It contains insights that are both personal and universal. Soto is not only a teriffic "Chicano writer," but, a teriffic writer without any categorical qualifier.

A smorgasbord of images and reflections on social issues
Essayist and poet Soto provides a series of sketches and vignettes In The Effects Of Knut Hamsun On A Fresno Boy which includes the contents of two previous works in addition to five recent essays published in different journals. The result is a smorgasbord of images and reflections on social issues, growing up in California, and moments of Soto's Latino youth. ... Read more

Product Description
"There's nothing like a wedding, and this book about a wedding is not quite like any other....Maya, the flower girl, is the lens through which the action is seen. All of the fun of a wedding is here: the altar boy with the dirty sneakers under his gown, Maya putting pitted black olives on each of her fingers, the kids whacking each other with balloons....The choice of three dimensional artwork was inspired."-- Booklist (starred review)"The text, sprinkled with Spanish words, is eloquent and funny -- and it deftly captures the flavor of a Latino wedding, compete with Mariachi band. Garcia's singular, deliciously creative artwork...[is] eye-catching."-- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"This is an unusually appealing book that will have broad appeal."-- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A walk into a Mexican Wedding.
This book took me on a journey into a Mexican Wedding. Maya, the flower girl walks you through her family's wedding and the interesting things that went on that that day through her point of view. The illustrations byStephanie Garcia are given in a clay form; I personally didn't care for them. The book has some Spanish words but you don't have to worry if you can't read it because Gary Soto did an awesome job of having their definitions in the front of the book. This is a good book to read during Hispanic Heritage month to learn Spanish words and little about the Mexican culture as well. It does make a reference to beer that did catch me off guard. I personally don't believe the reference of beer needed to be included in the book but, that is my opinion. Overall, it's an OK book that won the Pura Belpré which is an award given for books that represent Latino traditions and cultures in a positive way.

A fun point of view
Flower girl Maya tells the story of her cousin's wedding in vivid detail. She shares her often silly, but always observant tale of the event from a child's point of view. From the groom's broken arm to crying babies, she leaves little to the imagination.

Stephanie Garcia, illustrator of this 1998 Pura Belpre Award winner, uses a unique but effective approach by using photographs of three-dimensional picture boxes to convey the story. The boxes contain realistic clay figures and a collage of items from the wedding. The text and pictures are integrally tied, and the text often cleverly prompts the reader to look at something in the illustration.

This is such a fun book that it needs to be read several times to properly enjoy it. The writer is definitely in tune with a child's point of view.

good but, casual reference to alcohol not for specified age
The book is an overall good portrait of a family celebration in any culture.The casual reference to beer and keg beer,however, are not acceptable for this age group.When we teach our children (in the drugawareness programs in schools) that alcohol is a drug and is bad, themessage we send needs to be consistent.My daughter chose this book off ofthe shelf at the school library during the same week that they werepromoting drug-free schools and really had trouble understanding why thepeople at the wedding would want to do "something bad for you". She will have plenty of time, in the years to come, to learn more aboutalcohol and all that it involves.She doesn't need the unsupervisedexposure to it at this age.

Excellent portrayal of a Mexican-American wedding!
Although this book is based on a Mexican-American wedding, the theme is universal. A child narrates the book, telling about the events that take place at a wedding. The book exquisitly portrays a family clebrationthrough a child's eyes. It is a happy, sweet book that anyone can enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
"I'm outta here! I got a future!" crows Roberto Silva when he is down-sized out of his job as a security guard at a bank in Oakland. But Roberto's future isn't the one he was looking forward to. This is the 1990s, and upward mobility in the city requires resources that Roberto is short of. Before he knows it, he is living in an abandoned quonset hut and then on the street, where he crosses paths with poet Silver Mendez, a survivor of the 1960s whose luck has run out, and Gus Hernandez, a compadre from his days at the bank. The ups and downs of the lives of men who are always looking for a way to earn a cup of coffee with plenty of sugar and cream, their desperate ingenuity, their hunger, their dauntless optimism have never been brought to life as vividly as in this sweet, sad, funny trio of interlocking stories by one of America's most original writers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

love this book
i read this book twice and i loved every part of it the story takes place in my hometown of oakland califas in the early 90s it's about a chicano named Roberto Silva who loses his job as a bank security guard and becomes homeless and it follows him in his adventures in the streets of oakland dealing with crooked cops dope fiends and many other obstecles it also shows him trying to hustle to make ends meet like selling christmas trees he found or trying to sell christmas wreaths he made from some tree branches which eventually he sells to a rich man that puts the wreath in the front of his car and the car catches fire there is also another person in this story gus hernandez a mexican immigrant who also works at the bank as a security guard and is ready to retire and silver mendez a down and out poet from the chicano movementdays in the 60s who is trying to hustle to make ends meet ...
the one thing i love about this book is that it takes place in my home town of oakland and it also takes place in the neighborhood i grew up the fruitvale district in east oakland the barrio of the oaktown i like how gary soto mentioned so many places and landmarks of the fruitvale district like the cesar chavez library sanborne park now called josie de la cruz park la clinica de la raza the old montgamery wards building he gave it such great detail thats my 2 cents on this book peace ....

Poorly written and unworthy of further consideration
If you're looking for a one-dimensional, ethno-centric, skewed rambling that attempts but fails to comment on the social dynamics of the American society, this is probably the book for you.The book is difficult to read due to the author's inability to effectively communicate his perception of reality.I started reading this book because it promised to let me peer at life through a new lens, but it was just the typical mediocre garbage, self-righteously forced on the reader through unpersuasive writing.I managed to read the entire book, which was like watching a slow-motion train wreck (VERY slow-motion), but I now regret doing so as I have lost that time forever---time that could have been spent with family, or actually expanding my horizons.
In short, I do not recommend reading this book.

Soto es el chingon
Gary Soto shows once again that he is not only one of the best Chicano authors out there, but one of the best modern authors, period. In Nickle and Dime, Soto weaves three interconnected stories that detail turning points of the lives of three vatos trying to get by in 1990's Oakland. We meet Roberto, a simple and innocent Mexican-American bank security guard who falls on hard times when he loses his job; Silver, a middle-aged Chicano poet who's having trouble adjusting to life in a world that doesn't have much use for "Raza-power" rhetoric; and Gus, a Mexicano who is getting ready for retirement.

All three stories are very good, but it is the first, "We Ain't Asking Much," which is Soto's tour de force. Soto manages to be simultaneously hilarious and heart-breaking as he looks into how Roberto deals with losing his job and being evicted. Soto plays against the stereotype of the "lazy bum / lazy Mexican" in creating a character who is actually quiet enterprising (and capitalist) in his attempts to get off the streets. However, run-ins with a senile old woman, racist cops, a junkie with a sombrero and most of all, his own ineptitude (witness his attemps to sell rich people twigs in the guise of Christmas ornaments) ultimately doom his efforts. A top-notch story, it really made me re-think my attitudes toward homelessness.

The second story, deals with homelessness as well, as Silver finds out that Chicano poetry just won't pay his bills. It is only in the third story, which is about Roberto's old "compa" Gus, that Soto shows us a character with any stability. Interestingly, Silver is the only of the three men who doesn't meet with redemption (if redemption, in this book, equals a roof over ones head and food in one's stomach) by the end of the book. One wonders what moral Soto (an old Chicano poet) is giving us by having the old Chicano poet Silver left out in the cold, literally and figuratively. Perhaps it is a comment on the need to keep the ideals of the Raza movement relevant to changing times? In any case, I highly recommend Nickle and Dime. Gary Sotoonce again manages to be as thought-provoking as he is entertaining.

A Hilarious Collection of Anti-Heroes
By page 30 I was in stitches! Soto has created three of the most charming losers--victims of circumstances and just plain bad luck--in this funny novel that chronicles their path to loserdom. Roberto, Silver and Gus arethree vatos trying to keep themselves righteous, but that's pretty hard todo when nothing goes right and any attempt to persevere only hurts theirchances for survival even more. I can't say enough about the humor of thisbook. It's about time we Chicanos learn to laugh at ourselves and Soto hasshown us one healthy way to do that--through on-the-mark writing, sharp,satyrical, and yet sensitive. ... Read more

Product Description
A trailblazing anthology of fiction by Mexican-Americans living in the United States, Pieces of the Heart contains 15 original stories, many previously unpublished, by a host of exceptional authors, including new writers like Ana Castillo and Danny Romero, as well as recognized talents like Sandra Cisneros. Spirited, evocative, and memorable, Pieces of the Heart will touch readers everywhere with the power of its characterizations and the depth of its special vision. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Breaks your Heart
Gary Soto's collection is well-chosen and representative 0f the 1990's when the book was published. I have read it many times. When I found the book at the Mexican Cultural Museum in Chicago, I was delighted. It was unique for a Chicago bookstore to carry. Certainly, you could not have found it at some of our major bk.store chains here.

It is too bad that many of the authors included were not heard from again.

I particularly liked "La Promesa" by Gary Garcia. It was a frightening short story, tinged with magic realism,with unusual elements and some well-known ones of La Llorona, told with a twist. My high school students and I would read it for November 1, El Dia de los Muertos, and they always enjoyed it, and the discussions that followed.

Highly recommended. A treasure of Chicano, or any short story collection. ... Read more

Product Description
What happens when these two decide to change their images (with the help of their bumbling friends) to win each others' heart? Will their different wavelengths ever meet? It's a totally modern, totally hip tale of teenage romance.

Gary Soto's urban dialogue sets the scene in a Los Angeles neighborhood. Kids everywhere will see themselves in these funny, wonderful characters and they'll love bringing them to life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

English Teacher Endorses Gary Soto
I teach English Language Arts in East Los Angeles and I have found that books by Gary Soto get and keep the attention of my 12 year old seventh graders.He speaks to all teens especially the Latinos.My students will be reading several of his books and short stories this coming Fall.I especially look forward to a class reading of the play, "Nerdlandia."Just like his other play, "Novio Boy," Soto creates real characters and interesting situations to motivate the English As A Second Language (ESL) student to enjoy reading and writing.Even though some of his plots are a little predictable, the students love the stories and the characters.You fall in love with the characters, like Ceci and Martin, and don't want the story to end.

There's Something About Martin . . .
and all of the other characters, and that "something" is very lovable and appealing. No, I'm not a ninth-grader. I am an adult who owns a business, and no, I am not a Latina -- but I still thought this play was EXCELLENT!!! A modern take on "GREASE" that tickled the funnybone and touched the heart at the same time -- and gotta love that final scene with Martin's amigo, Tito.
I plan on buying -- and reading -- Gary Soto's other play NOVIO BOY next! I love theater, and I love reading plays, and this play deserves an AWARD (A nice touch is the name of the hero, because in my "real life," I have had crushes on FOUR guys named Martin!)Gary S. is a playwright whose talent is UNPARALLELED, and I recommend NERDLANDIA for all humor aficionados, romantics, and theater buffs from 14-114. Author! Author!!!

entertaining but predictable
Good play for teenagers. Likable original characters and good dialogue. It was entertaining but disappointing because of its predictability andmuch used sitcom plot. ... Read more

Product Description
Accidentally breaking a local bully's Discman, Rudy Herrera and his best friend, Alex, frantically attempt to raise money to replace it by finding a lost cat, babysitting messy twins, and eventually teaming up with an enemy. Reprint. AB. SLJ. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Hilarious - A Good Read-Aloud
I read this book to my fourth grade class and they loved it! One boy laughed so hard I thought he was going to cry. There were some elements I wasn't crazy about, but it was a story my student's could relate with.

The book is not worth reading.
The book is insulting to the Latino culture in that it suggests that 10-yr-old kids are typically in fear of their life when they accidentally break an electronic disk player belonging to a gang member.They do notget help from their parents, who are hardly mentioned in the book, even asthey attempt to escape physical harm.This is not a book that portraysbehavior than any boy should aspire to.

Very Funny
This Book was good and hard to put down. I read it front to back.Soto is a very good writer and he gives us stories of the everyday live we live ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Gary Soto's poetry: powerful with ethnic cadences
Soto recreates many poems from his Fresno background in this anthology, drawing poetic elements from the barrio & neighborhood of his past, and grafting upon them keen observations of worldy matters. Pieces such as"As it is" & "Taking Things Into Our Own Hangs"provide moral statements through poetics; these are messages that ring witha contemplative nature and thoughtful tone. "How Things Work" isone of his more sentimental works, somehow capturing the wonderment andcuriosity that children have with the workings of their expanding,continuing world. All of Soto's creations reverberate with a strongethnicity and capture the reader of poetry with rhymes and technique. ... Read more

Product Description
Back in print, a "fun-packed adventure" (VOYA) by a gifted and popular storyteller.

When Hector and his friend Mando, seventh-graders, visit Uncle Julio, a photographer in Fresno, they have more excitement than they ever imagined. On a photo shoot in a rickety old plane, they spot an armored car heist, and Uncle Julio snaps some shots of the robbers. After they report what they saw, the two robbers decide they have to teach Hector and Mando a lesson. When the bumbling thugs meet up with the quick-witted boys, the results are hilarious. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

CW Review
Crazy Weekend is about a kid and his uncle who appear to be in for a normal, boring weekend, but instead are met with a series of suprises and conflict throughout the plot.

I didn't enjoy this book. It was too childish for my interest, I didn't relate to the characters, and the comedy didn't appeal to me. The book came off as very corny (especially the thugs)and didn't hold my interest.

I wouldn't recommend reading this book. Perhaps it's more geared towards younger audiences, or people who appreciate a less mature genre of reading than I do.

Crazy Weekend
Have you ever wanted to read a book that would keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time? Well this the book for you.
Crazy Weekend starts off like any other story. Two boys got off a train there names where Hector and Mondo. They are going o spend a weekend with Hectors Uncle. Hector's uncle finds them and takes them to se the sites of East L.A. they took pictures to sell to a newspaper company.After they were done, they went to their uncle's apartment.There they made a superbowl salad before they went to bed.When they got up and went to an old airport, uncle had to take pictures of farms for people.Whey they got into the plane and got going, uncle started taking pictures.When they got on the ground, and started going to uncle's best customer, they heard on the radio that an armored car had just been stolen and nobody had found it.
I really liked the book because it teaches you that if you can conquer their fears, anything can be done.If I was to rate this book to Old Yeller, I would give it an "8".That's how much I liked this book.I recommend the age range should be 10 and up.It has pretty difficult vocabulary.

Texas Librarian's ExpertOpinion
As an elementary school librarian I sincerely appreciated the fact that this book that was on a recommended list for the young readers of Texas and was worthy of the recommendation. Unfortunately it has been out of print for quite some time, but fortunately I'm willing to pay the higher price and will be purchasing more copies today compliments of Amazon.com's third party sellers.Now I can booktalk it and offer my 4th graders copies instead of a semester long waiting list for 1 copy.It'salso a good book to recommend to reluctant readers in higher grades: lots of action, boy protagonists, suspense, "home alone" type tricks to catch the bad guys, etc.The blending of Spanish words throughout the text and a glossary in the back are a major plus.I've been doing booktalks for 14 years, this one's a cinch to do and well deserving of kids' reading time!

Crazy Weekend
I did not like the book Crazy Weekend because there are to manyspanish words. I also didnt like the book because it seems like they never do anything fun. I also didnt like it because it had huge words that I didnt understand.

The only best part was when they get to go from home to a different country. They got to go on an airplane and they talked about that in the story. It was pretty interesting at that point. After that it wasnt very interesting. I didnt like the parts when they talk about what they eat.

The most vivid part was when they meet other boys and they are having fun. It was interesting because one of the boys get hit with a ball. It was funny because they were in the middle of a field.

TheStupid Book
I read Crazy Weekend for a book report. Some parts of the book are really exciting, but other parts are dull and had no point to it. I really liked the book because it had alot of action in it, but not like blood and guts action more like suspenseful action. Bearstone is another book like this one because they both go on a suspeseful journey. Hector gets really scared from going into a really old airplane. I think this was a very good multicultural book for a book report. ... Read more