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“The two
Mexican-American friends encounter interesting people on their excursion. The
story is spiced with a mixture of English and Spanish and peppered with humor.
Young teenagers will relate to the witty street-wise boys and their antics.”
— Children’s Literature
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“Readers
will wish they could go along on the boys’ adventurous ride. Soto’s story is an
engaging and entertaining light summer read.”
— Horn Book Guide
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“The plot
is rollicking, with some dream-come-true aspects, touches of reality, and
humor, emphasized by the boys’ banter and enhanced by a sprinkling of Spanish
words and phrases. Soto’s descriptions make the journey vivid and, throughout
the boys’ scuffles and escapades, they maintain a deep respect for their
elders, a love of family, and a healthy curiosity about life.”
— School Library Journal
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“Their
urban adventure is upbeat, told with a casual narrative and irreverent dialogue…The
combination of slapstick and affection draws you in ("Aunt Teresa warned
the boys that if they drowned she would be really mad at them"). Great for
reading aloud, the story captures the physicality of the boys’ experience…There’s
no great drama, but that’s precisely Soto’s strength: he embraces the ordinary,
messy connections of a happy home with ‘kids, parents, relatives, neighbors,
dogs and cats, even chickens nearly falling out of each open window.’”
— Booklist
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“Anthony
Perez does an excellent job with the narration, distinguishing the voices of
numerous characters and perfectly pronouncing Hispanic terms and slang. The
production quality is first rate in this exuberant tale of friendship and community.”
— School Library Journal (audio review)
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“This novel about two Hispanic
friends, Hector and Mando, is full of hilarious adventure…Although some of the
adventures are outlandish—such as, landing a television commercial and being
the one millionth Dodger fan—the reaction and interaction of the friends is
realistic. The dialogue, which includes a fair amount of Spanish, is heartwarming,
witty, and full of imagery. In this coming-of-age adventure Hector and Mando
see both sides of humble means and wealth. The high value of unconditional
acceptance among family and friends is an enlightening theme. What better way
to spend time traveling to visit relatives in the car (or by bicycle) than listening
to this outstanding three-hour audio book!”
— Children’s Literature (audio review)
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“Just as
Soto is a master at portraying the ordinary in Hispanic family and
neighborhood, Anthony Perez is masterful at voicing these two best friends. His
narration is smooth and steady—moving from nerdy cousin to a paintball
extravaganza and an unfamiliar barrio, always keeping the listener engaged.
Perez’s boyish voice lends credibility to the give-and-take between the two
characters. Further, he spices the conversation with natural-sounding Spanish
words and phrases.”
— AudioFile