That irrepressible, big-eared Siamese cat with an identity complex is back, this time desperate to go to school just like the dogs.
Luckily, Skippyjon Jones has an imagination to match his ears and a Spanish vocabulary to go with the “Chi-wa-la” he sees in the mirror. While his mother and sisters tidy up the house, he heads to his closet, backpack on, to board the school bus. His amigos, Los Chimichangos, are already aboard and ask for his help with the school bully. Before sorting him out, though, Skippito attends some classes—art, music, math, library and French. It’s while the gang is skipping obedience class that they finally run into the “wooly bull-ito.” A quick change transforms Skippyjon into El Skippito Friskito, and he leads the charge. Schachner is a genius when it comes to tongue-in-cheek humor, which she carries through both the rhyming verses scattered throughout the text and the acrylic, pen and ink artwork. The busy illustrations will amuse children and adults alike as they pore over the humorous details. Skippito’s Spanish-laden verses are characteristically broken; his fans won’t mind, but readers in search of authentic Latino representations should look elsewhere.
Children will find much to laugh at in Skippyjon’s latest adventure, and although much of the wordplay will go over kids’ heads, adults who are asked for repeated readings will appreciate it. (Picture book. 5-8)
