I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the CHUPACARTER by George Lopez & Ryan Calejo Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out
my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About the Book:
Author: George Lopez, Ryan Calejo, & Santy Gutiérrez (Illustrations)
Pub. Date: August 30, 2022
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook
Pages: 267
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, Audible,
B&N, iBooks, Kobo, TBD, Bookshop.org
With his signature laugh-out-loud humor, world-famous comedian George Lopez launches a fantastical middle grade series inspired by his own colorful childhood and Latinx folklore.
In this illustrated contemporary fantasy, twelve-year-old Jorge is lonely and
resentful after being sent to live with his grandparents. His first day at his
new school doesn’t go well after catching the attention of his belligerent
principal and the school bullies, so Jorge might be a little desperate for a friend.
But the only kid who shares his interest in junk food and games turns out to be
a young chupacabra—a legendary monster whose kind is known for being
bloodthirsty livestock killers. The truth is, Carter is anything but
savage—he's kind, a good listener, and has great taste in sneakers. Being
friends with a mythical creature should be amazing, but when local cattle turn
up dead and his principal suspects the truth, Jorge is torn. Should he trust
that his friend is innocent and protect him from exposure, or reveal his
dangerous existence and change the world forever?
Reviews:
“ChupaCarter is an uproariously good time, full of humor,
heart, and unexpected friendships.”
—Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of Valentina Salazar Is Not a
Monster Hunter
"A narrative punctuated with wisecracks and flavored with Spanish
phrases and slang...Frights and fun in equal measure."—Kirkus Reviews
"Gutierrez’s lively b&w illustrations expertly render Jorge and
Carter’s occasionally over-the-top, adrenaline-filled adventures.
Actor/comedian Lopez and Calejo offer a rollicking tale brimming with Latinx
folklore and culture about finding one’s home in the unlikeliest of places that
never takes itself too seriously."—Publishers Weekly
"Some good and gross humor...in this fantasy-infused tale."—School
Library Journal
Book Trailer:
MY REVIEW:
ChupaCarter is the story of a young Hispanic boy who is dropped in the middle of New Mexico with his grandparents after spending most of his life with his mom in Los Angeles. After lots of struggling to fit in - and with the move not helping - Jorge is forced to face the challenges life is throwing at him. His new preparatory school allows him a couple new friends, but also a share of bullying. His principal certainly doesn't help matters. However, Jorge finds a new, unexpected friend when he meets Carter, a Chupacabra.
This book is very funny and very wholesome. It's all about friendship, feeling like you belong, and learning how love is shown in unexpected ways. However, it doesn't feel overly preachy and it provides a lot of laughs along the way. The humor is certainly added on with the fun illustrations by Santy Gutiérrez. I liked the illustrations and the way they helped progress the story.
One of the things I like most about this story is how genuinely Hispanic it is. There is Spanish and Spanglish throughout, there are elements of classic familia moments with Jorge's abuelita, and adding a chupacabra in this way is a stroke of genius. Best of all - it's not stereotypical! I've gotten tired of hearing the SAME stories when it comes to Latine characters. It's so refreshing to just see a Hispanic child enjoy an adventure and find genuine friendship! This book doesn't inherently cause or raise questions about identity. It just lets the character and reader be himself and themselves, wholeheartedly. It's wonderful and I had a great time with this book. It feels genuine and I feel like many of my friends growing up would have seen themselves in this story. I certainly felt like the things I want as a Latina reader were met.
Overall, ChupaCarter is a fun book that I would definitely recommend to kids in my community. It does something different, it has heart, and it's genuinely Hispanic all around. Funnily enough, I also noticed a lot of the Easter eggs that connect back to The George Lopez Show which I saw a fair amount of growing up. A friend named Ernie, a lowrider, AND a mention of War's "Lowrider" which served as the show's theme song? Yeah. I see you there. Younger readers may not catch those little nods...but their parents just might see another layer in here like I did. It didn't add or take away from the experience for me, but I liked the story on its own and feel it stands strong even if those nods weren't here. It's just a fun little bonus. I give ChupaCarter a Lone Star rating of ✯✯✯✯.
About George Lopez:
George Lopez is a New York Times bestselling
author, stand-up comedian, actor, and talk show host. He made waves as the
star of the most successful English-language prime-time television series about
Latin Americans in recent history. His successful stand-up comedy showcases his
idiosyncratic point of view and impeccable comedic timing. He lives in Los
Angeles.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads |
Amazon
Ryan Calejo is an award-winning author
born and raised in south Florida. His critically acclaimed Charlie Hernández
series has been featured on half a dozen state reading lists and is a two-time
gold medal winner of the Florida Book Awards.
Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @RyanCalejo.
Simon & Schuster Webpage | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon
Giveaway Details:
2 winners will win a finished copy of CHUPACARTER, US ONLY.
Ends December 6th, midnight EST.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
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11/1/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/2/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/3/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/4/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/5/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
Week Two:
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11/6/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/7/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/8/2022 |
IG Review/TikTok Post |
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11/9/2022 |
Excerpt/IG Post |
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11/10/2022 |
IG Post |
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11/11/2022 |
Review |
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11/12/2022 |
Review |
Week Three:
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11/13/2022 |
IG Review |
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11/14/2022 |
Review |
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11/15/2022 |
IG Review |
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11/16/2022 |
IG Review |
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11/17/2022 |
IG Review |
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11/18/2022 |
Review |
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11/19/2022 |
IG Review/TikTok Post |
Week Four:
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11/20/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/21/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/22/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/23/2022 |
IG Review/Read Aloud |
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11/24/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/25/2022 |
YouTube Review/IG Post |
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11/26/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
Week Five:
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11/27/2022 |
IG Review |
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11/28/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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11/29/2022 |
Review |
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11/30/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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