Hector and his amigo Mando are looking for adventure as they hit the road on a leisurely bike trip from their East LA neighborhood to the beach in Santa Monica during summer vacation.
They have just set out when the fun begins, as Hector literally stumbles into a starring role in a TV commercial. Then he turns out to be the one-millionth fan at a Dodger game--and is escorted to a private box and treated like a VIP! Before arriving at the beach, the boys record a rap song, paint a mural, and have a good laugh pretending to be wax figures at the Hollywood Wax Museum. But it's the people they encounter along the way who make the trip special--from nerdy cousin Bentley (whom they teach to be cool); to a girl who wants to be an Olympic star and lives in a Beverly Hills mansion complete with two tennis courts and three swimming pools; to Mando's streetwise cousin, Puppet.
In this sequel to the highly praised Crazy Weekend, popular author Gary Soto combines warmth and humor in a lively story of friendship and family.
About the Author :
Gary Soto is the author of more than a dozen poetry collections for adults, most notably New and Selected Poems, a 1995 finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the National Book Award. He also writes young adult fiction and has received numerous awards, including the Human and Civil Rights Award from the American Education Association, the Literature Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and the PEN Center West Book Award for his young adult short-story collection Petty Crimes.
Anthony Perez is a Miami, Florida, native who, from a young age, found great passion for words, using them in mediums such as poetry, stage, and film. He later concentrated on theater, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Florida State University, focusing on Shakespeare, voice, and dialects, along with specialized Master Class training under Sir Ian McKellen. His talent and love for his craft have brought him to Los Angeles, where he is currently a stage and film actor.
Review :
"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"
"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)"
"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"
"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"
"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"
"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"
"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)"
"Two thirteen-year-old amigos, first introduced in Gary Soto's Crazy Weekend, have the mid-June doldrums. Hector persuades Mando to join him on a bike trip from their East Los Angeles barrio to the Santa Monica Beach. Hector's plan is to pedal several miles a day and then stay over each night with one of his various relatives who live along the way. A disparate and colorful family unfolds as do many serendipitous adventures. In the course of their trek, the boys encounter a spectrum of lifestyles and occupations, plus a genuine brush with street danger. This is a humorous story, warm, with a theme of family unity at its core, which middle-school and junior-high students will enjoy...the occasional Spanish words and phrases lending an authentic and lively cadence to the prose."
-- "ALAN Review"
