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 of ChupaCarter
After Jorge is kicked out of school for defending himself against a bully, his mom sends him from L.A. to New Mexico to live with his Abuelos on their desolate former farm. Jorge hates being sent away and that he has to attend a new private school, he's worried about standing out among the other students. As Jorge laments over his current situation on the roof of his Abuelos house, he encounters a Chupacabra named Carter. At first, Jorge is scared of Carter but when Carter goes out of his way to save Jorge's life, they quickly become friends. As Jorge gets to know Carter better, he learns that Carter was separated from his family and Jorge vows to help him find them. Things become complicated when several animals are mysteriously killed and Jorge's principal, a big game trophy hunter suspects a Chupacabra and goes on a hunt to kill it.
I must admit that I knew very little about the legendary Chupacabra or the Guachapos before reading ChupaCarter, but now having read the story their vampirism and sucking of blood is quite frightening. I loved how the story included lots of Spanish words and phrases and that their meaning was easy to understand by using the context clues. I also really liked Jorge and felt he was a very complex character. He tries to do the right thing by protecting kids he sees being bullied, but often his mouth or quick witty comebacks during these situations landed him in more trouble. I understood his anger at his mom for being sent to his grandparents, but also appreciated that he learned that his move might not have been the punishment that he initially thought. Truthfully, Jorge's growth during the story and his friendship with Carter were two of my favorite things in the whole book. The way that Carter rubbed off on Jorge and the changes that Jorge instilled in Carter, just goes to show the influence that our friends have on us. Chupacarter is a very thought-provoking story, encouraging the reader to think about animal rights and the cons of trophy hunting, racism, bullying while emphasizing the importance of standing up for the things we believe in.
The story also includes a lot of comedic humor in the author, George Lopez's style, to the point that I could almost hear his voice shining through. The illustrations by Santy Gutiérrez beautifully captured the two main characters and added to the humor as well. They're fun and will capture the reader's attention. Although all of the illustrations in my ARC weren't complete yet, it was so much fun to read the little captions with suggestions for the illustrations that are yet to come. Can't wait to see the finished book. A huge thank you to Rockstar Book Tours, Ryan Calejo and Viking Books for Young Readers for the E-book for my review.
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 |
Thanks, Brenda! I don't read enough funny books. I'll add this one to my list.
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