El Perro Con Sombrero (Bilingual Eglish/Spanish)

PreS-Gr 2--Pepe is a lonely street dog without a home or a loving family. When a strong wind blows a sombrero onto his head, people begin to take notice of the pup, and soon he and his sombrero are making movies and receiving letters from fans every day. But although Pepe now has fame and fortune, he has no family to call his own. When the jealous cat with purple shoes (el gato en zapatos) hatches a plan to take away Pepe's hat--and the fame it brings--a chase through streets, weddings, and movie theaters ensues, ending with the cat cornered in a playground sandbox. Just as Pepe is about to get his sombrero back, a family nearby takes notice of him, and the little girl asks if they can take him home. Pepe looks at the family and at the cat holding the hat that made him so famous and tells the gato he can keep the sombrero. Pepe finally finds the precious love he has been seeking. Bright illustrations, quick action scenes, and warm humor are sure to draw the attention of young readers. This is a fun story, and its positive message about what is important in life will resonate with the picture book crowd. VERDICT A good addition for bilingual collections and collections where dog stories are popular.--Selenia Paz, Helen Hall Library, League City, TX

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The life of a homeless dog named Pepe changes when a sombrero lands on his head, and a movie director casts him in his movies. Pepe takes on various roles--a cowboy dog, a singer--all while wearing the gigantic sombrero. Another movie star rival, a jealous "gato en zapatos," absconds with Pepe's hat. In the book's liveliest sequence, Pepe chases the cat "Through markets. Por los mercados. Through cinemas. Por los cinemas. Through weddings. Por las bodas," as Henry pictures them bounding over the heads of movie patrons and smashing through a wedding cake. A happy ending sees both animals enjoying an early retirement, choosing a loving family over fame. It's a sweet and swiftly moving story filled with physical humor. Ages 4-7. Author's agent: Eric Myers, Spieler Agency. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Aug.)

Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"Move over, Puss in Boots and Cat in the Hat; now there's el Perro con Sombrero and el Gato con Zapatos....A nifty bilingual treat." —Kirkus Reviews

"Bright illustrations, quick action scenes, and warm humor are sure to draw the attention of young readers....its positive message about what is important in life will resonate with the picture book crowd." —School Library Journal

"This bilingual offering depicts a humorous and ultimately feel-good story where everyone, including Gato, finds a place to belong." —Booklist

"It's a sweet and swiftly moving story filled with physical humor." —Publishers Weekly