Chihuawolf

August 15, 2011

A Chihuahua who suffers from small-dog syndrome learns to be happy with himself.

In his attempt to attract the romantic attention of a large, bad-boy–loving Afghan, squeaky-voiced Chihuahua Paco yearns to become a werewolf. A werewolf would make Natasha stand up and take notice of him, instead of mocking him for having the heart of a lion...a dandelion. Hearing that drinking water out of a werewolf footprint will do the trick, Paco drags his oldest friend, Coco the chocolate Lab, out on an adventure that puts all the animals, even the humans, in danger. Not only is the werewolf real, but Paco and Coco have accidentally led him right to—gasp!—Natasha. What ensues is an overlong adventure in which the animals (cats, skunks, dogs, birds...) work together to outwit the slow-moving werewolf, protect their humans and learn the value of true friends. The message is crystal clear here—Paco should love himself the way he is and appreciate his true friends—but the story just goes on too long, relying on too many plays on words, occasional Speedy Gonzalez Spanish and jarring changes of narrative voice. Infrequent black-and-white illustrations lack energy and will not help the young independent reader's comprehension. And no dog lover will believe the scale in the illustrations between the oversized Lab and the miniscule Chihuahua.

Nothing to bark about here. (Fantasy/suspense. 8-12)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2011

Gr 3-5-Paco is a Chihuahua with a big heart. Longing to catch the eye of Natasha, a large pedigree breed who only likes tough-guy dogs, he tries to turn himself into a werewolf. When a large, wild creature comes to town, however, Paco believes it is a real werewolf. Then Natasha disappears, and Paco overhears from his owner and her friends that she was last seen heading toward Mount Diablo with a large dog. When Paco finds out that the children are thinking of going there to find Natasha, he knows he has to stop them from becoming werewolf bait. With the help of Professor Pewmount, a skunk who's been helping him release his wild side; Coco, his canine friend; and a group of wild animals, he risks everything to bring his love and his family back home safely. Will he succeed? The characters are a bit two-dimensional, but the mood of mystery and suspense is well sustained and does a good job holding readers' interest. The interspersing of Spanish words and phrases is a fun addition. Each chapter opens with a small black-and-white illustration. A good addition to animal-adventure collections.-Kira Moody, Hunter Public Library, West Valley City, UT

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Grades 3-6 Anthropomorphizing family pets in an attempt to instill important life lessons is certainly nothing new in children's literature, but Ganny lends a fresh and fun voice to this bright fable. Tiny Chihuahua Paco has everything a little pet could hope for: a loving master, a flashy wardrobe of doggy clothes and studded accessories, and a loyal group of canine pals. What eludes him is the love of gorgeous Natasha, an Afghan hound with a penchant for pit bulls. Paco decides that the only way to win Natasha's romantic attention is to transform himself into a dangerous beast by drinking rainwater from the footprint of a werewolf that lives nearby on treacherous Mount Diablo. In his quest for reinvention, Paco soon finds himself and his friends in a serious pickle, with only his wits and guile to save them. An appealing little story about innocent romantic relationships and about having faith in oneself, no matter your physical size.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)