Summer on Wheels

Critics Review

• “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

• “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

• “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

• “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)

• “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)

• “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