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Summary
Summary
Author Judy Schachner has won a handful of awards for her best-selling Skippyjon Jones books, which are read-aloud favorites with children, parents, and teachers everywhere. In this delightful romp filled with cleverwordplay, Skippyjon's overactive imagination whisks him away to Egypt. There he encounters his old pals the Chimichangos, who are on their way to the tomb of King Rootin-Tootin-Kitten-Kabootin. ". the narrative is broken up by songs and rhymes that will keep [listeners] laughing throughout."-School Library Journal
Author Notes
Judith Byron Schachner was born in Waltham, Massachusetts on August 20, 1951. Talented at art from a young age, she graduated in 1973 from the Massachusetts College of Art with a BFA in illustration.
After designing greeting cards for companies including Hallmark and giving birth to two daughters, Schachner wrote and illustrated her first picture book, Willy and May, in 1995. She writes and illustrates the popular Skippyjon Jones series for children about a dynamic Siamese kitten.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Another tale featuring the independent, stubborn Siamese kitten. Once again, Skippyjon dons mask and cape, enters his closet, and changes into El Skippito Friskito, an adventure-loving Chihuahua. Here, after daydreaming about ancient Egypt, he converts into his alter ego and meets his amigos (a pack of troublemaking "poochitos") along the Nile River. Skippyjon fans will find much to like here-the amigos speak a slang of Spanish and English and spur the frightened kitten into confronting the Sphinx and a mummy-but the book may be a bit confusing for newcomers as there is no explanation of his transformation or his canine pals. Done in acrylics and pen and ink, the vibrantly colored illustrations add humor to the already silly story (the gang wants to visit the "Under Mundo" where "mummitos rest in peas") and children will want to stop and pore over the details (the mummy is a Siamese). The text is lengthy, with several points of action, so it is recommended for readers who can follow the longer format. However, the narrative is broken up by songs and rhymes that will keep them laughing throughout. When Skippyjon returns to his (real) mummy, youngsters will feel as if they have been to ancient Egypt with him.-Susan E. Murray, Glendale Public Library, AZ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Siamese kitten (who thinks he's a Chihuahua) Skippyjon Jones is back for another adventure, this time to ancient Egypt, where he answers a riddle from the ""Great Finx"" and enters the pyramid/tomb of King Rootin-Tootin-Kitten-Kabootin. The stylish illustrations are more successful than the convoluted plot, which takes a backseat to nonsense and Spanglish wordplay. Includes a CD read by the author. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
When Skippyjon Jones, the Siamese boy kitty who thinks he's a Chihuahua, reads about cat mummies in National Leographic ("thinking outside the [litter] box"), his overactive imagination whisks him off to Egypt (via his closet). His old amigos from his first two stories want to visit the Under Mundo "where mummitos rest in peas," but first they have to answer the "Reedle of the Finx." The farfetched antics in this third tale are peppered with the usual "Spanglish" wordplay and the acrylic, and pen-and-ink illustrations exaggerate the likable silliness to the nth degree. The opening scene of toilet paper strung 'round the bathroom will be familiar to many cat owners, for instance. And watching him wrapped like a mummy to meet King Rootin-Tootin-Kitten-Kabootin is a stitch. Egyptian references, like Osiris, will need to be explained, but fans will no doubt want more of the "beeg Chihuahua dude." A bonus is the CD read by the author. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
