Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

Skippyjon Jones insists he's not a Siamese cat despite ears too big for his head and a head too big for his body. This rambunctious kitty with an overactive imagination prefers to be El Skippito, a Zorro-like sword fighter. Walking through his closet, he meets a mysterioso band of Chichuahuas called Los Chimichangos. The masked Skippyjon joins them, pretending to be a dog and claiming he loves "mice and beans." The Chimichangos are convinced he will bid adios to the bad bandito Bumblebeeto who steals their frijoles. And yippito, he does. Returning home where Mama Junebug Jones and the girls are waiting—his closet explodes with a birthday pinata of goodies. This pun-filled spoof is over-the-top comedy littered with Spanish words and "Spanglish" accents ( bees-ness). Mama's pet names for Skippyjon—Mr. Kitten Britches, Fluffernutter—add affectionate touches. Colorful, lively illustrations exaggerate the hilarity. No ethnic aspersions intended, just laugh-out-loud humor. Both feline hero and story are full of beans (more Mexican-jumping than pinto) but ay caramba, mucho fun. (Picture book. 5-8)

Horn Book (Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 2004)

This "Presto Change-O Edition" features a lenticular cover showing the irrepressible Siamese cat with the vivid imagination jumping out of his kitty bed. The book, with its fiesta-colored pictures, heavy-handed humor, and tedious story line, is otherwise unchanged.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Skippyjon Jones insists he's not a Siamese cat despite ears too big for his head and a head too big for his body. This rambunctious kitty with an overactive imagination prefers to be El Skippito, a Zorro-like sword fighter. Walking through his closet, he meets a mysterioso band of Chichuahuas called Los Chimichangos. The masked Skippyjon joins them, pretending to be a dog and claiming he loves "mice and beans." The Chimichangos are convinced he will bid adios to the bad bandito Bumblebeeto who steals their frijoles. And yippito, he does. Returning home where Mama Junebug Jones and the girls are waiting—his closet explodes with a birthday pinata of goodies. This pun-filled spoof is over-the-top comedy littered with Spanish words and "Spanglish" accents ( bees-ness). Mama's pet names for Skippyjon—Mr. Kitten Britches, Fluffernutter—add affectionate touches. Colorful, lively illustrations exaggerate the hilarity. No ethnic aspersions intended, just laugh-out-loud humor. Both feline hero and story are full of beans (more Mexican-jumping than pinto) but ay caramba, mucho fun. (Picture book. 5-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

The Siamese hero of this caper sleeps in a nest—with the birds—and is convinced that he's really a Chihuahua in disguise, and saves his pals from a giant Bumblebeeto Bandito. Ages 4-up. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Apr.)

School Library Journal (Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2004)

K-Gr 3 This is a wildly wonderful book about a hyperactive kitten, Skippyjon Jones, whose head and ears are too big for his body, and whose imagination is too intense for his mama. According to her, he needs to do some serious thinking about what it means to be a Siamese cat instead of a bird (Skippyjon always wakes up and eats worms with his feathered friends). She sends him to his room, where he imagines he is a Chihuahua ("My name is Skippito Friskito./I fear not a single bandito"). Chock-full of rhyming chants and Spanish expressions, the feline's adventure as a doggy Zorro ends in chaos. His frazzled mother gives him a hug anyway and says, "Say good night, Skippyjon Jones." " Buenas noches, mis amigos ," says the kitten, as he bounces on his bed all ready for another adventure. The buoyant and colorful cartoon illustrations match the exuberant text perfectly. Spanish-speaking children will be especially delighted by the words and humor; others may be a little bewildered by all of the foreign phrases and will need some explanation, but the story definitely has the potential of a fun read-aloud. A good multicultural offering. Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA