School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2005)

K-Gr 2 What makes a neighborhood? Is it the shops, the buildings, the roads, the schools? Or is it the people? Answering this question is easy for effervescent young Quinito, who knows most of his neighborsin fact, he is related to many of them. From his carpenter mother and nurse father to his aunt the muralist and cousin Tita, a clown, his is a network of love that encompasses teachers, crossing guards, bankers, postal workers, dance instructors, and truck drivers. Ramírez's vibrant acrylic-on-canvas paintings bring this community to life, the primitive forms fairly bursting from the book's pages with their deep hues and sense of emotional warmth. The simple text, equally good in both English and Spanish, is in a font that resembles a child's printing. Its child appeal, lovely message, and potential inspiration to young authors and artists make Quinito's Neighborhood a place that youngsters will enjoy visiting.

ALA Booklist (Thu Dec 01 00:00:00 CST 2005)

Quinito knows all about his neighbors and the jobs they do: his mami is a carpenter, and his abuela drives a big truck. He also knows how each person is connected to the other. There's not much in the way of story; it's the acrylic illustrations that will draw in readers. The colors and textures, the absence of white space, and the folk-art representation of the neighbors make every page seem like a mural. Both the English and the Spanish texts employ simple, present-tense constructions: Rafi bakes bread and Luis Manuel sells it. (Rafi hace el pan y Luis Manuel lo vende). Despite the effort to bring the action full circle, the ending is abrupt, and it's never clear what role Quinito himself plays in his neighborhood. Nevertheless, this is a vibrant depiction of a variety of individuals who energize the community in which they live.

Kirkus Reviews

<p>Not so much a story as a small boy's introduction of his family members and neighbors, recounted as he makes his way down the street to school. Quinito's neighborhood includes signs in both English and Spanish, lots of small independent businesses and plenty of people who don't subscribe to traditional gender roles, including his father the nurse and his mother the carpenter. At every stop, Quinito knows someone and is sure of his welcome. RamArez's acrylic-on-canvas paintings feature strong outlines, suggestive of woodcuts, exaggeratedly prominent faces and rich, darkly shaded colors. Not an essential purchase, but this will prove useful even so in curricular settings, when teachers and librarians are presenting units on community helpers and extended families. (Picture book. 3-5)</p>