Fiction Evaluation Form

(Picture Books, Folklore, Modern Fantasy, Contemporary Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Multicultural Books)

Your Name: ​Alma Gutierrez Perez Book Title: ​Chato’s Kitchen

Author: ​Gary Soto Illustrator: ​Susan Guevara

Genre: Multicultural and International Publisher/Year: ​G.P Putnam’s Sons, 1995

EVALUATE THE BOOK USING THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS

STYLE and Language​​: Using examples from the book, e​​xplain the following: word choices, dialogue,
rhythm, rhyme and sentence length. Also, explain unexpected insights or interesting information the reader
learns from the story. Give examples.
Some of the words are written in Spanish like (“No problema, homeboy,” Chato said to himself, and
followed his nose to the fance.) Some dialogue is exchanged between a family of mice and Chato the
cat. Some rhythm is found but no rhyme. The sentences are very descriptive and Spanish words are
also present. (“They cooked the beans and made salsa-not too spicy for the guests-and a large pitcher
of tamarindo.”) Chato and his friend Novio Boy love to cook. Chato invites a new family of mice that
moved into the neighborhood. Only Chato and his friend plan to eat the mice along with the food
they have prepared.

CHARACTER – With examples from the book give the following: ​Who is the main character? Explain the
character’s personality traits.
How can the reader relate to the character, become involved in the story?
Who are the supporting characters?
The main character is Chato the cat. He is a friendly sneaky cat that loves to cook.
WE all love to eat and after moving to a new place we would feel welcomed if a new neighbor
invited the whole family over for dinner. It is very easy to get involved in the story.
The supporting characters are Novio Boy, Chato’s friend. A family of mice that have just
moved into the neighborhood, and Chorizo the dog an old friend of the mice family.

1. PLOT: ​summarize the major events in the story-

Chato the cat and Novio Boy are cooking dinner for a mice family their new neighbors. The mice
family decide to attend but remembered an old friend is suppose to visit that evening. Chato agrees
to invite their friend Chorizo to dinner as well. Chato and Novio Boy had the intention of eating the
mice family along with the dinner they cooked. But when the mice family arrive to dinner they have a
dog named Chorizo with them. Chorizo and Novio Boy are frightened of the extra guest. They decide
it is not a good idea to eat the mice and decide to eat the food they cooked instead of eating the
mice, since the dog Chorizo is present.

2.SETTING ​– Explain the place and time of the book.

​ hat is the story’s theme/message?
THEME- W
Setting:
​It takes place in Chato’s home.
Theme:
Be aware of nice and friendly people, they may not have the best intentions.

ILLUSTRATION –​​Analyze the illustrations for the book you selected (see Chapter 4) with the categories
below:
Choose a 2-page spread in the book to answer the following:
What Style​​ ​(realism, surrealism, expressionism, impressionism, naïve, cartoon art)?
The style used is cartoon art.
Media choices ​(paints, oils watercolors, pencil, pen, charcoal, crayons, acrylic, chalk​​) :
Watercolors and pencil are used.
Give examples and describe how the following visual elements are used in the illustrations​​:
Line: ​The lines are thick and in bold, to outline Chato and Novio Boy the cats, giving them human like expressions
on the face. Chorizo the dog also has a thick outline, as well as the outline for the table and legs. The outlines for
the family of mice is rather thin compared to the rest.
Shapes: ​Chato and Novio Boy have round shaped heads. The little mice have triangle shaped heads.
Color: ​Many different colors are present. A black and pink checkered floor. The mice are gray Mom is wearing a
red dress and a white shall, black purse and yellow shoes. The dad mouse wears an orange hat, a black vest,
white shirt, and blue jeans. The girl mouse has white boots, a pink skirt, and an orange shirt, and long black hair.
Two other mice are boys are wearing shorts and yellow shirts. The dog named Chorizo is a doxin black and
brown dog with a red hat and a colorful red vest with blue, green and yellow lines. They are all under a brown
table with a green tablecloth decorated by yellow pears.
Texture: ​Chorizo the dog has smooth long silky hair. The two cats Chato and Novio Boy have thick spiky hair that
stands up. The mice seem to have slick hair.

Explain how​​ ​illustration​​ and ​text​​ ​are combined to tell the story. What do illustrations show that text does not
explain?
The illustration shows Chato and Novio Boy with their mouths wide open and scared staring at the
mouse family as they walk towards them, with a huge dog walking proud and strong behind them.
The text describes Chorizo the dog entering the house and taking in all the different smells of the
simmering food. Chorizo shakes the mice family off of him and they drop like fruit.
Page design: S​ ummarize the following​:​ p​ lacement of illustrations and text; the use of borders and white/dark space; are both
pages designed the same or differently?
The illustration is one big scene that takes up both pages, the text is found on the left hand corner on the only
white space available. There are no borders on this page spread. Both pages are designed the same as they
come together to complete the scene.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT THEORIES​​ – ​CHOOSE​​ 2 o​ f​​ ​theories below and evaluate the book according to the
developmental theories. (How the book fits the developmental stage and age?)
PIAGET-COGNITIVE-INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Name the stage: ___________________​​ ​and the age: __________________

Explain the cognitive development from the stage:

Give examples from the book show how the book fits the cognitive stage:

ERIKSON – PSYCHOSOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Name the stage: ​Industry verses Inferiority​ and the age: ​School age
Explain the social development for this stage:
Children learn to master new skills.
Give examples from the book that support the social development of this stage:
In the book Chato and his friend Novio Boy master a delicious Mexican dinner that highlights all the
classic dishes such as (“fajitas, enchiladas, carne asada, chiles rellenos and a sweet flan.”)

Emotional DEVELOPMENT
Identify the Age : ​ 3-6 Years
Explain the emotional development for the age​​:
Because of the development of language strategies are developed to self regulate emotions.

Using examples from the book, explain how the book fits the emotional development of the age:
Chato has a plan to cook for a family of mice. He calls upon his friend Novio Boy to help him cook a
marvelous dinner that will trick the mice so they can become part of the main course. But the mice
bring an unexpected guest by the name of Chorizo a dixon dog. Chato and Novio Boy need to
strategize a different plan and stay calm so that the mice and Chorizo don’t figure out the real plan, of
having the mice as the main course for dinner.

2. Overall Rating of the book (3 highest - 1 lowest) 1 2 ​ ​

3
Comments: (Support your overall rating)
Chato’s Kitchen was an unexpected gem for me. The fusion of Spanish and English is very familiar and
dear to me. The way Chato is willing to take advantage of the mice resonates the influence of the
Mexican government on the people. I love that the mice are safe from Chato and Novio Boy in the
end. Gives me hope that good natures people can win.

BOOK EXTENSION ACTIVITY - LESSON PLAN

Your Name: Alma Gutierrez Perez Genre of the Book: ​ Multicultural/International

Book Title: ​Chato’s Kitchen​ Author: ​Gary Soto

Publisher: ​G.P Putnam’s Sons Date: ​1995

​ ​ Grade Core Standards:

1. ​Pre-K/ CCSD K-2​nd​

(K)1.13 develop vocabulary by listening to and discussing selections read aloud

2.​​ Objectives​​:
SWBAT -
To develop a vocabulary list of words while reading Chato’s Kitchen, and drawing a picture to
describe it.

3. Materials/Equipment:
● Book Chato’s Kitchen
● 3 pieces of paper or more
● Pencil
● Magazine with pictures
● Glue

4. ​Teaching​​:

A. Reading the book:

● Today I will be reading the book Chato’s Kitchen.
● Please pay attention you will be expected recall information.
● After the reading of each page I will select one person that will name a word they want to
learn about?
● I will then write the chosen word on the bord.
● You will hear many words in Spanish, I will translate them as we come across them.

B. Extension activity:
● First we will fold the paper twice so we can have 4 spaces.
● Students will write words on all four spaces.
● We will discuss the meaning of each word one by one.
● Students will draw a picture to describe each word.
● Or the students can cut out a picture from the magazine and glue it under the word they
are trying to describe.

5. Closure:

Students will share swap their papers with the students on their tables and share
their thoughts/interpretation of the words they learned.
Short Form ​(All Genres)

Your Name_________Alma Gutierrez Perez_____________________

Title: Mama and Me Author: Arthur Dorros

Illustrator: Rudy Gutierrez Publisher/Year: Rayo is an imprint of HarperCollins, 2011

Genre: Multicultural/International

Summarize the content of the book –

A. For ​Fiction Form Genres​​—Explain the characters, the setting, theme and plot of the
book.
B. For ​Poetry Books:​​ Explain the type(s) of poetry and give examples from the book of
fun word choices, lines of poetry and imagery from the poem(s)
C. For ​Nonfiction Genres​​ – Explain the information given, how it is shared-what design

The story “Mama and Me” has two characters, Mama and a young girl. The girl in the story spends a
lot of time with her Mama (mother). When Mama asks “te ayudo” (can I help you) the answer is
always “sola, sola” (by myself, by myself) is her reply. Mama is always the patient one. The setting is
always changing as they tell us important details of Mother and daughter bonding /growth. Moments
in their home and outside.
The theme revolves in the relationship between Mother and daughter and how inspirational it can be.
The daughter believes she can do it all herself and her Mother is understanding and caring and
toward the end of the story we come to find out the daughter painted a scarf for her mother’s day
present to her.

Explain how the book appeals to children, their interests, developmental levels, fun
illustrations etc. Give specific examples from the book:
A child can easily relate to this story because all children claim their independence. It is a
beautiful thing to have a parent that is willing to listen and wait for the child to ask for help.
The girl is super excited to give her mother a shawl painted by her.

Rate the book 1​​ 2 ​ 3

Explain your rating.

I didn’t like the flow of the story. Not my kind of book, it lacks detail and the ending is
confusing for me, I don’t understand where mothers day came from.