This was a fun, quick read. It was very entertaining and addressed all of the typical trials of childhood. I think the fact that both main characters are LatinX means that this would be a comfortable read for my ELL students from Spanish-speaking countries. ( )

Super fun, entertaining, and cute read. This has the humor in it that George Lopez is famous for and a fun, different take on the Chupacabra legend with this story.
This is a great introduction and exposure to Latino culture and folklore with Spanish in there as well. It's about a middle grader named Jorge who's sent to live with his grandparents and while he's living with them, he meets Carter, who's a Chupacabra that was a middle-grade boy who was bitten and turned. Jorge tries to help Carter to find his family that Carter got separated from and finds his own place with his grandparents, fitting in and liking it living with his grandparents and meeting new friends. There are some topics touched on and discussed that are a bit more serious throughout the book like racism, bullying, single parenting and such. While it's very fun, with lots of humor and all, it's also real like life. It was a very enjoyable and quick read with some good morals and lessons in it too.
I would recommend it for middle-grade readers and those who are fans of George Lopez as well. Thanks so much to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Viking Books for Young Readers for letting me read and review this fun story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ( )

The delightful debut novel for authors George Lopez’s & Ryan Calejo’s middle-grade fantasy adventure series, ChupaCarter!

ChupaCarter is a delightful middle-grade fantasy chapter book from the multi-talented George Lopez and co-writer Ryan Calejo. The book debuts the series about the friendship between twelve-year-old Jorge and Carter, the young chupacabra who was accidentally separated from his family.

The main character, Jorge, has been an angry, frightened, and worried child for some time. His father is not in the picture, and his mother is foundering as she tries to keep body and soul together as a single parent. Jorge has been acting out in school, and his quick wit and fast mouth have gotten him into trouble. This is all too much for his mother, and her solution to send him to live with his grandparents feels like a huge betrayal to the boy. It is a wonderful moment when Carter gives Jorge a new perspective on her motives. Both benefit from their relationship as they learn that it is only how THEY see themselves that matters, not how others do.

The story is fast-paced, with fun moments, sparkling dialogue, and tense situations. Readers with a Spanish language background will enjoy the natural mix of English and Spanish throughout the text. And readers learning Spanish or English may be able to hone their reading and comprehension in a light and entertaining way. The witty exchanges between characters and Carter’s incomplete understanding of common idioms and phrases are sure to generate a smile or two, as will Jorge dodging his abuela’s chancla.

I am happy to recommend CHUPACARTER to upper-elementary and middle-school readers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through TBR and Beyond Book Tours. ( )

Chupacarter is a colorful and fun Fantasy middle grade novel in which a young boy befriends a mythical being. The chupacabra is a dangerous legendary creature in the folklore of part of the Americas. But no danger here as Carter is a kind friend to twelve-year-old Jorge.

Under the cover of an entertaining story, George Lopez and Ryan Calejo explore the difficulties of a new school and being bullied for being different. As Jorge is sent to live with his grandparents, he has to face challenges and difficulties to be in a different environment, as well as healing from deep emotional wounds. The characters are wonderful and Santy Gutiérrez's perfect illustrations are definitely a great addition to the story.

This novel is full of friendship and mystery, and is a great adventure taking place in New Mexico. I really love how the story includes many Spanish words. It is such a great introduction to Latinx folklore. ( )