Skippyjon Jones

This fun book, about a siamese kitten who thinks he is a chihuahua, is the first in a series, and it is absolutely wonderful. Skippyjon has an active imagination and takes to diving into his closet where he goes on wild adventures as El Skippito Friskito, the Great Sword Fighter. He runs into a gang of Chihuahuas called the Los Chimichangos and they recruit him to save them from the El Bumbleito Bandito who is stealing all their beans. This is a great lyrical romp that has fun with language and kids' imaginations. Definitely one to get.

I loved this when I first read it in college (I had roommates studying elementary education), but I always felt too uncomfortable with the accent to read it aloud myself. I'm embarrassed that I'm only just now realizing that's because it's a pretty insulting accent. I would definitely not want to read it to children.

Am I the only person who loathes this book? It makes me cringe. The Spanglish is borderline offensive. Skippyjon is cute, but why do all the chihuahuas have to constantly talk about frijoles and banditos? Ugh, just awful. Maybe I'm hypersensitive due to my proximity to the Mexico border but it just seems really, really ill advised. Please note, I did ask 2 actual Spanish speaking coworkers if they found it offensive and they did not, so it's probably just me.

THREE STARS ! Judy Schachner’s Skippyjon Jones is a playful picture book about a Siamese kitten with a wild imagination who envisions himself as a heroic chihuahua. The story explore themes of identity and self expression, encouraging creativity in young readers. Schachner’s rhyming text and lively wordplay enhance the book’s whimsical tone, while her vibrant illustrations capture Skippyjon’s boundless energy. However, the use of Spanish and exaggerated accents raises concerns about cultural representation. While engaging, the book requires a critical lens when discussing diversity, Children enjoy its humor and adventure, but educators should address its portrayal of language and identity. Ultimately, Skippyjon Jones is a fun show more yet complex book that sparks the imagination while inviting discussions on respectful cultural representation.

Personally, I love these books. I grew up reading all of them. It was exciting to see and read the adventures Skippyjon always got himself into. I gave the book a three because, although yet fun and thrilling, I find other books more educational and enlightening. show less

Skippyjon Jones by Judy Schachner is the first in a twenty book picture book series about a Siamese kitten who looks like a Chihuahua and thinks he's one too. His mother cat, though, isn't convinced.

Skippyjon Jones lives in a perpetual fantasy world where he is convinced he's a small yapping dog who speaks Spanish. Except he's a small, delusional kitten, who according to Jane H. Hill, speaks Mock Spanish.

As a series, the Skippyjon Jones books have even inspired a masters thesis on its repeated use of Mock Spanish (Analyzing the use and function of Mock Spanish in the picture book collection Skippyjon Jones by Alicia Juncos Zori).

So far I've read exactly two of the books, the first and the last (Cirque de Olé). I found the Mock Spanish show more more prevalent in the latest book as the focus was on Skippyjon Jones joining a flea circus. And of course, the fleas spoke the pseudo Spanish of Speedy Gonzalez of the 1950s Warner Bros. cartoons (the most recent iteration actually speaks both fluent Spanish and English).

I think Skippyjon Jones in the first book was supposed to be more about a child's (or in this case, kitten's) over active imagination and the silliness of a cat trying to be a dog. What it seems to have become over the course of the series is a tale of a misappropriation of culture.

For this first book, though, I'm still giving it a high rating because by itself it's about play and imagination, and not the "humorous" sounds of Mock Spanish. show less

Summary; This book is about a siamese cat that acts more different than his siblings. Skippyjon Jones likes to jump on his bed that bothers his mom but he goes through an adventure when he's in his room taking him to "old mexico" to be the greatest hero out there fighting next to dogs fearing no "bandito" his mind is very creative and its a great folk book to bring to children. If I used this to teaching kids It would be used more to show diversity and imagination. The message it shows kids is that they can be whatever they like to be even if people doubt them. This book brings back the cultural aspect of "Zorro" the sword having bandito fighting cat. Recommend!

Skippyjon Jones, is sent to his room to contemplate what it means to be a cat, but instead embarks on an imaginary adventure in which his Zorro-like alter ego, El Skippito, rescues a group of chihuahuas from a bean-eating bumblebee.