  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 01/01/2017 PreS-Gr 1—Stepping away from nonfiction, Nobleman, in his first fiction picture book, presents a playful twist on outsmarting a predator. After worrying if tonight is the night the chupacabra "comes for dinner," three nervous goats—Jayna, Bumsie, and Pep—take fate in their own hands and leave to try to scare the creature off. With a candelabra to guide them, they head toward the monster's home, but the chupacabra finds them and eats their candelabra, as candelabras happen to be his third-favorite food. The goats, all of whom have distinct personalities, deal with being kept on their toes by the chupacabra. As the title suggests, there is a lot of playful language throughout, as the chupacabra not only eats candelabras but also munches cucarachas (his second-favorite food). Aranda's illustrations, which extend the text, elevate this title and burst with humor. Her bright pinks, yellows, and purples vibrate off the page in the often nighttime setting. The snaggle-toothed but adorable chupacabra sometimes lurks in the background, while other times his shadow comically dominates the page. Everything comes together when the beastie finally gets to eat his absolute favorite food—goat cheese. VERDICT This enjoyable monster book is perfect for storytime read-alouds or anytime a humorously spooky tale is in order.—Danielle Jones, Multnomah County Library, OR - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 02/01/2017 One night, goats Jayna, Bumsie, and Pep worry the chupacabra might come to dinner. (The only thing Jayna knows about the chupacabra is that it likes to eat goats.) Hoping to scare him off, the not-so-intrepid trio departs with a candelabra providing light. Sure enough, they find the sharp-fanged creature, who jumps out and gobbles the candelabra. Their next encounter ends with the creature eating a cucaracha. Alas, the chupacabra’s still hungry, and the goats fear their time has come. However, his most-favorite food of all is also the most surprising. Vibrant folk-style illustrations in watercolor, ink, and gouache depict the expressive goats and the sometimes looming—but never very scary—chupacabra. The somewhat lengthy narrative incorporates plenty of lively touches, from the goats’ humorous wordplay to some playfully formatted text. The book doesn’t have a glossary or pronunciation key for the occasional Spanish words, and without foreknowledge of some elements (knowledge of a certain type of cheese and the idiom “the whole enchilada), some story aspects might not come across. Still, an amusing take on the legendary beast. - Copyright 2017 Booklist. Loading...
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