Skippyjon+Jones

Bibliographical Data:
Original Publication Date: April 7th 2005 Publisher: Puffin ISBN13: 9780439836968 Language: English Paperback: 32 pages Price: $6.99 Reading Level: 5 and up Type: Fiction/ Children's Book

Author's Biography
Judy Schachner grew up near Boston in the 1950's where she was interested in drawing and continued her education earning a degree in illustration at the Massachusetts College of Art. After working for five years in designing hallmark cards, Judy became interested in the illustrations of children's books. In 1995 Schachner illustrated and wrote her first children's book, Willy and May. After this project Judy Schachner drew for many other children's books and in 2005 started her Skippyjon Jones series. Since then Scachner has written multiple books about her favorite Siamese cat, Skippyjon Jones.

Summary
Skippyjon Jones is a siamese cat that has a very vivid imagination. While his mom would much rather that Skippy act like a cat, Skippyjon Jones would rather go into his closet and set off on adventures. When Skippy goes on an adventure, he is no longer a siamese cat, Skippyjon Jones turns into "Skippito Friskito the great sword fighter" and joins a group of chihuahuas to defeat the Bumblelito who has stolen their "frijoles" (beans). With the encouragement from his new friends, Skippyjon Jones gains the confidence to defeat the "bumblelito" and celebrates with dancing and singing songs. At the end of the day, even though Skippy ruins his bumblebee piñata hidden inside his closet, Skippy's mom shows her acceptance for her son no matter what he does.

Book Review
Skippyjon Jones is a great book to read to a class about the power of imagination and being courageous. Skippyjon Jones shows us how the mind can go on any adventure and you can become anything you want to be. There is no limits to our imagination. Skippy also introduces to us the idea of friendship between different species when Skippy goes on adventures with a group of chihuahuas and how to stand up for yourself as well as others. The way Schachner has Skippyjon Jones interacts with others allows children and even adults to enjoy this siamese cat who goes on adventures and has moments of ethnic songs, celebrations, and words introducing us to the hispanic world and their lifestyles. Children also get to interact while reading by clapping their hands to a song, singing and reading the cute rhymes that Schachner creates by adding the ending "ito" to words.

Theme
Skippyjon Jones has the overall theme of imagination. From the beginning of the story, we see Skippyjon Jones hanging out in a bird's nest outside of his house pretending that he is a bird. Throughout the story, Skippyjon Jones escapes the world of reality to be in his own imagination where he can do whatever his mind imagines. In this story, Skippy is able to turn into different personas one of them being Skippito Friskito.

//My name is Skippito Friskito// //I fear not a single bandito// //My manners are mellow// //I'm sweet like the Jell-O// //I get the job done, yes indeed-o//

This theme of imagination allows Skippyjon Jones to go on adventures and become whoever he wants to be. Imagination is the way that Skippyjon Jones lives his life and within his imagination Skippy gets to deal with friendship, bravery and being a hero.