In the Neighborhood by Rocio Bonilla

Abstract

Reviewed by: In the Neighborhood by Rocio Bonilla Natalie Berglind Bonilla, Rocio In the Neighborhood; written and illus. by Rocio Bonilla. Charlesbridge, 2022 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781623543600 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9781632892478 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R* 4-7 yrs In a neighborhood of animals that don't know one another, everyone makes assumptions. Camila, chicken mother of ten, has a loud home because of her brood, not because she's hard-of-hearing, as believed by most of her neighbors. Camila assumes Mr. Martínez, the serious, straitlaced fox next door, hates kids, but he actually likes to juggle dressed as a clown. Mr. Martínez assumes the fearsome dragon in the next house over doesn't want to be bothered, but the dragon is actually a mouse using some creative methods to deter the cat neighbor. Similarly, the mouse doesn't guess their cat neighbor is vegan, and Matilda the scientist pig assumes the house next door is empty when Mrs. Paquita, an internet- and Solitaire-obsessed nocturnal owl, lives there. Calamity hits when Mrs. Paquita loses her internet connection, driving her to Matilda, who quickly fixes up the problem. This opens up the door for a domino effect of neighbors asking favors of each other and overcoming their fears of communicating until everyone is united, and the neighborhood can officially be considered a community. This charming Spanish import offers both heart and humor, with a surprising and comical twist on each assumption. Bonilla's art in wavery pencil lines and watercolor provides as much amusement as the content itself, highlighting spreads of a very tired hen pouring overflowing coffee into a mug in her disastrous kitchen, a vegan cat proudly growing an entire farm of vegetables, and Mrs. Paquita eating take-out while still holding tightly to her computer mouse. Stronger readers will have the skills to navigate the text-heavy pages, but newer ones may need a helping hand. Beneath the silly shenanigans in this neighborhood, the message about building community and making connections is a resonant one. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois