“Described by his mother as 'born talking,' Manolito brings his family and friends alive on the page through a chatty, first-person narrative in which he recounts events such as a punch from a bully who breaks his glasses, a visit from a demanding schoolmate named One-and-Only Susana, and a surprise birthday party for his beloved grandpa.... Throughout the book, amusing drawings heighten the understated humor that brightens the story.” —Booklist

“To be sure, the protagonist is a wild, spunky, dramatic, comical sort of character sure to be popular with children, who will probably find him, in Manolito's own inimitable words, a 'whole lotta cool.' Lively cartoon illustrations are scattered throughout.” —School Library Journal