

Summer on Wheels
Author: Gary Soto
Narrator: Anthony Perez
Unabridged: 3 hr
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 06/01/2012
Author: Gary Soto
Narrator: Anthony Perez
Unabridged: 3 hr
Format: Digital Audiobook Download
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Published: 06/01/2012
Gary Soto is the author of more than a dozen poetry collections for adults, most notably New and Selected Poems, a 1995 finalist for both the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the National Book Award. He also writes young adult fiction and has received numerous awards, including the Human and Civil Rights Award from the American Education Association, the Literature Award from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, and the PEN Center West Book Award for his young adult short-story collection Petty Crimes.
Anthony Perez is a Miami, Florida, native who, from a young age, found great passion for words, using them in mediums such as poetry, stage, and film. He later concentrated on theater, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting from Florida State University, focusing on Shakespeare, voice, and dialects, along with specialized Master Class training under Sir Ian McKellen. His talent and love for his craft have brought him to Los Angeles, where he is currently a stage and film actor.
What I have learned about this book is that a journey is less about where you are going than what you discover on your way there there was a lot of adventures and also there is a lot of things that would be able to inspire a person to be able to do really good things in the world like these boys hav......more
A delightful "road trip" on bicycles through the LA region was rather light and without a whole lot of conflict. Comedic and great characters throughout. Loved Hector.......more
Summer On Wheels by Gary Soto is a another story about Hector and his friend Mando who go on a bike adventure. Throughout the book Hector and Mando encounter different events and situations. When reading this book I found myself enjoying how Hector and Mando were being portrayed. These two friends c......more
“The two Mexican-American friends encounter interesting people on their excursion. The story is spiced with a mixture of English and Spanish and peppered with humor. Young teenagers will relate to the witty street-wise boys and their antics.” Children’s Literature
“Two thirteen-year-old amigos, first introduced in Gary Soto’s Crazy Weekend, have the mid-June doldrums. Hector persuades Mando to join him on a bike trip from their East Los Angeles barrio to the Santa Monica Beach. Hector’s plan is to pedal several miles a day and then stay over each night with one of his various relatives who live along the way. A disparate and colorful family unfolds as do many serendipitous adventures. In the course of their trek, the boys encounter a spectrum of lifestyles and occupations, plus a genuine brush with street danger. This is a humorous story, warm, with a theme of family unity at its core, which middle-school and junior-high students will enjoy…the occasional Spanish words and phrases lending an authentic and lively cadence to the prose.” ALAN Review
“Readers will wish they could go along on the boys’ adventurous ride. Soto’s story is an engaging and entertaining light summer read.” Horn Book Guide
“The plot is rollicking, with some dream-come-true aspects, touches of reality, and humor, emphasized by the boys’ banter and enhanced by a sprinkling of Spanish words and phrases. Soto’s descriptions make the journey vivid and, throughout the boys’ scuffles and escapades, they maintain a deep respect for their elders, a love of family, and a healthy curiosity about life.” School Library Journal
“Their urban adventure is upbeat, told with a casual narrative and irreverent dialogue…The combination of slapstick and affection draws you in ("Aunt Teresa warned the boys that if they drowned she would be really mad at them"). Great for reading aloud, the story captures the physicality of the boys’ experience…There’s no great drama, but that’s precisely Soto’s strength: he embraces the ordinary, messy connections of a happy home with ‘kids, parents, relatives, neighbors, dogs and cats, even chickens nearly falling out of each open window.’” Booklist
“Anthony Perez does an excellent job with the narration, distinguishing the voices of numerous characters and perfectly pronouncing Hispanic terms and slang. The production quality is first rate in this exuberant tale of friendship and community.” School Library Journal (audio review)
“This novel about two Hispanic friends, Hector and Mando, is full of hilarious adventure…Although some of the adventures are outlandish—such as, landing a television commercial and being the one millionth Dodger fan—the reaction and interaction of the friends is realistic. The dialogue, which includes a fair amount of Spanish, is heartwarming, witty, and full of imagery. In this coming-of-age adventure Hector and Mando see both sides of humble means and wealth. The high value of unconditional acceptance among family and friends is an enlightening theme. What better way to spend time traveling to visit relatives in the car (or by bicycle) than listening to this outstanding three-hour audio book!” Children’s Literature (audio review)
“Just as Soto is a master at portraying the ordinary in Hispanic family and neighborhood, Anthony Perez is masterful at voicing these two best friends. His narration is smooth and steady—moving from nerdy cousin to a paintball extravaganza and an unfamiliar barrio, always keeping the listener engaged. Perez’s boyish voice lends credibility to the give-and-take between the two characters. Further, he spices the conversation with natural-sounding Spanish words and phrases.” AudioFile