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Ugly Cat & Pablo
From the 2015 winner of the ALA William C. Morris Award comes a humorous chapter book series about a not-so-attractive cat and his well-dressed mouse friend. Ugly Cat is dying for a paleta, or ice pop, and his friend Pablo is determined to help him get one by scaring a little girl who is enjoying a coconut paleta in the park. Things go horribly wrong when, instead of being scared, the little girl picks Pablo up and declares that he would make a great snack for her pet snake. Oh and there's also the small problem that Ugly Cat may have inadvertently swallowed Pablo in all of the commotion! Ugly Cat and his impeccably dressed mouse friend, Pablo, are an unlikely and dynamic duo who will win young readers over with their ridiculously silly antics and their search for tasty treats.
112 pages, Hardcover
Published April 25, 2017
58 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Quintero
12 books392 followersIsabel Quintero is a writer, poet, teacher, wife, friend, sister, daughter, granddaughter, aunt niece, and a bunch of other things. She lives in the Inland Empire, where she was born and raised by Mexican immigrant parents and Mexican immigrant granddparents; the hospital where she was born in was converted to a Lowe's hardware store. That's how long ago she was born.
She learned to love reading and the written word from a very young age when her mother used to read to her Amelia Bedelia. That love was fostered by teachers and professors throughout her schooling and she is sure if they hadn't boosted her ego for all those years she would have never dared letting the world see what she had written.
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces is her first young adult novel.
She learned to love reading and the written word from a very young age when her mother used to read to her Amelia Bedelia. That love was fostered by teachers and professors throughout her schooling and she is sure if they hadn't boosted her ego for all those years she would have never dared letting the world see what she had written.
Gabi, A Girl in Pieces is her first young adult novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 5, 2018
This was great, but now I'm hungry. I can't wait to try the recipe at the end!
September 4, 2018
Ok, the characters are not angels in this book but there was something fun and likable about this story. Really a 3.5.
March 22, 2025
Charming, delightful, laugh out loud. I am a full grown person and I guess I enjoyed this more than most kids would. In fact, I'm getting it for one of my best friends for her birthday. I read a couple of reviews on Amazon where the reader complained about the Spanish phrases (it was too much of a chore to look them up-even though they are in a handy index in the book). I found the Spanish phrases charming and they helped give this already rich story more texture. Kudos, bravo, etc. I will check out the author's YA novel, Gabi, A Girl in Pieces, based on how well she wrote this children's book.
November 29, 2019
I'm trying to get more used to Spanish, but it is a halfhearted effort at best. A weird little book about a cat and mouse who are best friends. There is some awkward stuff where they were mean to another friend, and to each other, and Ugly is a bit of a jerk but there are apologies and addressing of awkwardness between friends and misunderstandings. The illustrations are fun. Just a weird little book.
February 27, 2022
3/5 stars
Pretty generous if you ask me. I’m not writing a whole review because OBVIOUSLY it’s a kids book... thank you to my brother for giving me this book <3
Pretty generous if you ask me. I’m not writing a whole review because OBVIOUSLY it’s a kids book... thank you to my brother for giving me this book <3
June 13, 2018
Quintero gives parents and teachers a wonderful toolkit to work with in Ugly Cat and Pablo. Chapter one allows teachers and parents to discuss empathy, kindness , and the opportunity to teach children to apologize when children do something wrong. Pablo and Ugly Cat mistreat their friend, Big Mike, riding him like a rodeo bull when he clearly says "no". Pablo has enough skill to empathize with Big Mike's hurt feelings. And eventually both Ugly Cat and Pablo do say sorry.
Chapter three, Quintero allows the reader to witness the folly of false stereotypes. Pablo wants to frighten a child to get her paleta, but wanders into stereotypes about little girls and what they are afraid of. Chapter three is a wonderful chapter that allows teachers the opportunity to explore the dangers of stereotypes with their students and to let children know that diverse interests are ok...even when girls are into boa constrictors.
This is a fun collection of characters with adorable illustrations.
Chapter three, Quintero allows the reader to witness the folly of false stereotypes. Pablo wants to frighten a child to get her paleta, but wanders into stereotypes about little girls and what they are afraid of. Chapter three is a wonderful chapter that allows teachers the opportunity to explore the dangers of stereotypes with their students and to let children know that diverse interests are ok...even when girls are into boa constrictors.
This is a fun collection of characters with adorable illustrations.
July 8, 2020
Why I chose this book: I picked up this book as a mentor text for my own project because of the animal characters, humor, and illustrations.
What I liked about this book: The humor in this book is very child-like; it's a middle-grade book, after all, and I'm not above laughing at jokes made for kids. I found the humor charming.
What I didn't like about this book: The only thing I can think to remark on here is that sometimes there were Spanish words in the text that were not translated in the glossary.
Final thoughts: This book is a great title to have in your list of books to recommend. Its target audience seems to be 8-11 year olds, and it would be great to recommend to someone looking for something funny, and might be a compromise if a parent doesn't want their kid reading comic books since there are pictures, but the book is mainly prose.
What I liked about this book: The humor in this book is very child-like; it's a middle-grade book, after all, and I'm not above laughing at jokes made for kids. I found the humor charming.
What I didn't like about this book: The only thing I can think to remark on here is that sometimes there were Spanish words in the text that were not translated in the glossary.
Final thoughts: This book is a great title to have in your list of books to recommend. Its target audience seems to be 8-11 year olds, and it would be great to recommend to someone looking for something funny, and might be a compromise if a parent doesn't want their kid reading comic books since there are pictures, but the book is mainly prose.
March 10, 2021
Oh, my! I have not done this story justice. I loved it and bought it for the library. It sounds so much better with an hispanic accent on as done on Epic Books.
Nice easier chapter book for newer readers of any age. No need to love cats at all (or mice for that matter). These two friends will capture your interest, make you laugh out loud, and certainly stop worrying about bits of Spanish throughout the story.
The drama from Ugly Cat is so much fun. He is such a character that I have quoted him several times in class. My giggles are always interrupting the pace of the story, but students never seem to mind.
What fun! (I did not realize there is a sequel. I will have to add that to my collection now!)
Nice easier chapter book for newer readers of any age. No need to love cats at all (or mice for that matter). These two friends will capture your interest, make you laugh out loud, and certainly stop worrying about bits of Spanish throughout the story.
The drama from Ugly Cat is so much fun. He is such a character that I have quoted him several times in class. My giggles are always interrupting the pace of the story, but students never seem to mind.
What fun! (I did not realize there is a sequel. I will have to add that to my collection now!)
August 3, 2017
Cat and mouse friends Ugly and Pablo rouse themselves on a lazy summer day to search for treats and adventure in the park. They find their friend Big Mike, a bulldog, and as friends sometime do, alternately tease each other and work together for the goal of tasty paletas. Variegated typefaces and silly black and white cartoons give kid-appeal. Humorous inter-friend drama and relatable food oriented adventure make this short chapter book an easy sell. Liberally sprinkled with Spanish.
A glossary or definitions of the Spanish words would help this win universal appeal.
A glossary or definitions of the Spanish words would help this win universal appeal.
December 10, 2017
Reviewed for YA Books Central
A funny and endearing tale of a summer day gone wrong.
The story:
Ugly cat just wants a paleta. It's a hot summer day and nothing would make him happier than a snack. Luckily, he has a friend like Pablo who will do anything to get him the tasty treat. The two of them head out in search of it only to encounter barriers at every turn, including a little girl looking for a snack for her snake. But Ugly Cat and Pablo are not to be thwarted - even by each other.
What I loved:
This story is filled to the brim with cute humor. The dynamic between Ugly Cat and Pablo is the true star of the story. It's such a simple premise. All Ugly Cat wanted was a treat. It should have been easy, but that wouldn't have made a good story. There's an incredibly endearing quality to this book. I also loved the bits of culture sprinkled throughout and the cartoon-like images.
Final Verdict:
A fun story about the misadventures of two friends in the big world, overcoming many obstacles. Endearing. Engaging. A sure hit with elementary kids.
A funny and endearing tale of a summer day gone wrong.
The story:
Ugly cat just wants a paleta. It's a hot summer day and nothing would make him happier than a snack. Luckily, he has a friend like Pablo who will do anything to get him the tasty treat. The two of them head out in search of it only to encounter barriers at every turn, including a little girl looking for a snack for her snake. But Ugly Cat and Pablo are not to be thwarted - even by each other.
What I loved:
This story is filled to the brim with cute humor. The dynamic between Ugly Cat and Pablo is the true star of the story. It's such a simple premise. All Ugly Cat wanted was a treat. It should have been easy, but that wouldn't have made a good story. There's an incredibly endearing quality to this book. I also loved the bits of culture sprinkled throughout and the cartoon-like images.
Final Verdict:
A fun story about the misadventures of two friends in the big world, overcoming many obstacles. Endearing. Engaging. A sure hit with elementary kids.
May 12, 2018
Pablo Gutierrez Calderon de la Barca. A very big name for a ratoncito. But he plans to do big things with his best friend, Ugly Cat. Ugly Cat is always hungry. But not for Pablo. No, no, no. He has given up his taste for mice and now prefers people food, the junkier the better. But when Ugly Cat and Pablo try to persuade a little girl to drop her paleta de coco, things don't go quite the way they expected. With the help of their other best friend, Big Mike, tragedy is averted. Or is it? You'll just have to read the book to find out. And if all that reading made you hungry, there is a recipe for coconut popsicles at the end of the book. Along with a glossary for the Spanish terms Quintero incorporated. A great addition to the beginning chapter book collection.
June 5, 2018
No lessons were learned, no bad deed or prank was punished. This book about a cat and a mouse who are friends, getting into trouble, stealing food from children by scaring/biting them (which they kind of feel sorry for?). Bullying their best friend the dog and sort of apologizing? Lots of Spanish words/phrases that are mostly defined in the glossary, however there were quite a few terms I didn't know that it did not define. Also took me most of the book to find the glossary. Most kids don't know what a glossary is, let alone think to look for one. Did not enjoy. The only think I liked was the illustrations and the fact that the dialogue is in fun fonts so the kids can always tell who is speaking.
June 5, 2018
No lessons were learned, no bad deed or prank was punished. This book about a cat and a mouse who are friends, getting into trouble, stealing food from children by scaring/biting them (which they kind of feel sorry for?). Bullying their best friend the dog and sort of apologizing? Lots of Spanish words/phrases that are mostly defined in the glossary, however there were quite a few terms I didn't know that it did not define. Also took me most of the book to find the glossary. Most kids don't know what a glossary is, let alone think to look for one. Did not enjoy. The only think I liked was the illustrations and the fact that the dialogue is in fun fonts so the kids can always tell who is speaking.
August 2, 2018
This book is one of our Sunshine State Young Readers Award books for the 2018-19 school year. It is a very easy read with illustrations on each page. Great for beginning chapter book readers (grades 2-3). It is the first book in a series that I’m sure kids will like. The main issue I had with the book was that I found it lacking sophisticated writing. The adventure Ugly Cat & Pablo went on was simple & seemed to drag on where it could’ve been done with in a few chapters instead of an entire book. There is a LOT of Spanish in this book, so it would be good for ELL students who are just learning English. There is a glossary in the back, but you wouldn’t know that until you finish the book. Footnotes would have been better.
January 5, 2019
1/4/2019 ~ Fun friendship story told from the perspective of a cat and a mouse. I appreciated the reflection on games that make another friend uncomfortable and the need to apologize. I also appreciated the misunderstanding among friends that was ultimately resolved. There's lots of humor, which primary students ready for chapter books will enjoy. The Latino foods and Spanish phrases will appeal to those who speak Spanish and to those who want to feel smart by figuring out a new language. (There is a glossary at the back to facilitate.)
Yep, this series will find a home in my elementary library.
Yep, this series will find a home in my elementary library.
July 15, 2017
This took me a while to get into, but it ended up being pretty endearing. Pablo the mouse and his friend Ugly Cat scheme to get food and encounter some adventures along the way. Love the incorporation of Spanish into the text without italics -- a good vocabulary builder for both Spanish and English! There's also a recipe for Paletas de Coco in the back of the book (yum!). A good choice for kids who may have grown out of easier series books and are ready for a little more of a text-heavy chapter book with illustrations like the Timmy Failure books.
August 25, 2017
Best friends Ugly Cat & Pablo are an unlikely pair. Ugly Cat is a bit lazy and obsessed with food. While Pablo, a mouse, craves action & adventures. A scheme to get Ugly Cat a Paleta ( Spanish for small stick and referring to a Mexican fresh fruit ice) seems to be just the thing to fulfill both friend's cravings. However, when things go wrong, Pablo is convinced that Ugly Cat has forgotten his "I-promise-to-never-eat-you" promise and their "purrfect" friendship is put to the test. Includes Spanish words and phrases as well as a Spanish glossary and a recipe for Paletas.
July 19, 2018
Read this to my kids before bedtime. I liked the inclusion of Spanish words in the story with a glossary in the back and moral lesson about how to apoligize to a friend. After reading it, we went to the grocery store to find out what chicaronnes and paletas were. However, the characters were silly, but not in a fun way. And the overall plot of the story lacked something. I just had trouble caring whether ugly cat got a paleta or not. My six-year-old enjoyed it, but my nine-year-old did not. Overall, it was an okay book for a 1st or 2nd grader who needs a book with pictures and bigger front.
November 15, 2018
Lo tengo en la biblioteca de mi salón de clase, y estoy tratando de leer TODOS los libros que ofrezco para mis alumnos. Ese lo compré por Scholastic para aumentar mi biblioteca en general, y solo lo escogí para el próximo porque ningún estudiante lo seleccionó durante el tiempo de leer cuando terminó mi último libro, pero es tan lindo y ridículo en una manera tan perfecta. Los personajes de Miguelazo, Pablo y Feúcho son encantadores y me imagino que no es demasiado juvenil para mis estudiantes del octavo grado que van a disfrutarlo si no lo recomiendo en exceso.
January 23, 2019
Wow, I finished this a few days ago but it appears I forgot to review it at the time. This was a cute book and I liked the characters, plot, and pace.
It was nice how Spanish phrases were interspersed throughout the book, but also that there was a glossary at the end with the translations for most phrases in the back.
I liked the illustrations and I think it's a book that younger beginning readers of chapter books would enjoy.
It was nice how Spanish phrases were interspersed throughout the book, but also that there was a glossary at the end with the translations for most phrases in the back.
I liked the illustrations and I think it's a book that younger beginning readers of chapter books would enjoy.
March 1, 2019
This book is hysterical. I laughed out loud several times during our school-wide silent reading. Oops! The pictures add to the hilarity. Ugly Cat and Pablo (Cat and Mouse) are best friends and get into all kinds of shenanigans together...some planned, some not. The book is interspersed with Spanish words and sentences with a Glossary in the back to help, if needed. It would be a fun read aloud for 2nd and 3rd grades and a great book for anyone who likes to laugh.
March 17, 2024
This fantasy story is about a cat and mouse that become friends and do things together. Pablo the mouse speaks Spanish so some of the story is in Spanish. The Spanish words are translated at the back.
The story focused on friendship and forgiveness, but I was not real impressed with it. I also thought the Spanish translations would have been better at the front rather than the back. It would be a cute book for lower elementary bi-lingual students.
The story focused on friendship and forgiveness, but I was not real impressed with it. I also thought the Spanish translations would have been better at the front rather than the back. It would be a cute book for lower elementary bi-lingual students.
June 11, 2018
This is a Florida SSYRA book for the upcoming year and I really don't understand why. I read it in less then 10 minutes. While I know it is not meant for my age, it was a waste of paper. I was going to try to get a set to share with my low level reading group, but I think I will find another book to read.
May 13, 2022
This was a very funny and enjoyable read. It’s a beginner chapter book, but I can see it appealing to older reluctant readers as well. Kids who don’t speak or read Spanish will want an adult’s help. Black and white pictures on most pages. Glossary and recipe at the end of the book. Contains fart humor.
October 14, 2024
Ugly Cat & Pablo is a cute little story. The cat and mouse unlikely best friends thing is fun. The only problem is the font constantly changes rather randomly and I found this very distracting and uncomfortable to read. The book is aimed at mid-elementary kids and while some might like the different fonts I could imagine that others would just find it annoying.
November 19, 2017
Funny misadventures of an ugly cat and a mouse who happen to be best friends. Entertaining kid humor based on melodrama and misunderstandings. Fun and expressive illustrations. Enjoyed the inclusion of the Spanish vocabulary as well.
June 2, 2018
Book 2 of 15 of the SSYRA grade 3 to 5 books for the 2018-2019 school year. This is a beginning chapter book about two unlikely best friends, a cat and mouse. If considering this book for a read aloud, note that there is a fair amount of Spanish sprinkled in with a glossary included.
August 22, 2018
This book is super cute and a lot of fun. My daughter and I read it together and she laughed so much...mainly because I had trouble with some of the Spanish words, but I figured them out. It made her laugh though and its hard not to love these two comrads and all the trouble they get into.
November 28, 2018
My son and I read this together. I think it appeals because it’s kinda a cross between a graphic novel and a novel. Different fonts for different speakers break up the paragraph, plenty of pictures. Pablo reminded me of the fast talker on AntMan.
December 31, 2018
For kids who love the Infamous Ratsos, Stick Dog, and Wedgie & Gizmo... what a hoot! Love the glossary in the back to help readers who do not know the Spanish terms in the story, and SUPER love the recipe that the book ends with! An awesome read for 2nd-4th graders!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews