Goodreads Reviews
By Ameliessa Richardson - 5 out of 5 stars
This book is such a heartfelt and important story. JJ and Frijolito each go on their own journey, and when their paths finally cross, it’s emotional and unforgettable. I loved how the story blends adventure with themes of inclusion, kindness, and love especially for kids who don’t always see themselves in books. A beautiful tribute to neurodiverse families, and a reminder that what connects us is stronger than what divides us.
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by Deborah Fontaine - 5 out of 5 stars
JJ And Frijolito, by Victoria Cepeda, is a heartfelt story about friendship and hope. The book features illustrations and cover art by Dustin Hansen, with editing and design by Elidio La Torre Lagares. It tells the story of JJ, a kind autistic boy, and Frijolito, a cute stray dog.
The story highlights important themes such as friendship, kindness, love, and hope. It also shows how resilience and dreaming can help us through tough times. These messages are clear and meaningful, helping children understand important values. I enjoyed how the story mixes happy moments with sad ones, making it real and relatable. The writing is lively and easy to follow. The illustrations enhance the story perfectly. I also liked the character list at the start, which made it easier to keep track of everyone.
“JJ and Frijolito” is a well written adventure inside a children’s chapter book by the incredible author, Victoria Cepeda and well illustrated by Dustin Hansen. This amazing journey has 2 stories that readers will enjoy as the stories have a beautiful way of uniting together. Readers will also learn about neurodivergence and acceptance. I highly recommend this book.
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By Carole Barton, author - 5 out of 5 stars
“JJ and Frijolito” is a well written adventure inside a children’s chapter book by the incredible author, Victoria Cepeda and well illustrated by Dustin Hansen. This amazing journey has 2 stories that readers will enjoy as the stories have a beautiful way of uniting together. Readers will also learn about neurodivergence and acceptance. I highly recommend this book.
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By Sarah Rizk - 5 out of 5 stars
“As a mom who is just starting to learn about someone who is neurodivergent I'm very happy we came across this book. There are things in it we find easy to relate to, and it's overall just a fun story for the family. It's well written, and the pictures throughout are a really nice touch.”
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By Rella B, author - 5 out of 5 stars
“This heartwarming tale beautifully captures the bond between a boy on the autism spectrum and a stray dog. The story not only highlights their adventures but also emphasizes themes of unconditional love and resilience. The writing skillfully intertwines cultural elements, making it relatable and engaging for readers of all ages. It's a must-read for families seeking to understand neurodiversity while enjoying a delightful narrative.”
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INSTAGRAM
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By Sara H Fowler, author
“I see this book as a love letter from caregivers of children with autism to the world. If that speaks to you, consider adding this to your library now. For educators, this book is a great text to discuss parallel plots and to begin mapping more complex plots.”
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By Sofia and Bibi Haq, authors
JJ and Frijolito. Author :Victoria Cepeda. Reviews: It is a heartwarming children’s novel with theme of connection, compassion and dreams. The story is about JJ a pre-adolescent gamer on the autism spectrum whose vivid dreams about rescue dog(Frijolito)lead to an unexpected and life changing encounter. I look forward for the next adventure. The cover and the illustrations complement the story. The book is available in both English and Spanish.
Dean, Aylah, and Sana Ashfaq - 5 out of 5 stars
“Beautiful inclusive story about a child on the autism spectrum and a rescue dog. We loved the list of characters and the beautiful illustrations throughout the book. Powerful themes are displayed: resilience, acceptance, inclusion, unconditional love, and growth (just to name a few). Loved that the story is told from a neurodivergent perspective and both stories are intertwined so well. Highly recommended to all teacher and parents!”
Judy McGee, author - 5 out of 5 stars
“JJ & Frijolito is about unconditional love between preteen gamer, JJ, & and an adorable salmon-eating stray dog named Frijolito. This is a tale about the need for connections & how they strengthen & shape us! It’s interesting; both my book, Pennygirl’s Rescue’s & JJ & Frijolito are about rescue dogs! So wonderful!! I am loving this book already! You will love it too!”
Kathryn South, author - 5 out of 5 stars
“This is a precious story that follows the adventures of a small dog (Frijolito) is he moves from stray to beloved pet to “stray” (he is mistaken for one) and then taken across the sea to become a beloved pet to JJ. It’s told in 3rd person but documents Frijolito’s thoughts and opinions about all of his escapades. As not many books document the way dogs think, I was totally there for that!
JJ is an absolute sweetheart! He has Autism and is very affectionate. He sees the world differently to a lot of people and is grateful for every experience and every instance of love. JJ has a very close relationship with his parents and siblings and loves to tell people about (pretty much every aspect of) his life through his YouTube channel. He loves hugging his Mum and they often debate about who loves the other more – how cute!
I was riveted by this unusual and quirky story about an Autistic boy and the dog he’s dreamed of, who finally comes into his life to be the companion he needs. And I loved the cameos of the other animals in this story too – a bad-tempered crab, a scary cockroach, a talkative parrot and an uppity cat.
The characters are listed in the front of the book, which I found very helpful. I loved the Spanish names and culture from the Dominican Republic, but most of all I enjoyed seeing the world from JJ’s perspective. I have a tremendous amount of respect for people on the Autistic spectrum as I know how difficult it is to see the world differently and be misunderstood for it. I think it’s a truly wonderful thing that Victoria published this book for her son (whom she based JJ on) and that through it we can see just how precious and wonderful people on the spectrum are!
This book is worthy of 5 stars (and more if that were possible) and it should be a set-read in every classroom!”
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Ana Lucia Sanchez Books - 4 out of 5 stars
This book gives us 2 parallel stories: a young teen boy named JJ who is on the autism spectrum; and Frijolito, an adorable pup who lives on the streets of San Pedro de Macorís in Dominican Republic.
We get to meet JJ and see his very close relationship in his mother, Mrs. V. They have developed a great daily routine that helps him, and he has been dreaming of a dog and keeps asking his mom for one. Initially Mrs, V is hesitant, she wants whats best for her son, but ultimately decides they are ready and start looking for one to adopt.
Frijolito on the other hand, meeting a lady at the beach, Ms, Lydia, she bring him with her to her home to join her cat and her parakeet. As Lydoas health starts to decline, Frijolito needs a new home, he lives through some great adventures and travels, and meets different people who care for him along the way.
The story has some sweet and tender moments, how Mrs. V cares for JJ; and some sad ones, when we see how Ms Lydia’s health starts to decline. Throughout we see how kindness and generosity and caring for those around us help to put all the pieces together for our 2 MCs to finally meet in the most spectacular way.
Thanks so much to the Author Victoria Cepeda @jjfrijolitobook for gifting me a copy of this wonderful story.
All options are my own.
AMAZON
5.0 out of 5 stars Uniquely Refreshing & Different
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2024.
“Highly recommend for anyone looking for a unique and refreshing coming of age story.”
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Perin and Marjean Searl Book Review
5.0 out of 5 stars my 9yo loved this book!
“This is an exciting and heart-warming adventure about the connection between a gamer boy on the autism spectrum and a street dog. My 9yo daughter said this book was “awesome” so I think it can go ages 8+. It’s well written, well-edited, and the pictures are really cool. I think gamer kids and boy readers would appreciate seeing themselves represented. I appreciated the Latinx representation and the neurodiversity.”
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Sensitively and honestly written
Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2025
Verified Purchase
I love this boy who sees the world differently—and sometimes more deeply. I love that he is surrounded by loving, supportive people. And I love that he dreams. The journey for for these two characters to come together and become fast friends is heart-warming. Such a lovely story.
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Kristina Sheldon
5.0 out of 5 stars Great chapter book!
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2024
“JJ is a preteen boy who loves gaming. He dreams that one day, a dog will come into his life. Will JJ’s dreams come true?! I can’t wait to see what adventures JJ and Frijolito embark on together in the future! I love the author’s mission of raising awareness of neurodivergent populations and addresses the fact that while the importance of early diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders and the importance of early intervention, not all populations have immediate access to this care. This book is a testament to the fact that supportive communities, and sometimes a sweet furry friend, are essential to helping our young people thrive!”
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5.0 out of 5 stars LOVELY BOOK
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2024
This is a great book with a sweet story that is definitely going to touch your heart.
From the beginning, I developed a strong connection with JJ’s mother, who has a lovely boy with autism. I’m a mother with a child on the spectrum as well, so I understand the challenges of raising a special needs child. In this story the author shows her love for her son JJ, how she dedicated to help him with his challenges and encourages JJ to not let his diagnosis define him. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to anyone who have kids that are special needs.
5.0 out of 5 stars JJ Y Frijolito Will Delight and Completely Enchant Its Audience
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2024
“This book is a must-read for anyone who has faced the difficult challenges of raising a child with special needs, such as Autism and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). What sets this book and its author apart is how the author highlights this particular child with Autism and ADHD, not because of the condition itself, but rather how the author has nurtured and encouraged JJ to be more than his limitations. The author, Victoria Cepeda, shares JJ's incredible journey with his beloved dog Frijolito, as he discovers his love for video games and basketball, and shows how JJ is a loving child despite the challenges that he and his family have faced while raising a child with Autism and ADHD. Victoria Cepeda, a fellow Dominican, has utilized scenes and storylines that are rooted in the Dominican Republic (DR) and made me yearn for my native country. This book is truly amazing because it shows how much the author loves her child and how, as a parent, she has encouraged JJ to be more than his disabilities of Autism and ADHD.”
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Bonnie Konstan, author - 5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2024
Victoria writes the story JJ and Frijolito with skill to draw readers inward with curiosity on how the story ends. This book brings awareness of autism behaviors.
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Efraim
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2024
It’s a great book for all ages and has the potential for many more adventure chapters for JJ and Frijolito
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ONLINE BOOK CLUB
“This is a beautiful story.
Love and compassion, I believe, have the power to transform any dark and difficult circumstances.
The "bond between JJ and his mother, Ms. V." Is admirable. I also appreciate the story of JJ and Frijolito( this name has a nice ring to it ) and how the author shows how their respective journeys eventually connect them. With Frijolito being a stray dog and JJ being on the autism spectrum, I am left with curiosity about how simply soulful and rewarding this connection served each of them.
Animals and nature are so therapeutic!
Congratulations to the author for this beautiful story.”
— Jenna Padayachee OnlineBookClub.org
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“Overall, I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. What I loved about this book is the bond between JJ and his mother Ms. V. When it comes to having a child with autism spectrum disorder, you must be patient with them and understand that they learn differently and may need some assistance. JJ and Mrs. V's bond is unmatched, and you can tell that their loves keep them going and gives each other strength. One thing I would change about this book is having more details about JJ and Frijolito’s bond. However, I still enjoyed the read. I would recommend this book to children aged 8 and up and to parents and educators who want to read a lighthearted story and learn about children on the autism spectrum. The book is well-edited with no errors.”
Tomi Ahmed - OnlineBookClub.org - 4 out of 5 stars
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“JJ and Frijolito by Victoria Cepeda sounds like a heartfelt and inspiring story. The dual perspectives of JJ and the stray dog, Frijolito, are intriguing, and I appreciate how the author addresses important themes like autism and the bond between a boy and his dog. I'm looking forward to reading how their journeys intertwine.”— EBERE WRITES COCEPT - OnlineBookClub.org
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"Para mi JJ y Frijolito es una historia dulce y conmovedora, muy recomendable para lectores jóvenes. Enseña lecciones importantes sobre el valor de la amistad y de ayudar a los demás desde una temprana edad. La novela seguramente derretirá tu corazón y te dejará con una sonrisa en la cara" - Luisary Estevez. Perth Amboy Freshman Academy
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Vanessa Pardo 5.0 out of 5 stars -Feels like home
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024 - Verified Purchase
“This story feels familiar as though I am living in the moment with the family. I love the illustrations & descriptions used throughout the story to support the reader to understand the story. The pages are full of love, compassion, connection & technology! I recommend it to families with tweens.”
Amazon Customer - 5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2024 - Verified Purchase
“I bought this to read with my daughter and we both absolutely loved it. Wonderfully written and heart warming tale. Absolutely recommended.”
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BookClub Reviewer
⦁ Does the book invite young readers just by the cover alone?
Yes, I like the pictures.
⦁ What about the story would prompt you to refer the book to a friend/acquaintance/teacher?
It’s a short but fun read, I’ll recommend to younger audience not my peers.
⦁ Do you immediately think that the book is only geared to families with children that have disabilities?
No, the cover did not show inabilities.
⦁ Or do you feel that the story is relatable to teen and adults regardless of abilities?
I forgot JJ's abilities later when I read it, but I don’t feel relatable to the story primary because I don’t have a dog and I haven’t lived with my mom since college and I don’t share the same relationship with my mom.
⦁ What did you like/dislike?
I like that there is a plot twist, JJ didn't get the dog directly from the shelter so it made the plot interesting I like that the dog and boy only know each other at the end, although the book name made me think they are friends and do things together I feel like there is too much description on mom's thoughts so I don't feel relate to JJ enough, maybe that’s just me. I am kind of overwhelmed by the amount of details in the book, especially people’s thoughts.
⦁ What would you like to see in the next chapter?
I want to see more plot twist, its good that JJ has a good relationship with his mother but in my opinion arguments between them are more eye catching I also want to see more descriptions on the surroundings.
Overall, I like the book. I have passed the age it to read it but it’s been an interesting read to me. Brilliant writing Victoria!
Kathy Min
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