Alicia Catalina Cortez dreams of runing with the bulls in Pamplona. But she is a cow and only bulls can have that honour. Still, Alicia will not be dissuaded even by her father. Diego, on the other hand, is a young handsome bull who is sure to be chosen for the run but he has his own dream - to join an American rodeo. Unfortunately, he has no idea how to get to the United States.

When Alicia & Diego meet, they decide that they will help each other ro make their dreams reality so, with the help of their friends, they devise a plan. Things seem o be going well, at least for Alicia, when her father tells her a secret about the bull run that changes everything.

When I requested Toro from the publishers, I wasn’t sure what to think - a middle grade book about the Pamplona bull run told by animals didn’t quite match my usual reading choice. But, from the first page, it grabbed my attention & kept it throughout. Much of my enjoyment is down to the characters of Alicia & Diego, both of whom refuse to accept the limitations set upon them by others, I have no doubt that young people will enjoy Toro but, if my enjoyment is anything to go by, it will appeal to people of all ages. If you are looking for a fun story with interesting characters, a fair bit of action, and a good message, this will definitely fit the bill. ( )

♡ this review is featured on audiobook empire ♡

”To be truly nobel and brave is to have the courage to follow your dreams and your heart.”

FORMAT READ: Audiobook (Recommended)
SIMILAR VIBES: Coco (yes, the movie)

— overall thoughts: 3.75 —

I had so much fun listening to the calming, feel-good audiobook of this story about bulls and matadors. From the sound of hooves to lighting a match stick… you’ll hear and feel all of it I promise!

Hear me out, despite the fact it’s centered around a family of cattle basically (and that it's supposedly aimed towards a younger audience than I am), themes of feminism and empowerment were still so prevalent the whole time. Metaphors and comparisons to the male dominant sectors of our own society was what I mainly got from the story, which always equivalents a good read.

Alicia was a great driving force to the plot while not failing to keep me entertained. It follows her as she strives to find a way to get into that arena with matadors despite being told that she cannot participate as she is a *cow* and not a *bull*. I don't think I have read a book with this kind of plot before so it was intriguing for me to begin with. Especially since it's told from the perspective of the actual animal. She kind of goes on this little adventure since she's trying to hide from her father that she's participating in said activity.

It’s definitely the proper length that children of a young age would enjoy and not get bored of so easily. Especially with the audiobook, that is only 3 hours long, and sound effects that make the narration much more entertaining.

It’s well performed by a FULL CAST (Brad Raider, George Spielvogel, Malili Dib, Yolanda Corrales, Leila Cohen) that just made it a lot easier to track all the different characters and make distinctions of them in my head. I don't think I have read other audiobooks by any of these narrators before but the casting of the voices were just spot on and they just fit feel of the story so well. I listened to it mostly at nighttime, pacing was a little slow for my personal taste, but I felt like I was being a read a bedtime story to with how soothing the overall effect was.

As a musician, I enjoyed the classical spanish vibe music that was playing in certain scenes. I actually thought that they played the right music at all the right spots. It made me, specifically, feel nostalgic since they were pieces that I used to play and that just contributed to my overall enjoyment.

Andrew Avner actually writes and produces short films over at Disney and this book definitely gives me those slightly whimsical but quirky vibes that younger audiences (and myself) love. Together with a plot that audiences of all ages can still take a lesson or two from.

*I received this audiobook at no-cost from Audiobook Empire. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.*

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I just finished it and wow... that was such a calming, feel-good audiobook to experience

RTC

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bulls... this is about... spanish BULLS (and cows :0)

I am so amazed by the production of the audiobook though

they literally have sounds of hooves, those spanish guitar runs (i hope you know what I'm talking about), bells, and everything I feel like I'm in Coco (yes, the movie)... but make it about the bulls


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Dreams mix with the fantastic atmosphere of Pamplona and the bull run in this exciting adventure with unexpected and yet, inspiring characters, who won't easily be forgotten.

Alicía Catalina Cortés is a cow with a very unique dream; she wants to run with the bulls. Unfortunately, as a cow, it's impossible. Still, Alicia refuses to give up and is sure she'll find a way. Across the pastures, the bull Diego harbors a dream of his own. He wants nothing more than to join the rodeo in the U.S. Both are willing to do anything to achieve their dreams, but both have no clue how they ever can. But things might change, when the two finally meet and devise a plan.

I'm not usually a huge fan of animal stories, but this one had me stuck in the pages until the very end. While the first chapter starts with a scene of an older bull telling a tale to calves, the book soon spins over to Spain and a very determined cow. Alicia is a character to root for. She desires to be more than what others tell her she has to be, and this is something young readers will easily identify with. It's clear right away how impossible her dream is, and yet, it's hard not to hope she finds a way to accomplish it. The plot holds quite a few unexpected moments, and each one has the reader hoping things will turn out all right in the end. It keeps the tension high and the outcome surprising.

It was a treat to visit Pamplona, the bull run, and learn about the bull fights...something not often seen in middle grade literature. The author manages to add information and bits of culture into the tale without ever breaking the atmosphere surrounding the life of the animals. Because the animals and their stories are inspiring. Not only is this one about dreams coming true, but also hits upon friendship, trust, lying and even family. And all of this goodness packs in at less than 150 pages, making it something that even reluctant readers won't mind picking up.

In other words, this one gets two thumbs up from me. ( )