Everything is a production for Iris's extended Puerto Rican family and several of their neighbors. Readers know this almost immediately as the girl describes their convoluted trek from a Bronx neighborhood to the "Enchanted State Park." Everyone brings as much as he or she can carry, from a deli counter to a copy of War and Peace. When they finally arrive, Iris discovers that her dog, El Exigente, is not allowed in the park and each person takes a turn dog-sitting him in the parking lot until the busy day ends. Muth's lively watercolor illustrations imbue the characters with personality and extend the humor of the tale. One spread shows a seemingly endless line of colorful, heavily packed cars stretching from end to end. When the travelers get lost, the accompanying picture shows their cars on a maze of intersecting roads that wind around to spell out "oops." The illustrations take varying perspectives, from ground-level shots to aerial angles. They effectively portray the numerous characters, bringing individuals to the foreground as if being viewed through a camera.
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