“The Cucuy is a tall, furry, three-eyed, four-armed monster with a mouth full of huge teeth,” Papo tells his granddaughter. And, he warns, if she doesn’t behave, the Cucuy will take her away!
She used to be afraid of the Cucuy, until one day she meets him and learns that he is not the frightful beast her grandfather described. Instead, he’s cute and likes to play. His fur is blue, and his teeth are small. He may not be just like her, but he does have two arms and two eyes. And the Cucuy also likes to play catch, blow bubbles, and eat candy. Best of all, though, the young girl learns that he doesn’t kidnap naughty children!
First-time children’s book author Claudia Galindo and illustrator Jonathan Coombs vividly bring to life a character known to generations of Latino children. Although this time, the Cucuy isn’t a scary monster but instead is a fun playmate.
CLAUDIA GALINDO attended the University of North Texas, where she received a degree in Journalism and a Masters in Education. She is currently a teacher in Dallas, Texas, where she lives with her family.
JONATHAN COOMBS, a video game artist, lives and works in Utah. This is his first children’s book.
JOHN PLUECKER received his undergraduate degree in Ethnic Studies and Gender Studies from Yale University and his master’s degree in Spanish at the University of Houston in 2007. His fiction and poetry have appeared in journals such as The Julie Mango, Altanoche, and New Texas, and his non-fiction has appeared in Clamor Magazine and El Diario de Tampico. He is the translator of Under the Texas Sun / El sol de Texas (Arte Publico Press, 2007) by Conrado Espinoza.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Book
ATOS English: 1.9
ATOS Spanish: 2.8
Accelerated Reader Quiz #: 122547
