Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--4--A young monster looking for belonging. Higuera's 2021 picture book, El Cucuy is Scared, Too! is about a little boy named Ramón and the cucuy (or bogeyman) that lives in his room. El Cucuy isn't able to scare Ramón because there are much scarier things than the monster that lives in the cactus pot, like a big move to a new city with new friends. In this sweet chapter book, Higuera gives readers the backstory behind the picture book and they learn more about how El Cucuy gets assigned to Ramón and his adventures in a human house. Higuera sprinkles Spanish words throughout the book about this Mexican myth. El Cucuy longs for a family of his own, and Ramón and El Cucuy bond over their fear of not being accepted. The novel is written from El Cucuy's perspective, and his innocence about the human world makes this a cute rather than scary read. VERDICT For young readers who enjoyed Higuera's El Cucuy picture books and Monsters, Inc.
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Review by Horn Book Review
Higuera's amusing new chapter book series is narrated by the puckish cucuy (boogeyman) from her picture books (El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!, rev. 7/21, and sequel). Cucuy must terrify one child into behaving, and he is assigned to Ramon in Seattle (also familiar to readers of the picture books). However, Ramon is unperturbed by the cucuy's appearance. Instead, he is terrified of starting a new school the following day. After the creature wreaks havoc at home, Ramon must take him to school in hopes of avoiding more domestic disasters. Ramon's fears are eased when he makes a new friend. Cucuy realizes he is no longer needed and can return home -- but before he does, Ramon gives him his name, El Cucuy, and promises to misbehave to conjure him again. Perdomo's cheerful black, gray, and purple illustrations bring all the antics to life and help break up the text for independent readers. El Cucuy's limited understanding of the human world ("I lifted a white garment with holes and read the writing on the label: Fruit of the Loom. It had one opening for my head and two holes for my ears. A hat! I gasped in delight") provides plenty of humor, while the story's messages about the value of chosen families and the universal need for belonging come through loud and clear. Yesica HurdSeptember/October 2025 p.66 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this spinoff from Higuera and Perdomo's picture-book series, a curious boogeyman must frighten his first child or else risk losing what he wants most--to belong. A class of newly hatched monsters heads toward the Abyss of Horror, where each budding cucuy, cuca, and cuco (creatures from Latin American folklore) will receive their first assignments--a mischievous human child to keep in line. One diminutive, lonely cucuy feels quite unprepared indeed. Neglecting to scare his human into good behavior means being banished to the Forest of Failure, with its clean air, sweet smells, and colorful flowers. The horror! But success means getting a name and an appointed Clump, a group to belong to. Our hero attempts to scare his assigned child, Latine-cued Ramón, but the preoccupied niño is more worried about the prospect of attending a new school. Intrigued by the human world, the cucuy helps Ramón navigate first-day jitters. This leisurely paced tale keenly captures the anxieties of being the new kid by drawing explicit parallels between the characters. Tantalizing bits of monstrous worldbuilding and humor derived from the little cucuy's befuddled fascination with the human realm elevate the story to exuberant heights. Imbued with pops of purple, Perdomo's monochrome artwork winningly portrays both worlds, with an adorable little cucuy at the center of it all. Beware the cucuy? Not when he's this undeniably cool.(Fantasy. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
