Overview
A young monster befriends the human child he has been assigned to scare, in this spooky-funny chapter book debut from Newbery Medal-winning author Donna Barba Higuera. It's a monster's ancient duty to inflict unimaginable horrors on misbehaving kids. But when a young cucuy who is anxious to prove himself is sent to the human world to terrorize his first child, the naughty niño isn't scared by glowing eyes, sharp talons, or even disgusting breath. Instead, he is preoccupied with worries about his first day at a new school. Can the little cucuy prove himself as a fierce boogeyman? As he soon learns from his human, maybe some things are scarier than creatures under the bed. And maybe even a monster could use a friend. This first chapter book from Newbery Medal-winning author Donna Barba Higuera delightfully blends sly humor, light spookiness, and lots of heart and is perfect for fans of Jon Klassen's The Skull.
Full Product Details
Author: Donna Barba Higuera ,
Robb Moreira
Publisher: Recorded Books
Imprint: Recorded Books
Edition: Unabridged edition
ISBN: 9798228652118
Publication Date: 10 October 2025
Audience:
Children/juvenile
,
Children / Juvenile
Format: Audio
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
""[A] cute rather than scary read."" -- ""School Library Journal (starred review)"" ""Higuera offers a witty and tender inversion of traditional monster tales...The prose is brisk, fun, and emotionally astute, balancing light, spooky elements with genuine reflections on childhood vulnerability and character growth...This title skillfully combines accessible language, cultural richness, and emotional resonance."" -- ""Booklist""
Author Information
Donna Barba Higuera is the author of the picture books El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! and It's Navidad, El Cucuy!, and she is also the author of the middle-grade novels The Last Cuentista, winner of the Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Award; Alebrijes, winner of the Pura Belpré Honor, and Lupe Wong Won't Dance, winner of a Pura Belpré Honor, the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor, and a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award. She grew up dodging dust devils in the oil fields of central California. She was a daydreamer, constantly blending life experiences and folklore into stories. For more information, visit dbhiguera.com. Robb Moreira a bilingual audiobook narrator and voiceover artist with over a decade of acting training through the Fame School of the Arts and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He has experience working on IVR, medical training videos, descriptions for the blind, and commercials. He is currently the voice of Pushy the Push Pop in the US and Canada and has worked Off-Broadway.
