CHUPACARTER (Viking; on sale August 30, 2022) - AmNews Curtain Raiser

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Friday, August 5, 2022

CHUPACARTER (Viking; on sale August 30, 2022)

CHUPACARTER

by George Lopez with Ryan Calejo;
illustrated by Santy Gutierrez

Praise for CHUPACARTER:

“Chupacarter is an uproariously good time, full of humor, heart, and unexpected friendships.” 
—Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of Valentina Salazar Is Not a Monster Hunter

"A narrative punctuated with wisecracks and flavored with Spanish phrases and slang...Frights and fun in equal measure."—Kirkus Reviews

  

World-renowned comedian, actor, New York Times bestselling author, and talk show host, George Lopez brings Latinx folklore, mystery, friendship, and belly laughs to middle grade readers with CHUPACARTER (Viking; on sale August 30, 2022). With fellow award-winning author Ryan Calejo, and illustrations by Santy Gutierrez, CHUPACARTER sets the stage for a new series following characters Jorge Lopez and Carter the chupacabra as they build self-confidence, dream big, and handle family dynamics. CHUPACARTER introduces a young Latinx protagonist for middle-grade or reluctant readers to connect with. According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, children’s books featuring the Latinx community made up only 7% of books published in 2021. George’s childhood, passion for assisting the community, love for Latinx culture and all things spooky paved the way for this fantastical middle-grade series, the latest to join his best-selling memoirs including Why You Crying? and I’m Not Gonna Lie And Other Lies You Tell When You Turn 50.

 

After moving to a small town in New Mexico without his mom, Jorge feels lonely and bored. When he stumbles upon a friendly monster from Latinx folklore- a chupacabra named Carter - they become fast friends and begin tackling the mystery plaguing the town without exposing the young chupacabra’s identity. Jorge quickly learns the importance of dreaming big, loving yourself, your friends, and your heritage in this spooky adventure. In CHUPACARTER, Jorge works on his confidence, handles big emotions, and navigates scary situations with his new friend.

 

Speaking about the inspiration behind the CHUPACARTER series, George says: “With this series, I want to empower children to think, ‘I might feel down, but no way am I gonna stay down!’ I believe it is vital for our underrepresented and underserved youths to hear that it doesn’t matter where you come from, or how those around you see you. It only matters how YOU see YOURSELF.”

 

Engaging storytelling and relatable characters will have young readers laughing and understanding the value of confidence, the power of friendship, and the magic of Latinx culture in Lopez’s CHUPACARTER.

George Lopez's multi-faceted career encompasses television, film, standup comedy, and late-night programming. He co-created, wrote, produced, and starred in his own hit sitcom George Lopez, a groundbreaking show that was one of the few with a Hispanic star. Lopez can be seen most recently in his Netflix original comedy special, We'll Do It for Half. His autobiography Why You Crying? was a New York Times bestseller. He has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was named one of the 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America by TIME magazine, and one of the Top Ten Favorite Television Personalities by Harris Poll.

 

Ryan Calejo is an award-winning author born and raised in south Florida. His critically acclaimed Charlie Hernandez series has been featured in half a dozen state reading lists and is a two-time gold medal winner of the Florida Book Awards.

 

Santy Gutiérrez grew up in Vigo and now lives in Corunna (La Coruña), both seaside cities in Spain. In his career, he has won acclaim as the Best Spanish Young Editorial Cartoonist and Best Galician Caricaturist, among others. Santy founded the BAOBAB Studio Artists’ Collective and has been chairman of the AGPI (Galician Professional Illustrators Association) for six years. His wife, son, and friends are his personal inspiration.

 



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