Clara the Cucuy Rescuer: A Story about Courage and Kindness with Spanish Words Throughout, Inspired by Mexican Folklore - Hardcover

Kemp, Laekan Zea

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0063371006 ISBN 13: 9780063371002

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2026

Synopsis

"Monstrously fun."--Kirkus

A Level Two I Can Read story full of courage, kindness, and family starring Clara, a young Latine-American girl who rescues monsters with her family. By award-winning creators Laekan Zea Kemp and Sara Palacios!

Clara dreams of being a great cucuy rescuer just like her dad. But when it’s finally time for her first mission, Clara worries—does she have what it takes?

Find out in this Level Two I Can Read book perfect for fans of Monsters Inc, Doc McStuffins, and Dora the Explorer, geared for kids who read on their own but still need a little help. Whether shared at home or in a classroom, the engaging stories, longer sentences, and language play of Level Two books are proven to help kids take their next steps toward reading success.

The story contains several Spanish words and a glossary.

Look out for more adventures with Clara the Cucuy Rescuer coming soon!

• Clara the Cucuy Rescuer Goes Camping

About this title

About the Authors

Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. Her debut novel, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet was a 2022 Pura Belpré Honor recipient and her novel, An Appetite for Miracles won the Jean Flynn award for YA fiction. The Spanish translation of her debut picture book, Una Corona para Corina was named a Campoy-Ada Award Honor book and her picture book Desert Song was awarded the Tomás Rivera Book Award in the Young Readers category for 2025, as well as the Brigid Erin Flynn Award for Best Picture Book from the Texas Institute of Letters.

Sara Palacios is the recipient of the 2012 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor for her work on Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina. A native of Mexico, Sara earned BFA and MFA degrees in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She works with a variety of media such as collage, ink, and digital artwork.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0063371006
• ISBN 13: 9780063371002
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Palacios Sara
• Number of pages: 32