The stories of the author of “Fry Perico and his Donkey” after his death will see the light of day in a book

Beloved writer Juan Muñoz Martín, creator of characters such as Fray Perico and the pirate Garrapata, died last February at the age of 93. This professor, who became the country’s most-read children’s literature author, left an unpublished legacy that SM Publishing is now salvaging in Funny stories to read without rushinghis posthumous title, which will hit bookstores on Thursday, October 19.

The volume consists of 25 new stories, according to the company, once again filled with their usual crazy characters, which include everything from a chickpea who travels the world to a prince who’s too ugly to flirt. “His books taught us that reading is above all for pleasure,” said Berta Márquez, editorial director of children’s and young adult literature at the brand.

The issue contains “classic” stories that respect the “Once upon a time…” formula, in which tailors live adventures, centered around works of art, and talk about Martians, electronic cats, and mad scientists. “There’s also a long story,” says Carolina Pérez, group editor of El Barco de Vapor.

“The book reflects the tenderness of his outlook, with that unique humor that makes children, when they become adults, remember that they laughed and were excited,” comments his daughter, Ninfa Muñoz. In fact, the characters created by the author have marked the childhood and adolescence of different generations who have allowed themselves to be attracted and fascinated by their lovable and funny heroes.

Its address, Funny stories to read without rushing, said by the writer himself, inspired by a conversation with a class at school in which his students asked him how he came up with the names of these funny monks and pirates. “Well, reading. You have to read and you also have to sit down and write without haste. I am now collecting and re-reading some of my stories. I read them and laugh,” he answered.

The publication includes nods to the illustrations of Antonio Tello, Muñoz’s companion during more than 40 years of friendship and work together. He was the creator of the graphics accompanying the adventures of Fray Perico and Pirate Garrapata.

Humor as a science

Humor was the hallmark of this writer, high school language teacher, tireless traveler and winner of the 2021 Gold Medal of Merit in Fine Arts. Nine parts of the Fray Perico saga belong to him, which began in 1979 with Fray Perico and his donkey.

The protagonist, a good man but clumsy in understanding the world of monasticism, comes to my mind after reading a book about Saint Francis of Assisi and discovering the hidden humor in this character. To clarify the matter, he was helped by his students, to whom he read chapters to test the success of their stories. In 1982, another of his most important books arrived: Pirate tick.

He published 16 works from his series Pirate ticks on MarsHis latest book, published in 2021. The character emerged from the remnants of his childhood through reading adventure books, especially Jules Verne’s books.