Marcela Paz (1902–1985)

Meet Papelucho, the Chilean Dennis the Menace. Like his American counterpart, this overly imaginative 8-year-old might mean well — well, most of the time, anyway — but his actions nearly always lead to hilarious hijinks.

Papelucho recounts his adventures in a series of diary entries. To give you some idea of Papelucho, he can’t decide whether he would like to be a Christian saint (which he once tries to accomplish by giving away his father’s belongings) or a pirate or a circus show more performer. I know, I know; it just seems ridiculous. However, author Marcela Paz’s deft touch makes the material laugh-out-loud funny, and it explains why Papelucho remains a Latin American classic decades after it was first published in 1947. Any parent — who is being honest — will recognize Papelucho in his or her own child. If they’re lucky. Well, maybe if they’re not. Highly, highly recommended.

And, if you are lucky enough — as I was — to listen to the audiobook read by René Pinochet, you are lucky, indeed.

Merged review:

Meet Papelucho, the Chilean Dennis the Menace. Like his American counterpart, this overly imaginative 8-year-old might mean well — well, most of the time, anyway — but his actions nearly always lead to hilarious hijinks.

Papelucho recounts his adventures in a series of diary entries. To give you some idea of Papelucho, he can’t decide whether he would like to be a Christian saint (which he once tries to accomplish by giving away his father’s belongings) or a pirate or a circus performer. I know, I know; it just seems ridiculous. However, author Marcela Paz’s deft touch makes the material laugh-out-loud funny, and it explains why Papelucho remains a Latin American classic decades after it was first published in 1947. Any parent — who is being honest — will recognize Papelucho in his or her own child. If they’re lucky. Well, maybe if they’re not. Highly, highly recommended.

And, if you are lucky enough — as I was — to listen to the audiobook read by René Pinochet, you are lucky, indeed. show less

Papelucho, the Chilean Dennis the Menace, returns in this madcap fourth book in the series by Marcela Paz. As always happens, Papelucho gets into more trouble than I can recount here, usually with the best of intentions. Poor Papá and Mamá! Papelucho goes missing, ends up in jail (no spoiler, as the book begins with the boy penning a letter from jail), runs into some gangsters, decides to become a detective when he grows up — all in the first third of the book!

While not as good as the show more laugh-filled Papelucho and Papelucho Casi Huérfano, this amusing book still made me laugh out loud several times; it’s just that the plot bounced around too much for a five-star rating. Still wish the Papelucho books were available in English, a gift to American children courtesy of Chile. show less

I do wish these books were available in English so every one of my English-speaking friends could have a few hours of loud laughter; however, I would probably recommend that they skip Papelucho Historiador. The third in the series begins well enough: Papelucho is just as entertaining at school as at home. (You can’t help but pity his teacher, the saintly Señorita Carmen.) But soon the book devolves into a literal lesson on Chilean history, from conquest to independence. As a Spanish show more teacher, I was mildly interested, but no child — not even a Chilean — would be. show less

Papelucho, the Chilean Dennis the Menace, returns in one of the many Papelucho books by Marcela Paz. In this installment, Papelucho’s mother’s Tío Tristan dies and leaves a pile to her. Papelucho’s parents use their newfound wealth to travel to the United States — without the mischievous Papelucho. Instead he is left with his great-aunt, Tía Roserita, who has no idea what she’s getting into!

Even decades after its initial publishing, Papelucho Casi Huerfano (Papelucho Nearly show more Orphaned) still makes readers guffaw out loud as the nearly 9-year-old Papelucho gets into one scrape after the other, usually (although not always) with the best of intentions. I just these books were available translated into English! To best enjoy this short book, listen to the audiobook read by René Pinochet.

Merged review:

Papelucho, the Chilean Dennis the Menace, returns in one of the many Papelucho books by Marcela Paz. In this installment, Papelucho’s mother’s Tío Tristan dies and leaves a pile to her. Papelucho’s parents use their newfound wealth to travel to the United States — without the mischievous Papelucho. Instead he is left with his great-aunt, Tía Roserita, who has no idea what she’s getting into!

Even decades after its initial publishing, Papelucho Casi Huerfano (Papelucho Nearly Orphaned) still makes readers guffaw out loud as the nearly 9-year-old Papelucho gets into one scrape after the other, usually (although not always) with the best of intentions. I just these books were available translated into English! To best enjoy this short book, listen to the audiobook read by René Pinochet. show less