Don't Eat the Birthday Boy!

The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy #2

by Donna Barba Higuera, Juliana Perdomo (Illustrator)

A young monster and his human child reunite for a new horror—Ramón’s birthday party!—in this spooky-funny chapter book from Newbery Medal–winning author Donna Barba Higuera, with two-color illustrations throughout by Juliana Perdomo

It’s a monster’s ancient duty to inflict unimaginable horrors on misbehaving kids.

But El Cucuy doesn’t want to terrorize his assigned human, Ramón—in fact, he’s desperate to get back to the human world to spend more time with his new friend. Unfortunately, back in the monster world, the contract between humans and boogeymen has broken down, and with it, the rules that allow them to coexist in relative peace.

When El Cucuy finally makes it back to Ramón, so do a terrifying assortment of boogeymen from other realms. And to those monsters’ delight, they find lots of children gathered in one a birthday party! Can El Cucuy and Ramón beat the other boogeymen at their own games—and make sure the birthday boy and his party guests don’t get eaten along the way?

Featuring two-color illustrations throughout and perfect for fans of Jon Klassen’s The Skull, this chapter-book series from Newbery Medal–winning author Donna Barba Higuera and acclaimed artist Juliana Perdomo delightfully blends sly humor, light spookiness, and lots of heart.

Genres: Childrens

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 17, 2026

Reviews

[Debi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received advance copy of the audiobook from NetGalley.
Teacher Review

Donna Barba Higuera continues to shine as one of the most imaginative voices in middle grade literature. In The Unlikely Adventures of Ramón and El Cucuy: Don’t Eat the Birthday Boy!, she blends folklore, humor, and adventure into a story that will captivate young readers.

Ramón’s journey with the mischievous El Cucuy is filled with magical encounters, clever twists, and moments that encourage readers to think about courage, friendship, and the stories passed down through culture. The book balances playful humor with meaningful themes, making it both entertaining and thoughtful for middle grade students.

As a teacher, I especially appreciate how Higuera weaves elements of folklore and cultural storytelling into a fast-paced adventure that keeps readers engaged while also opening the door to deeper conversations about identity, bravery, and understanding others.

This is a wonderful pick for classroom libraries and for readers who enjoy imaginative adventures similar to Alebrijes or other folklore-inspired middle grade stories.

*** Highly recommended for upper elementary and middle grade readers

Thank you to NetGalley and Recorded Books.

[Leah E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this story with my five year-old and while it might have been a little too advanced for her, I adored it.
I found myself laughing out loud constantly. I didn’t realize this was the second in a series, but I was still able to understand what was going on and enjoyed it very much.
There were so many aspects of this story that I loved. It had humor, multi-cultural facets, myths from around the world, strong female characters, found family, redemption, and the code-switching between English and Spanish is excellent for Spanish learners.
I am invested and look forward to the next book. With all the boogey-men myths from around-the-world making cameos, I’m sure there will be many more stories to come.
I definitely intend to buy this series for my daughter to reread when she is a little older. I think the age range for this would be perfect for 7-12 years.

The narrator did an amazing job as well! I think half of the reasons why I laughed was due to the way he brought the characters to life. I appreciated his ability to pronounce the Spanish parts flawlessly. I hope he narrates many more stories.


Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. All thoughts and comments are my own.

[Kayla Shaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, adventurous, slightly scary addition to the Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy children’s book series. This book features boogeymen from around the world, as Ramón and El Cucuy have to protect the children at Ramón’s birthday party when something goes terribly wrong in the world of boogeymen. Along with being a story about friendship, this is a fun introduction to the spooky creatures and stories from many different cultures. If you haven’t read the first book of The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy, I would suggest starting there, as this second book jumps right in without some of the background information of cucuys and how the two main characters are connected. Both stories in this series include words and phrases in Spanish throughout the text.
Thank you to NetGalley and Abrams Kids publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

I liked this book better than the first one. It was interesting how the author wove other culture's monsters into the mix, with the contract between their world and the human world not being signed. I really enjoy the relationship between Ramón and El Cucuy, as the two have a very sweet bond and it allowed El Cucuy to find out what he really wanted for his life. The fact that Oscar, the most feared cucuy, was assigned to Abuela in her youth and that they still have a connection with her after all these years was a surprise. And that he risked going to the Forest just to let El Cucuy stay with Ramón and Abuela at the end was sweet of him.

[Susmitha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, funny, easygoing story. Tapped into my inner child!

I randomly found this book on Netgalley and the title made me want to listen to it. It was a nice experience to be dropped right into the middle of the story. It didn’t matter that I’d not read the first book (though now I want to).

Imaginatively created characters and worlds. I can see how kids would delight in the details.

I enjoyed the bilingual nature of the story too. You learn a new language without realising you’re learning it. So clever!

The narration and voices were done well too. Quite funny!

Thank you Netgalley for this audiobook.

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little adventure with a unique premise. The best part for me was the humor that came from the misunderstandings. El Cucuy isn't a great monster because he wants to be nice to his human friend, but they encounter dangers from the other monsters.
El Cucuy doesn't understand human habits, but he and Ramón make wonderful friends. Thanks to NetGalley I got to listen to the point, which is delightful

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute follow up in the series. Definitely start with the picture book and then the first chapter book so you’ll understand El Cucuy’s origin, and the friendship with his human!
I like the integration of bogeyman from around the world and encouraged me to research the different folklore. My favorite parts were when El Cucuy is in the human world, the funny misunderstandings, and his friendship with Ramon.
I love the illustrations and how adorable El Cucuy is!

[Kayla Lauryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t Eat the Birthday Boy! by Donna Barba Higuera is such a fun and imaginative read! The story is full of humor, heart, and just the right amount of adventure to keep young readers engaged. It’s a playful reminder of friendship and courage, wrapped in a unique and entertaining storyline.