Pacho Nacho - by Silvia López (Hardcover)

About the Book

After naming their firstborn son Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico, Mama and Papa insist everyone use his full name, which causes trouble when their second son, Juan, says his brother needs help. Includes notes about the folktale on which the story is based and glossary of Spanish terms.

Book Synopsis

Mama and Papa could not agree on a name for their first baby, and everyone in the family had an opinion. That's how the name Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico came to be, and Pacho's parents insisted that everyone use his full name. But when Pacho finds himself in trouble, his younger brother, Juan, must quickly find help, which isn't easy when you have to keep saying Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico. Author Silvia Lopez highlights family values, community connections, and brotherly love in this interactive, energetic, and silly picture book. Pacho Nacho is based on an old Japanese folktale and includes Spanish words and phrases and multicultural settings.

Review Quotes

Unable to agree on a single name, a family calls their first kid Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico. So what happens when he's in trouble and his brother Juan has to call for help? This kind of story originated as a Japanese folktale. If Tikki Tikki Tembo makes you feel guilty because you love the rhymes and hate the racism, good news! This has a lot of the same beats and some pretty amusing rhymes to boot. Probably it would take some extensive practice before you could do it in a storytime, but don't give up on that dream. It's interesting because unlike Tikki Tikki Tembo, this book cut out a beat in the story. Originally the sibling with the short name falls in first and THEN the kid with the long one. An interesting change in an interesting book.--Elizabeth Bird "A Fuse 8 Production, 31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Fairy, Folk, and Religious Tales"

Librarian and author López puts a Latin American twist on a classic silly story. . . .Bright cartoon illustrations by Pino seem to set the story in what is now the United States Southwest and lend a cinematic theatricality. . . .As with the source material, a read-aloud that will have young audiences in stiches.-- "Kirkus Reviews"

López gives a Spanish twist to an old Japanese folktale about a boy with an extraordinarily long name. . . .Argentinian illustrator Pino's cartoonish artwork is colorful and energetic, effectively conveying the story's high jinks. This book is a wonderful read-aloud filled with rhyme and repetition. A glossary helpfully defines the Spanish words peppered throughout the story, and an author's note offers background on the original tale.-- "Booklist"

The text is sprinkled with Spanish words throughout and Pino's colorful cartoon artwork sets the scene in a rural, folkloric Mexican landscape. A Spanish word list and an author's note discussing stories with similar plots are appended. Youngsters will get a kick out of saying the main character's name while enjoying this entertaining story, perfect to share at storytimes and during Hispanic Heritage Month.-- "School Library Journal"