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"Their stories are part of the best Spanish children's literature," says Laura Gallego, another creator of readers thanks to Idhún.
Roberto Santiago, author of the successful SM collection "Los Futbolísimos", as a child "dreamed of being a bully pirate and traveling the world living adventures. Reading Juan Muñoz has been synonymous with opening our eyes to a better, more optimistic world, full of hope and tenderness. Thank you for creating so many new readers, for opening so many doors and for showing us the way."
Juan Muñoz Martín, the famous Madrid writer author of the emblematic sagas "Fray Perico and his donkey" and "El pirata Garrapata", from El Barco de Vapor de SM, has died, but not his stories. Stories that for more than 40 years have turned readers into generations and generations of boys and girls in our country, readers who became writers thanks to their endearing characters.
LIJ pioneer in Spain
"He was an inspiration for those of us who love the LIJ and are dedicated to writing for children and adolescents. Thanks to his books, his humor and bonhomie remain by our side," recognized the award-winning youth writer Nando López.
Roberto Santiago, author of the successful SM collection Los Futbolísimos, remembers the advice Muñoz gave him at an El Barco de Vapor Awards ceremony: "enjoy writing, when you realize it, you open your eyes and everything has happened." Of course, as a reader, he had known him long before. "Since I was a child and, thanks to his books, I dreamed of being a rambunctious pirate or a magical friar and traveling the world living adventures. Reading Juan Muñoz Martín has been synonymous for decades with opening your eyes to a better world, more optimistic, full of hope and tenderness. Thank you for creating so many new readers, for opening so many doors and for showing us the way. We will continue to enjoy you, Juan", added Santiago.
"His stories and characters are not only part of the best Spanish children's literature, but they will also remain forever in the hearts of all of us who grew up with them. His readers will never forget him and we will always be grateful", Laura Gallego stressed. , another great creator of readers thanks to Idhún.
Literary world of loud laughter
Alfredo Gómez Cerdá, another prolific LIJ writer, remembers that he met him at the end of the eighties at the Madrid Book Fair, where he was a regular every year. "I began to publish and he was devastating. Juan took his children, whom he had dressed as Fray Perico and Garrapata. If all writers leave something of our own in the characters, in Juan's case it was absolute evidence, which he even infected his family. He was a mixture of a naive and good-natured friar and an indefatigable pirate. Humor was the perfect amalgamation that allowed him to build a literary world that has been captivating children for decades," he recalls.
Begoña Oro, author of Rasi, another character adored by the little ones, has recognized how difficult it is "to make a child laugh, loud laughs, when reading. And how easy it seemed when reading Juan Muñoz's books. Entire generations owe him millions of laughter and adventures. Thank you, Juan Muñoz, for having discovered that books are the best pirate treasure and that goodness goes so well with mischief".
For her part, María Menéndez Ponte, upon hearing the news "has imagined him riding Fray Perico's donkey, with him leading him by the halter and all the children who have grown up with his wonderful stories, together with the LIJ writers, behind of him smiling. Because Juan was always happy and his joy was contagious to you". "His books make you laugh, they give you happiness in abundance. I can still hear my eldest son, who was very serious, laughing out loud with Fray Perico or with the Pirate Tick. Thank you from here, Juan, for having been a true pioneer of the LIJ and a teacher for all of us who have come after, you will always be with us”, has recognized the creator of another emblematic character of the LIJ, Pupi.
Read the press release on the death of Juan Muñoz here.
"The pirate Garrapata and Fray Perico and his donkey have been orphaned and so have those of us who dedicate ourselves to children's literature. Juan Muñoz's characters are part of our lives, as readers and as editors," Berta Márquez, editorial manager, acknowledged. of Children's and Youth Literature of SM.
His emblematic books Fray Perico and his donkey and El pirata Garrapata continue to be the best sellers in SM's El Barco de Vapor collection. Of Fray Perico and his donkey, with which he won the SM El Barco de Vapor Award in 1980, there have been 71 editions and it has sold more than one and a half million copies in Spain, and El pirata Garrapata is already the 64 editions.
Communication SM Spain
comunicacionsm@grupo-sm.com
