Comedian and actor George Lopez (Lopez Tonight) is jumping into the children’s publishing industry. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the star signed a contract with Viking Children’s Books to write a four-book series.
The series is called Chupacarter and is said to “combine humor, Latinx mythology and memories of Lopez’s childhood.” The books will be categorized as middle-grade, which is commonly defined as kids between the ages of 8-12.
“With this series, I want to empower children to think, ‘I might feel down, but no way am I gonna stay down!’” Lopez said in a statement. “I believe it is vital for our underrepresented and underserved youths to hear that it doesn’t matter where you come from, or how those around you see you. It only matters how YOU see YOURSELF.”
Lopez’s fans seemed excited online when he posted the news. One even wanted him to continue with the spooky storytelling for kids and tackle another Latine mythological entity next. “What a great idea for Hispanic children,” a follower tweeted. “Next up, a new take [on] La Llorona!”
Others were ready to see it hit the big screen.
Last year, George Lopez starred in two movies: the drama No Man’s Land and the comedy-drama Walking with Herb. He was also featured in an episode of the CBS sitcom, The Neighborhood. His next film, Afterward, co-stars Aaron Eckhart (The Dark Knight) and Oscar nominee Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow).
The Chupacarter series will be co-written by Ryan Calejo and illustrated by Santy Gutierrez.