Critics praise Bonnie K. Rucobo’s books about
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol!
Bonnie K. Rucobo’s "
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol” and its sequel are perfect New Mexico stories. Though the royal pair is from the planet Pacifista, they arrive in New Mexico when their planet is
threatened with destruction by an errant asteroid. Here the author has them experience not only Native American culture but also brings them to Los Alamos National Laboratory. Thus, there is much for both sci-fi
aficionados and those interested in anything New Mexico. Though the author claims these are children’s books, the range of their coverage should attract readers of all ages. Finally, I hope the owners of the Mirasol
frame shop like the free advertising. Just a good read!
-- Richard L. Bowler, Albuquerque, NM
A surprisingly well executed book, this sequel to the first novel is an intergalactic trip to earth and back from a parallel planet of polite, endangered people. While I had never read the original novel but was given the second
to read, I was unsure about my ability to enter into the second book in a series. This book, however, was a fun and engaging piece that did an excellent job subtly bringing you into a story that was already set in motion, and
reminded readers that it is not necessary to have read the first book in many ways as the plot and character holes are expertly rendered into the current story.
I read this book with my five-year-old, and as we lived through he beautiful landscape and royalty depicted in the novel I was surprised at the talent and editorial execution of this final piece. It is a great book, well executed
and formatted for my Kindle. The cover was what really drew me into even giving the book a shot, and text truly brought the Southwest United States into a focus I had never seen before as I experienced the climate and
atmosphere through the eyes of two (three sort of?) travelers just as unfamiliar with the culture and the landscape.
. . . . It is a beautiful adventure that blends two cultures and a million miles into a contemporary magical tale that is truly a gift of modern fantasy. Political intrigue, a drama of manners, action, adventure, science fiction,
space, and fantasy, this book has it all, and will easily keep readers of all ages entertained. My five-year-old loved it . . . and he looked forward to continuing our royal, planet saving adventure every night. . . .
-- Critique by The Bookplex Reviewing Service
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol—The Sequel is a fantasy tale for the pre-teen age group. The story revolves around twelve-year-old Princess Mirasol and King Pachuco, the youngest king of Pacifista
at age 13. The two have just returned from space-travel to Planet Earth. Having been transformed into a lovebird and back into human form and sent through a wormhole to Planet Earth on another galaxy, and back home
again, Princess Mirasol finds her life back on Pacifista dull by comparison. So, Mirasol welcomes the opportunity to return to Earth with King Pachuco when he asks her to accompany him on a mission to talk to an
astronomer who can help them save their planet from an asteroid strike. The story takes readers on a journey through the adventures and obstacles the pair face as they race to save Pacifista.
I read this story to my eleven-year-old who was drawn into the story from the start. While I loved Princess Mirasol’s adventurous spirit, my son loved reading about string theory, space-travel, aviation, and astronomy. As
homeschoolers, I love when my kids learn without using textbooks. I thought author Bonnie Rucobo brilliantly weaved scientific information into the story line. We learned a little about Navajo culture, astronomy, geography,
and more.
Bonnie Rucobo brings her writing to life. It touches the senses. I could almost taste all of the soups, stews, and other meals, and smell the artisan breads baking in the oven! We could envision the colorful kaleidoscope
rainbows and the various textures and colors of the fabrics woven by Princess Mirasol and Lupita.
. . . . My son and I read the sequel before reading the original book. We loved this so much that we are now going to go back and read the original story.
-- Critique by The Bookplex Reviewing Service
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol—The Sequel is a 215 page children’s book, written in third person, past tense. The book includes twenty-seven chapters, an epilogue and glossary. I really liked the cover
and thought it was eye-catching and fit the storyline perfectly. The book formatting was “spot on” and I thought the huge first letter at the beginning of each chapter was a nice touch.
The story takes place six months after the fist book. It includes all the same characters I enjoyed from the first story and adds a few more unique personalities. Once again, the future of Pacifista is at stake and our young
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol are put to the test. Palace astronomers have detected an asteroid on a collision course that would destroy their land. Pachuco and Mirasol are sent on a mission back to earth, on a
larger-on-the-inside space glider, in search of help. It was interesting how Rucobo used science in a fun and interesting way. There is also plenty of myth, magic, romance, and wonder to keep you turning the pages. Great
children’s book, highly recommended series.
-- Critique by The Bookplex Reviewing Service
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol by Bonnie Rucobo is a 178-page middle-grade book, written in third person. It is a high-flying adventure with a fairy tale type of plot. The writing is
fast-paced and sure to please the twelve and under crowd. You can’t go wrong with fun characters to root for and bad guys you want to see get caught. The dialogue fits the characters perfectly, even when
they were magically turned into birds. I loved the imaginative story.
On a far away planet, King Pachuco lives in the picturesque land of Pacifista. At age twelve he is the youngest king in history. Eleven-year-old Mirasol lives with her eighty-year-old grandma at a neighboring
castle, and wants to study wildlife and dreams of adventure. King Pachuco and Mirasol meet at a Royal Ball and have an instant connection. Too bad their flirtation was cut short due to an ugly troll set
on revenge. Spunky Mirasol is caught in the crossfire, and she and King Pachuco are magically transported to another planet, and turned into a parrot and a lovebird. Together, they have to figure out how to
get back home and how to turn back into human form. Very entertaining read. I would recommend the book.
-- Critique by The Bookplex Reviewing Service
King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol by Bonnie Rucobo is perhaps best described as a Magical Fantasy for Pre-teens, Young Adults, and Other Adults. . . .
Bonnie Rucobo crafted some ingenious adventures for our two royal birds. She had them face every possible predator while they were loose on Earth, with one always managing to save the other from
becoming a meal. Will they find a way to return to Pacifista? Will they find a way to become humans again? Is there any hope for the Kingdom of Pacifista? King Pachuco and Princess Mirasol is a fairy
tale to get lost in. The story is sweet, exciting, fun to read, and just an all-round good story. Rucobo is to be commended for creating a genuinely entertaining story with appeal for all ages.
-- Critique by The Bookplex Reviewing Service
