Raúl The Third is a four-time Pura Belpre award-winning illustrator, author, and artist living in the Boston area with his wife, colorist Elaine Bay. He is the illustrator of the critically acclaimed Low Riders in Space series and the World of ¡Vamos! books. His work centers around the contemporary Mexican-American experience and his memories of growing up in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

"Just as delightfully kooky as the first book, this sequel is filled with action, jokes, and inventive new characters....Raúl the Third's illustrations, including several impressive double-page spreads, are chockablock with energetic details, jolted to life by an electric palette."--Horn Book

Praise for A Bad Buzz Day:

"What if "The Fantastic Four" was all about ... Mexican barbershop culture? You've got to give credit to Raúl the Third for bringing this fresh theme to graphic-novel life in such an engaging way." --New York Times

"Author/illustrator Raúl the Third and returning colorist Bay weave an adventure that's packed with punny humor, hair-larious worldbuilding, and richly hued artwork.... A shear feast of an adventure."―Kirkus

"Humorous puns, consistent worldbuilding, and quirky conflicts make this a rollicking crime-fighting adventure."―Publishers Weekly

"Raúl's signature bright, bold art style is blended with comic-book formatting that jumps off the page....A wildly enjoyable reminder that the greatest success comes not from winning, but from bringing support and joy to the community."―Booklist

"Much like Dav Pilkey's "Dog Man" or Aaron Blabey's "Bad Guys" ­series, this graphic novel plays on the superhero genre with humor and kid-friendly action. The illustration elevates this concept even further by ­using character poses and ­designs inspired by popular comics of the 1970s and 1980s....A fresh look at the early reader superhero genre with ­unbeatable art that pushes boundaries."―SLJ

"With his usual irreverent flair, Raúl the Third... gives readers a hilarious, thrilling showdown between the two barber groups, putting all the hairdos of Scissors City at stake. The dynamic illustrations (in explosive colors by Bay) are jam-packed with action shots, references to classic comics, and clever details that merit multiple looks. Spanish is naturally incorporated and often translated into English, and an appended "Snippets from Flealix" provides the story of the real-life world record holder for most haircuts in one day."
―Horn Book

"The Snips' latest adventure cuts through the noise with thrilling action, pun-worthy laughs, and a wacky cast of heroes and villains alike. Raúl the Third keeps Scissor City a colorful comic-book oasis....Hair-larious fun." --Kirkus

Publisher: Little, Brown Ink

Pub date: 2026-01-27

Length: 144 pages