Luis Coloma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis Coloma
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| Born |
Luis Coloma Roldán
9 January 1851 Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz), Spain
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| Died | 10 June 1915 (aged 64) Madrid, Spain
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| Other names | Padre Coloma |
| Seat f of the Real Academia Española | |
| In office 6 December 1908 – 10 June 1915 |
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| Preceded by | Valentín Gómez Gómez |
| Succeeded by | Wenceslao Ramírez de Villa-Urrutia |
Luis Coloma Roldán (1851 – 1915) was a Spanish writer and a member of the Jesuit order. He is best known for creating the beloved character of Ratoncito Pérez, also known as the Tooth Fairy mouse. Coloma wrote many stories, novels, and biographies. He studied law at the University of Seville but chose to become a writer instead. In 1908, he became a member of the Royal Spanish Academy, a very important group that looks after the Spanish language.
Contents
Luis Coloma's Writing Career
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Luis Coloma was born in 1851 in a city called Jerez de la Frontera in Spain.
Early Works and Pequeñeces
Around 1880, Coloma started working on a book called Pequeñeces. This book was a story that made fun of the rich society in Madrid before the Bourbon Restoration. It became one of his most famous works. Some people thought the book was too negative, but it was still very popular.
The Story of Ratoncito Pérez
In 1894, something special happened. Queen Maria Christina asked Coloma to write a story for her son, King Alfonso XIII. The young king had just lost his first tooth when he was eight years old.
Coloma wrote the tale of Ratón Pérez, a clever mouse who lived with his family in a cookie box. This box was in the basement of a candy shop in Madrid. Ratoncito Pérez would often sneak out through the city's pipes. He would visit children who had lost their teeth.
The story tells how Ratoncito Pérez cleverly avoided cats. It also describes his fun adventures with King Buby, which was Queen Maria Christina's nickname for her son, Alfonso XIII.
The Ratón Pérez story was first published in 1902. It was part of a collection of stories called Nuevas lecturas. In 1911, Ratón Pérez was published as its own book. It had wonderful pictures by Mariano Pedrero.
Today, Coloma's original handwritten story is kept safe. You can find it in the Royal Library at the Royal Palace of Madrid. It even has his signature and a special message to King Alfonso XIII.
Later Writings
Luis Coloma loved to promote literature. However, he was careful about novels. He felt that some novels made life seem too perfect. In his later years, Coloma mostly wrote biographies. These were true stories about people's lives. He also wrote historical works, like Jeromín. This book was about a famous historical figure, Don Juan de Austria.
Luis Coloma passed away in 1915 in Madrid.
Movie and TV Adaptations
Many of Luis Coloma's stories have been made into movies and TV shows.
- His story Boy was made into a movie twice, in 1926 and again in 1940.
- Pequeñeces became a TV series in 1971 and a movie in 1950.
- Jeromín was made into a movie in 1953.
- The famous El Ratoncito Pérez was adapted into a movie in 2006 and had a sequel in 2008.
Tributes to Luis Coloma
On January 9, 2012, Google celebrated Luis Coloma's 161st birthday. They honored him with a special Google Doodle on their homepage.
See also
In Spanish: Luis Coloma para niños
