Niño Wrestles the World
Written and Illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Roaring Brook Press ● 2013 ● 40 pages
Hardcover ($16.99)
ISBN 978-1596436046
Ages 4-8
In her latest offering, multiple award-winning author/illustrator Yuyi Morales tells the story of a “Niño” who likes to “wrestle” with the evils of the world. He is tricky, he is sly, he is strong, and he is invincible—except when it comes to battling his twin baby sisters! While the twins are napping, the boy puts on his Lucha Libre mask and fantasizes about his opponents and how he will defeat them. He is then ready to meet his challengers: The Guanajuato Mummy, The Olmec Head, La Llorona, The Extraterrestre, and El Chamuco. He is victorious all the way through, until his sisters awake. They overpower him, but he then tricks them in a very “sweet” way.
Read Related: Maximilian & the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller
The back of the book provides pictures of Niño’s opponents, with a pronunciation guide for their names and information about their “Lucha” style. For those not familiar with this form of wrestling, notes about Lucha Libre are also provided. Morales uses graphic style images that are colorful and bright. Fans of Lucha Libre will love this book. It may also serve as a wonderful introduction for children not familiar with the sport and its popular masks.
—Reviewed by Dr. Veronica Covington, School of Information, University of Texas, Austin
