Nino Wrestles the World

Nino Wrestles the World

Bibliography:

Morales, Yuyi. Nino Wrestles the World. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2013. ISBN 978-1596436046

Plot Summary:

This is a story about a little boy that wrestles some of the toughest opponets known in Mexican folklore. He uses all the best moves to defeat his opponents. He is defeated by the toughest opponents of all, his sisters.

Critical Analysis:

This multicultural story explicitly depicts a Mexican wrestling theme. Mexican wrestlers are known as luchadores. This story will grasp the attention of any child, but especially that of children from Mexican descent. The beginning of the book displays title cards of the scary opponents the little boy wrestles and defeats. The title cards show the picture of the opponent, name pronunciation, gives some history, and their special move. These characters are actually characters from Mexican folklore. This will help students of this culture relate even more to Nino.

The  vibrant colors and illustrations remind me of the colors Mexican wrestlers wear in wrestling matches. The pages are full of color. The stars and stripes get you excited to be in this adventure with Nino, our hero. The pictures are full of action. You feel like you are right there in the ring with Nino as he conquers evil. Each illustration complements the tale they represent in a comic book way.

The text is full of action and emotion. You read and feel like you can actually hear the fans chanting Nino repeatedly. You can hear the mummy make his mummy sounds in, "MUARGGG!" You can hear his bilingual wrestling moves in words like, "PACHATAS." That word is my favorite. La Llorona cries for her children in Spanish and in English. The narrator font is basic Times New Roman, while the action words are colorful, giant and block style. The words in Spanish are different while the spanish announcements of each match are big, black and white, and block style. The different types of font help the reader read the story the way it was meant to be read and enjoyed.

Nino has quite an imagination. He is playing in his room, but actually he is wrestling some of the all time toughest Mexican folklore opponents. He defeats them all with his finishing moves. Until, his toughest opponents wake up from their nap, his sisters. They performed the same finishing moves on Nino. He knew he never had a chance.

Review Excerpts:

Yuyi Morales has received Americas Award, Jane Addams Award, the Christopher Award, Golden Kite Award, 3 Pura Bwlpre Medals and 3 Pura Belpre Honors.

From School Library Journal -2013:

"The first spread of this appealing title says it all, with the simple test "Nino!"

From Booklist:

"Morales' illustrations have just enough competing font styles and explosive-looking backgrounds to conjure the feel of an authentic lucha libra poster."

Connections;

Gather another Lucha Libra story to read such as:

• Garza, Cynthia and Bermudez, Alyssa. Lucia the Luchadora. ISBN 978-1576878279

Gather more multicultural books by Yuyi Morales to read such as:

• Morales, Yuyi. Dreamers. ISBN 978-0823440559
• Morales, Yuyi. Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. ISBN 978-0811864831
• Morales, Yuyi. Viva Frida. ISBN 978-1596436039

Use these books to share multiculturalism with your students.
Use these to help minority children relate to stories.
Use the counting book in your math unit.