Lucia the Luchadora - Picture Book

Lucía the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza & Illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez. Brooklyn, NY: Pow!, 2017.  

Plot summary: Lucía plays at the local park pretending she is a superhero. When she hears a few playground boys claim that girls can’t be superheroes she takes it to heart. Then her Abuela, her grandmother, reveals a family secret. Abuela was once a luchadora, a female wrestler. Lucía visits the playground again; this time she is dressed in a luchadora costume with a mask. Will the boys realize the error of their ways?

Awards: 2017 Kirkus Best Picture Books - Give Readers Strength

  

Audience: Ages 3 – 7 will love Lucía a girl who has quite the imagination pretending she is a real superhero. They will identify with Lucía as she confronts two boys that want to pick on her for being a girl. This age range prefers stories with imagination and are starting to feel empathy so can relate to the character’s challenge.

Strengths and Weaknesses: (Plot spoilers are present in this section.) A strength in this book was the use of onomatopoeia. To develop the superhero character, Garza has character movements accompany sound effects like: “Pow,” “Boom,” “Crash,” and "Ka-pow.” This stimulates the imagination of the reader, who will use similar sound effects to narrate play the next time he or she imagines they are superheroes. Another strength is the presentation of the book’s theme. Abu, short for Abuela, tells Lucía that with the luchadora mask she can be anything she wants to become. At the end of the book, Lucía realizes she no longer needs the mask and can be anything she wants with or without a mask. Female empowerment is achieved. The art is colorful to represent each character as a unique and worthy child. The children on the playground each become luchadores, and each has a unique look and identity. The book has one weakness: it limits its audience. It is a picture book written as an early reader. The storyline easily would extend to an 8 - 9-year-old if the vocabulary were more sophisticated. The plot of combating female stereotypes and overcoming a playground bully is extendable to older children. However, some may argue that making the book an early reader is a strength as the reader will also feel empowered they can read the book alone and be a superhero reader.

Creative Uses: This book can inspire a Mask Party for a public library or school library. First, read the book aloud. Then, have the children make masks that are representative of the child’s personality.  Lucía’s character breaks down stereotypes and represents self-empowerment. So be sure to have lots of colors, different texture items to glue, and a variety of stickers. After everyone has a mask, tie them on and be a superhero. Make your own onomatopoeia sound effects as you jump, roll, and dash in an appropriate open area space.  

Lesson plan ideas: This is a first publication for both author and illustrator. They are much more likely to agree to an author visit for a library or classroom. (Skype would work well too). The fee may be waived or be more affordable as they are just starting out professionally. Children can write letters to the author or illustrator and are more likely to hear back from the author or illustrator again due to a need to create a loyal fan base. Finally, have children write or act out their own luchadore tale. What injustice will they overcome?      

The author solicited help from an education professional Becky Palacios to create a curriculum guide. Here is a link to the guide. Ideas are similar to those presented above, however, they also include research or making masks in a more technical manner then described above.

Read-Alikes: 

Abuelo by Arthur Dorros & Illustrated by Raúl Colón – Dorros focuses on the relationship between a grandfather and his grandson. Abuelo, the grandfather, teaches his grandson how to love the natural world, be a horseman, and be a strong man. This is just like Lucía’s Abuela teaching Lucía how to be strong and empowered as a luchadora. When the grandson has to move away to the city, he is sad as he loves his Abuelo. He comes to realize his grandfather is with him always in the lessons he learned that he follows as a young boy in the city. He has learned strength just like Lucía; the grandson can be anything he wants. No mask is required. The book is ideal for Spanish speaking ELL children as there are many Spanish phrases and sentences throughout the text. All are defined for the English speaker through explicit restatements. For example, when confronted with a mountain lion the grandson tells the reader a lesson he learned from his Abuelo: “There are many ways to be strong, ‘fuerte’ he says.’” An English speaker learning Spanish will also learn some of the language, the clues work well both ways. The images by Colón reveal great landscapes of the mountainous desert. A favorite image is the depiction of the sky or sky islands that emerge as clouds reach lower than the top of the mountains. Each mountain top looks like its own island in the clouds. Readers will enjoy the family connection and the lesson of strength.  

 If you Plant a Seed written & illustrated by Kadir Nelson – This book explores the theme of generosity. Lucía unmasked herself in order to share the freedom of being whatever you want to be with a fellow girl on the playground. If your reader enjoyed the generosity Lucía demonstrated, they will love this book as well. The main characters are a rabbit and a field mouse. The two plant seeds in order to have a tomato, carrot, and cabbage plant. Once the plants are ready to be harvested the two are confronted with two options: share with five hungry birds or keep the produce. At first the two are selfish, and in the squabble of refusing to share, their plants are damaged. As the pair look about them, they realize the error of their thinking and gladly share what is left with the birds. In return the birds gather seeds enough for a feast. Rabbit, mouse, and birds are rewarded with a bountiful harvest. A lesson is learned: generosity results in great rewards. Nelson’s illustration of animal eyes and body language are so expressive that each animal is able to clearly communicate its thoughts. Readers will learn a lesson of generosity and enjoy the vivid images of animals.

 Rocky the Cat Who Barks by Donna Jo Napoli and Marie Kane & Illustrated by Tamara Petrosino –  Rocky is a dog that must be rehomed with two annoying children and 5 horrible cats. Rocky isn’t sure that anything will ever be right again. That is until the two children behave badly, and he saves the day with a few well timed and loud barks. The children are scolded, the cats escape from the children’s play, and Rocky has earned himself a place in the home. This plot reminds us of Lucía’s struggle to secure her place in the world after the bullies on the playground made her feel bad. Rocky learns to be himself and once he does that he has empowered himself and makes new friends, just like Lucía did. Readers will empathize with Rocky as the cats make his new life very difficult. They will see the justice in the children being scolded. This book would also be a good read for children who may need to learn how to treat pets. They aren’t dolls but have feelings and a need to be played with in the way animals like to play. The illustrations of the cats appear mean and snooty and Rocky appears friendly and cheerful. After Rocky saves the day, the cats appear loving and affectionate. Petrosino does a great job making sure the mood is well represented on each page. To finish the book, the last image is of all five cats and Rocky – much like a family portrait.  The reader knows Rocky has found a new loving home.

Other Considerations: Lucía the Luchadora is a book that features a Hispanic character. Lucía is portrayed as a typical child. Readers gain a small insight into Hispanic culture. What they learn is a bit about luchadores. Garza includes an end note explaining what lucha libre is, an “acrobatic and theatrical style of wresting” found in Mexico. Readers that watch American wrestling may find parallels between the two styles of wrestling. The author grew up watching lucha libre and when her daughter would play in the backyard of their home like a luchadora she knew she had found a story for a picture book worth telling – a story of a girl superhero (Garcia-Navarro). The world needs more female superheros of all backgrounds. The story is accessible to readers of any background. After all, what is more universal than a hero?

Works Cited

“Curriculum Guide Download for Lucía the Luchadora.” Cynthia Leonor Garza, 5 Mar. 2017, www.cynthialeonorgarza.com/curriculum-guide-download-for-lucia-the-luchadora/.

Garcia-Navarro, Lulu. “When She’s Told Girls Can’t Be Superheros, ‘Lucia The Luchadora’ Grabs Her Mask.” NPR, NPR, 2 July 2017.