Lucia the Luchadora by Cynthia Leonor Garza, illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez
Reviewed by: Brian Wilson
Children
Title: Lucia the Luchadora
By: Cynthia Leonor Garza
Published: 2017
Call #: JPicture Garza.C
Young readers cannot help but cheer for Lucía, the cape-wearing star of this energetic, vibrant picture book. Cynthia Leonor Garza’s text zips and bounces along as she introduces our young heroine, first seen pulling some cool superhero moves on the playground. Alyssa Bermudez’s vibrant art leaps off the pages as Lucía flies off the monkey bars, nailing her landing. After two buzzkill boys tell her that girls cannot be superheroes, she becomes fuming mad, a kind of “spicy KA-POW” kind of mad, needing comfort from her abuela. Her grandmother reveals a super amazing secret: that she possesses a superawesome luchadora mask and that she, in her youth, had been an agile, quick-thinking masked wrestler! Lucía’s confidence explodes as she slips on the mask and wears it on the playground next day. She causes a sensation with her peers, but still faces some mean naysaying. How Lucía rises above this problem is absolutely wonderful and life affirming. This book has a nifty look and a great message about standing up for yourself and for your own self-worth.
