Module 3/Newberry/Printz/Coretta Scott King/Pura Belpre Winners/June 16-June 22

Nino Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales

Morales, Y.  (2013).  Nino wrestles the world.  New York: Roaring Brook Press.    

Summary

Nino is a boy who wrestles the most vicious villains there are.   However, he comes up with creative and funny ways to do so.  He tickles the mummy into submission and defeats the alien by beating him in marbles.  Although the story is told in English, there are many Spanish words and the names are in Spanish so readers are getting both languages.  The illustrations are bright and expressive much like the language used in the book.

My Impression

I thought this was a very fun and exciting book.  The illustrations and words went very well together and I loved that the author used onomatopoeia throughout the book.  It made it very fun and exciting.  It was so cute that Nino was in his underwear and a mask.  I think a lot of little boys could relate to wearing that around the house.  Also, I loved the end when the "scariest" villains were actually his two sisters.  I thought it was a very cute and entertaining book.  

Reviews and Awards

"Little luchador Niño battles out-of-this-world opponents one by one until he finally meets his match.
Niño has a big imagination and a love of lucha libre, the popular Mexican masked wrestling. While his sisters nap, he becomes an impressive luchador, facing competitors often drawn from Mexican history and folklore. The text, unfolding as if by a commentator calling the action, begs to be read aloud. Challengers are vanquished not by violence but by gentle horseplay and clever wit—until Niño meets Las Hermanitas, awake from their naps, and must quickly devise a new strategy to take on such crafty adversaries. A multiple Pura Belpré medal winner, Morales’ (Just in Case, 2008, etc.) style of illustration continues to evolve with this title. She uses a graphic approach reminiscent of a comic book, with speech bubbles and sound effects, a smart choice for moving along the action of the plot. This design will appeal to children who may struggle to find picture books that match their interests and energy level, especially boys. Trading-card–style introductions to each opponent on the endpapers include pronunciation guidance for Spanish names. Occasional challenges with text placement and page flow keep this title from being flawless, but young readers will be so engrossed with this humorous story that these issues are easy to overlook"
(2013, March 20).  [Review of the book Nino wrestles the world].  Kirkus Reviews.  Retrieved 
     from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/yuyi-morales/nino-wrestles-world/.

2014 Pura Belpre Award

Suggestions for Use
*Have children come dressed as their favorite superhero for storytime
*Play a game of onomatopoeia where children have to come up with a word on the spot!