Maximilian & the Mystery of the Guardian Angel: A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller

by Xavier Garza, Xavier Garza (Illustrator)

Overview

Pura Belpré Author Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)

A Pura Belpré Author Honor Award winner

Una Pura Belpré Premio de Autor Infantil (Libro de Honor)

Maximillian's summer vacation resembles one of his beloved lucha libre movies: grudge matches, fantastic villains and the Guardian Angel.

Las vacaciones de verano de Maximillian se parece a una de sus queridas películas de lucha libre: partidos de rencor, villanos fantásticos y el Ángel Guardián.

Maximillian is just another 11-year-old lucha libre fan. He goes to the matches, watches the movies and collects the masks of his favorite wrestlers, especially the Guardian Angel. But when he tumbles over the railing at a lucha libre match in San Antonio, Max makes a connection to the world of Mexican wrestling that will ultimately link him—maybe by blood! —to the greatest hero of all time: The Guardian Angel. What was shaping up to be one boring summer before 6th grade now seems like a story straight out of Max's beloved lucha libre movies!

***

Un cuento bilingüe, ganador de Pura Belpré. Maximillian es solo otro fan de lucha libre de 11 años. Él va a los partidos, mira las películas y colecciona las máscaras de sus luchadores favoritos, especialmente el Ángel Guardian. Pero cuando cae por la barandilla en un combate de lucha libre en San Antonio, Max hace una conexión con el mundo de la lucha mexicana, que finalmente lo vinculará, ¡tal vez por sangre! —Al héroe más grande de todos los tiempos: El Ángel Guardian.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933693989
Publisher:	Lee & Low Books
Publication date:	10/18/2011
Series:	Max's Lucha Libre Adventures Series , #1
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	185,495
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Lexile:	820L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Xavier Garza is a prolific author, artist, and storyteller whose work is a lively documentation of the dreams, superstitions, and heroes in the bigger-than-life world of South Texas. Garza has exhibited his art and performed his stories in venues throughout Texas, Arizona, and Washington state. He is also celebrated for his bilingual lucha libre picture books and chapter books, including the award-winning, four-book Max's Lucha Libre Adventures series. Garza lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.

Xavier Garza is a prolific author, artist, and storyteller whose work is a lively documentation of the dreams, superstitions, and heroes in the bigger-than-life world of South Texas. Garza has exhibited his art and performed his stories in venues throughout Texas, Arizona, and Washington state. He is also celebrated for his bilingual lucha libre picture books and chapter books, including the award-winning, four-book Max's Lucha Libre Adventures series. Garza lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

Garza—an author, artist, and storyteller—paints larger-than-life portraits of the luchadores and offers readers authentic insights into the exciting world of lucha libre … Bold, black-and-white comic-style art opens each chapter and gives readers a sense of what the luchadores look like. With its quick pace, humor, and endearing characters, this title — like Garza’s picture book Lucha Libre (2005) — is sure to turn more kids into lucha libre fans." — Booklist

“Garza’s masterful illustrations and the many well-written action scenes make this a must-read for middle-grade boys.”—The Monitor

"This action packed bilingual mystery novel uses playful language that reinforces elements of Mexican-American culture and overflows with almost unbridled excitement for Lucha wrestling." — The Pura Belpré Committee

"Garza captures the excitement of the wrestling matches with energetically descriptive passages … This action-packed winner of a 2012 Pura Belpré Author Honor Award is sure to be a favorite." — Language Arts

"Garza has done it again...a unique middle grade novel that pays homage to the Mexican tradition of masked wrestlers...We don't often see middle grade novels that are bilingual and that include male Latino protagonists. Garza and Cinco Puntos Press have really outdone themselves in hitting on all of these areas that are lacking in the world of children's books...Here's to more books like this in the near future!"—All Brown All Around

Editorial Reviews

"Offers readers authentic insights into the exciting world of lucha libre. . . With its quick pace, humor, and endearing characters, this title is sure to turn more kids into lucha libre fans." — Booklist

"Much to his great joy, [Max] is given the opportunity to attend a match in San Antonio, where his hero will be challenging the ruthless Red Devil. In all the emotion of attending the event, Max falls into the ring and thus into the Guardian Angel's path. To his surprise, this spontaneous encounter reveals a family connection between them that will forever change both of their lives and those of Max's family members." — School Library Journal

Pura Belpré Author Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)

ALSC Notable Children's Books - American Library Association (ALA)

From the Publisher

Gr 6–9—Eleven-year-old Max is fascinated with the world of Lucha Libre and the great wrestler known as the Guardian Angel. For those unfamiliar with Lucha Libre, it is similar to the North American WWF except that it is includes Mexican folklore and traditions as well as wrestling moves that are unique to Mexico. Max lives in Texas, where it has become tremendously popular. Much to his great joy, he is given the opportunity to attend a match in San Antonio, where his hero will be challenging the ruthless Red Devil. In all the emotion of attending the event, Max falls into the ring and thus into the Guardian Angel's path. To his surprise, this spontaneous encounter reveals a family connection between them that will forever change both of their lives and those of Max's family members. This title is accessible to both English and Spanish speakers.—Jessica McClinton López, King County Library System, Issaquah, WA

School Library Journal