5. Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask (A Bilingual Cuento)

At first, I felt a little hypocritical putting this book on my blog. I hate violence and think wrestling is more than a bit silly. I have had to realize over time, though, that for many Mexican and Mexican-American children lucha libre is an integral part of their culture growing up. Though it may look ridiculous to me to watch grown men running around in masks and tights pants, it is not my place to judge. For many, the luchadores are folk heroes and symbols of justice for the common men. (Think "Nacho Libre".)

In Lucha Libre (2005), Xavier Garza's art and storytelling work together to illuminate some of his experiences growing up in a small border town in Texas. In this book, he pays tribute to the heroes of his youth, the luchadores who did battle against the bad guys...the men whose mystery and honor helped to create the 'poorman's theatre' in the ring.

What first struck me was the artistry of the book...it makes the characters come to life. From the endpages, cut-outs of luchadores in strong poses and battle stances prepare us for the epic battle that is about to take place in the book. The luchadores are dressed in dazzling costumes and move swiftly across the pages. Garza uses a bold palette with oranges, reds, greens, and blues that jump off of the page. His poster-style design includes eye-popping illustrations of mighty luchadores in double-page spreads that are larger-than life. His thick, bold lines and shapes create a sense of drama and action in the ring, as participants yell "Boo!" and fighters scream and charge toward each other. The folk art style and thick acrylic paintings give the reader a front-row seat to the show and with every turn of the page lead us along with the action. 

Though the illustrations could tell their own story, the text cannot be ignored. As one can tell from the title, the story is told in both English and Spanish...a reader could choose to read in one language, both, or (as I like to do) a mishmash of English some pages and Spanish other pages. Thus, this culturally relevant text is now available for a large population of students...perhaps some Americans like me who had never heard of lucha libre growing up can now gain an appreciation for its cultural roots and iconic status in the Mexican community. That is how we break down judgments and stereotypes...by understanding each other. (Garza includes a good endnote about lucha libre "A Brief but Tremendously Exciting History".)

Kids will also pick up on the drama-- you never quite know who the man in the silver mask is...but you have a pretty good idea. You feel the excitement as he smiles at Carlitos, inspiring his continued love of lucha libre. Use the book for cultural relevancy, use it because it is bilingual, use it for the vibrant illustrations, or for the exciting story. No matter how you use it, kids will love it!