Boy Zorro and the Bully/El Niño Zorro y el Pelón

Gr 1–3—Benjamin López, aka "Boy Zorro," is a self-made hero in the tradition of the legendary 17th-century William Lamport, or "El Zorro," in Mexico. He sets out with his sidekick, a dog named Pinto, to save the world, first assisting an elderly woman cross a busy street and then saving the day in a school bullying incident. His actions in the latter situation follow common elementary-school protocol, and the problem is quickly resolved. The narrative is provided in both English and Spanish texts, each of which appears in a different colored typeface. Cartoon art makes the difficult victimizing theme safer for young children to consider. Although the book fills a void for Latino/a-themed literature, it also presents several difficulties given the sheer amount of text crowding many of the pages, as well as some typos in the Spanish version. Additionally, the resolution is unrealistic, as only the vocal tormentor is disciplined, while his silent, supportive friends are not, and his punishment does not correlate to effective long-term solutions for this type of conflict. Given such challenges for the intended readership, the story is best suited for use in reading aloud, accompanied by critical discussion.—Ruth Quiroa, National Louis University, IL