Lucía the Luchadora

Lucía's confidence gives her the strength to match any boy superhero on the playground. She boldly tackles the "dark, swirly" slide and does a flying leap from the top of the monkey bars. But the boys claim that girls can't be superheroes, making her feel "spicy mad." Her abuela gives her a special box containing a shiny satin cape and a silver mask. A luchadora, she explains, is a special kind of superhero, one who is "brave, full of heart, and isn't afraid to fight for what is right. Most importantly, a luchadora never reveals her true identity." The costume emboldens Lucía, and hidden behind the mask, she soars through the playground better than all the other children dressed in superhero capes (including the boys). When, to cheers, she single-handedly rescues a puppy stranded on top of the slide, Lucia realizes the right thing is to reveal her identity to her friends--and to be herself. "I am Lucia the Luchadora, mask or no mask." Energetic watercolors illuminate a diverse crowd of children playing together, led by a strong personality who is unabashedly proud to be a girl and approaches life with unwavering dynamism. An author's note gives further information about "luchadoras, luchadores, and lucha libre," including the fact that many luchadores expanded their roles as masked wrestlers to become social justice activists. rita sultan