Rudas--Niño's Horrendous Hermanitas

Starred review from October 24, 2016
Luchadores beware: Niño’s younger sisters, Las Hermanitas, step into the ring in this wildly rambunctious sequel to Niño Wrestles the World (2014), and as rudas, they don’t play by the rules. Channeling an announcer’s bravado (“¡Madre! Will anyone be spared from their Pampered Plunder?”), Morales show the girls taking down such rivals as El Extraterrestre and El Chamuco with moves like the “Poopy Bomb Blowout” and “Tag Team Teething,” accompanied by sound effects scattered across the pages in explosive, graffiti-like bursts. The energy in Morales’s punchy artwork is dialed up to the max, and the finale demonstrates that a good book can pacify even the most ferocious of opponents. Ages 4–8. Agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlottte Sheedy Literary.

July 15, 2016
Pint-sized luchador Nino captured readers' imaginations in the Pura Belpre Award-winning title Nino Wrestles the World (2014). Now he is back, but this time his baby sisters, Las Hermanitas, have come to steal the show.Childlike drawings on the opening endpapers explain that luchadores are divided into two categories: tecnicos (good guys) and rudos (bad guys). Las Hermanitas are definitely rudas. Nino is playing with some familiar characters, El Extraterrestre and La Llorona, when Las Hermanitas burst onto the scene and the rumble begins. They take on their opponents one by one and use whatever rotten means necessary to crush the competition, starting right off with a move called the Poopy Bomb Blowout. The action and humor continue until only Nino can bring an end to his little sisters' destruction. This follow-up uses the same playful, graphic illustration style and vibrant color palette seen in the original. Several Spanish words and phrases appear in the callouts and speech bubbles, many of which are defined in the closing endpaper illustrations. The English text is peppered with alliteration, onomatopoeia, and a few words that will stretch young readers' growing vocabulary (such as "phenomenal" and "preposterous"). The overall effect is a narrative that begs to be read aloud. A rowdy, raucous return for Nino and a dazzling debut for his most worthy rivals. (Picture book. 3-7)

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December 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 2-Sibling rivalry just got real. Nino returns for another round in the ring, but this time his opponents are his incredibly rude baby sisters. Readers will delight as the innocuous-looking hermanitas attack with moves like the Poopy Bomb Blowout and cheer for Nino as he and his fellow tecnicos counter with a Look-and-Book Diversion. With comic book-style speech bubbles and action, Morales offers an endlessly entertaining and ultimately sweet selection on sibling bonds and the power of storytelling.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from August 1, 2016
Preschool-G *Starred Review* There is only one Nino, the lively little luchador (red-masked wrestler). And in a sequel to Nino Wrestles the World (2013), he is back for another alarming adventure. As the front endpapers explain, the Rudos are the tough guys who bend or break the rules, and Technicos are the good guys who use good manners and play nice. The bout begins in this corner with the Rudas Hermanitas, Nino's phenomenal, spectacular little sisters, nicknamed the Lucha Queens! They use techniques such as the Poopy Bomb Blowout (picture it) to gas opponents out of this world. Early in the match comes the stunning skateboard Nappy Freedom Break, followed by Tag-Team Teething biting. They tattle, they plunder, they screech and screamthese Rudas know no bounds. But Nino cleverly traps the sisters, ends their dastardly deeds, and calms them with a book. Concluding end papers contain a colorful glossary, which translates some of the Spanish words, and hilarious pictures. With acrylics and inks Morales depicts the spectacular battle between Nino and his two little sisters in brilliantly colored cartoons, as each page blasts our senses with eye-popping bold-font styles and bubble text and backgrounds of explosive stars. Another hit for award winner Morales!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)