by Sam Juliano
During the closing act of Nino Wrestles the World, readers learn against all reasonable odds that the only way to handle Las Hermanitas is to join ranks with them. After death defying but ultimately triumphant battles against some of Lucha Libre’s most terrifying opponents, the irrepressible youngster Nino finds more than he can handle with two toddlers who never play by the rules. Mind you this was a crafty marauder who put down the Guanajuato Mummy of Muarggg! and Whaaarrg! fame with the pulverizing, if intoxicating “Tickle Tackle!,” completely neutralized the mysterious Olmec Head with the debilitating “puzzle muzzle” confounded the benign space explorer El Extraterrestre with his adept play at “Marble Mash” and sent the king of temptation himself, El Chamuco slip sliding away on ice pop slicks. But our intrepid freebooter is way over his head against the tag team who possess double the irreverence and audaciousness. These feisty ninas are totally natural – no masks, no hiding behind alternate identities, just a comprehensive embrace of the old adage “where there’s a will there is a way”. In the equally raucous and deliriously irresistible Rudas: Nino’s Horrendous Hermanitas these rattle waving Lucha Queens really hit their opponents below the belt with their irascible toddler antics and gassy implications. Nino’s celebrated Mexican-American Caldecott Honor winning author-illustrator Yuyi Morales won superlative reviews for her endlessly delightful Lucha Libre prep course, prompting her to stage a second act in this unmissable circus show, one even more boisterous, animated and colorful in its inimitable comic book style.
The opening end papers appraise the participants in no uncertain terms. The “Technicos” are good guys who adhere to the guidelines of the match. The genteel El Extraterrestre and Cabeza Olmeca are members of this grouping. Las Hermanitas, Nino, La Llorona and El Chamuco are labeled as “Rudos” – tough guy renegades who play by their own rules. The difference between the end papers in Rudas as opposed to those that launched Nino is that Morales this time has opted for drawings that a young child would and can create right down to the saturated scribbling and abstract lines. Multi colored stars, buttons and pointed configurations also distinguish this more “down and dirty” look, but as always Morelos’ design mastery comes up trumps. After the crayon coordination of the dedication and title pages the book’s mise en scene is broached at a time the children were coloring. In Spanish, readers are forewarned of some advancing ring action – flying somersaults, a spectacular battle, and a fire in the ring, as the two sides, the Technicos and the Rudas are announced on a fancy placard. The child abducting La Llarona is shown as being up to her own tricks again, referring to the tykes as “Mis Hijos”. Then the general announcement – Senoras Y Senores Ninos Y Ninas, the time has come to welcome the phenomenal, spectacular, legendary one of a kind…..Las Hermanitas, who are known as wresting champions and Lucha Queens. Their banner replaces the scribbled off Nino, who no longer sits on the Lucha throne, having yielded to these exceptionally gifted purveyors if rude feats, though as we learned at the end of Nino he is now in cahoots with this sassy duo.
Their first move is a burst of flatulence, introduced by Boom, Boom Boom, and known as The Poopy Bomb Blowout, which KOs Extraterrestre almost on the spot, sending him scurrying away to his spaceship. Even Nino gags as he attempts to battle the rotton odor with a spray bottle as he blurts out “Guacateles!”, the Spanish word for ‘yuck!’ Sound effects are negotiated by an extended consonant bonanza. Next up is the ancient Olmec Head (Cabeza Olmeca) who is felled by a stinky diaper during the girls’ unexpected early match ‘Nappy Freedom Break’. Santos panales! (Holy Diapers) yells Nino. More sound effects and colored star platforms complete this latest example of Luchan deceit. An unusually oblivious El Chamuco is the next to face elimination when the girls sink their teeth into Lucifer’s tail in s show of bicuspid solidarity that recalls the two canines in Will and Nichols Caldecott Medal winning Finders Keepers, who share a bone after mauling a much larger dog. The sound is a distinct Nam Nam, though La Momia De Guanajuanto, a part-time ally is partially seen and heard issuing his patented “Arggg.” Then the halo sporting Las Herminitas escape from dire straights with a Twofer Tattle as La Momia and Nino stand by. El Chamucho in fiery mode, warns the erstwhile resident of the Guanajuato City Museum that he will pay dearly for his indiscretions.
Las Hermanitas engage in a battle for toys as Madre is asked “Will anyone be spared from their pampered plunder?” Soon enough the answer arrives in a glorious splash of pink-dominated bombast: “Las Hermanitas are Rudas. No one splits their Pow-Zaz!” The girls have Nino under control, but during a subsequent eye message and arm bite they fall for their brother’s “Look-and-Book Diversion” which even earns gasps from El Chamuco, Olmec Head and La Llorona. Readers are asked how the girls will handle this unexpected heartbreak. The answer comes in a fabulous kaleidoscopic spread of the girls having a tantrum. The aural form is sustained “Cunaaaa” and “Waaaaa!” The mummy looks bewildered, El Chamuco is unnerved, La Llorona nd Olmec Head are seen in partial, while a puzzle piece, pacifier, rattle, and toy doll fly through the air. Morelos pours on the color ravishment on the next two spreads as the sore losers go into spoiled brat overdrive. El Chamuco is shown remembering the previous season’s Great Lemon Squirt, and how he was manhandled. The cast of Lucha characters have no answer to stop the tirade, which by sheer length of exclamatory excess has reached epic proportions.
Nino rushes in to save the day dropping from the hatch door opening of El Extraterrestre’s spaceship, entering the exasperating aural bombardment with a homemade book featuring the Rudas themselves on the cover. A few sniffs, and these bi-polar girls have their arms all over their older brother -the key word is trap- enraptured by a book. The girls hold Nino tightly with the vice like hold that helped define that as… Rudas! Purple etched “Tukuru-Tru” on a circus tent canvas bring this tale of irrepressible toddlers to a most beguiling conclusion.
With all the deserved hoopla over Thunder Boy Jr. – the magnificent collaboration between Morales and author Sherman Alexie – Rudas, great reviews and all, may have been overshadowed because of the later release and the stiff picture book competition in 2016. But the art here is just as spirited, vigorous and aesthetically beautiful, though of course in the service of a far different subject. Yet, in the end like its beloved predecessor this irreverent tale of familial bonding hits emotional notes on the same scale. Rudas is every bit as Caldecott worthy as Nino and Thunder Boy Jr., and as such the judges need to let this match go the full distance before rendering a verdict.
Author-illustrator Yuyi Morales
Note: This is the thirty-fourth entry in the ongoing 2016 Caldecott Medal Contender series. The series does not purport to predict what the committee will choose, rather it attempts to gauge what the writer feels should be in the running. In most instances the books that are featured in the series have been touted as contenders in various online round-ups, but for the ones that are not, the inclusions are a humble plea to the committee for consideration. It is anticipated the series will include in the neighborhood of around 40 to 45 titles; the order which they are being presented in is arbitrary, as every book in this series is a contender. Some of my top favorites of the lot will be done near the end. The awards will be announced on January 22nd, hence the reviews will continue till two days before that date.
