Review by Booklist Review
Miguel loves drawing, but his family prefers he develop fighting skills so he can learn to defend himself. The Garcia family is notorious for their "deadly art of sword fighting," and they want him to follow in their footsteps. They persuade and cajole; some even scold him, even the mayor! One day, a mighty dragon lands in town, and "Miguel's family poised themselves, ready to strike." But it's no use--their weapons and tactics cannot defeat the ferocious dragon. However, when Miguel surprises the dragon with a flattering portrait, his creative kindness does the trick! Who said he didn't know how to defend himself after all? In her engaging acrylic artwork in a warm palette, Palacios adds abundant detail showcasing the community's Latine culture. Wrapped in an entertaining package that neatly incorporates Spanish language (defined in a glossary), this story emphasizes that weaponry and fighting are not the only ways to defend oneself and that Miguel's determination to stay true to himself in the face of social pressures is a special kind of strength.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young aspiring artist must save his community from the fearsome El Dragón. Miguel's familia is dedicated to "the deadly art of sword fighting." His abuelitos, his mami and papi, and even his hermanita, Zulema, devote their time to swashbuckling. Miguel, however, prefers "a gentler kind of art"--one that moves him to sketch and observe the world around him, despite his familia's strong objections. "You must focus on fighting and winning! That is the García legacy!" Even those in town admonish him for forgoing his duties to protect his community. But one day, El Dragón arrives with a mighty "ROAAAAR!!!!" Miguel's familia leaps into battle, but soon enough, each sword fighter crumbles against the formidable creature. To save the day, Miguel steps forward, armed with a pencil and sketchbook. Will El Dragón fight back? Familiar in its core premise but delightful in execution, Ofelia's picture-book debut crackles with a playful text that wraps a self-affirming message in a thrilling mini-adventure, punctuated with Spanish words and phrases throughout. Palacios' rich acrylic and gouache artwork splendidly favors earthy tones--a convergence of predominantly yellows, greens, and oranges--to ground Miguel's heroism, which leads to a joyful finale. Characters are brown-skinned and read as Latine. A maravilloso reminder of being true to oneself. (Spanish glossary) (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
