Chronicles of a Luchador

Gr 8 Up–Jesse Baron has been accepted into the University of Texas just like his family hoped, but instead of thinking about a possible future as a mechanical engineer, all Jesse can think about is entering the wrestling ring just as his father, the world-famous Angel of Death, did before him. When Jesse asks about taking lessons, his dad lets Jesse know he is welcome to join the beginner summer class—but he fully expects Jesse to go to college in the fall. Jesse makes the decision to begin wrestling in secret, not letting his parents know his plans, until the truth finally catches up with him. Fast-paced chapters fill readers in on the wrestling circuit and are full of day-to-day activities. Jesse deals with the typical changes that come with high school graduation, such as friends parting ways to attend different schools and uncertainties about romantic relationships. In the end, with the support of his friends and parents, Jesse finds he is able to juggle more than he thought and learns about his own identity.