Kid Cyclone Fights the Devil and Other Stories

Gr 5–8—Garza is mostly known for his picture books about lucha libre, or Mexican wrestling. The title story of this collection is about a lucha libre fighter, Kid Cyclone, who ends up wrestling with the devil. In "Llorona 911," a group of kids at a slumber party call the aforementioned phone number, and La Llorona. This would be the most ideal story to learn to tell aloud. Garza also creates stories with other mythical characters such as the Owl Witch, who torments a girl named Esperanza nightly, asking for her baby sister. Then there is the Elmendorf beast, which finds its match in a very strong and stubborn pig. There are also the "Winged Beasts of Elotes County," which you ignore at your own peril. There is an interesting tale of the U.S.-Mexican border in which a border patrol officer learns that the thing in the shadows is not an illegal alien, but the legendary Chupacabra itself. Some stories center on the idea of revenge, such as a woman known as "Donkey Lady" who turns the tables on her tormentor. The theme that runs through this collection is that of young people trying to prove, unsuccessfully, that old legends are not true. A great choice for any time a scary story is needed.