La matadragones: Cuentos de Latinoamérica: A TOON Graphic

by Jaime Hernandez, F. Isabel Campoy (Introduction)

Overview

¿Cómo se enfrentaría una sirvienta a un dragón de siete cabezas? ¿Qué pasa cuando una mujer se casa con un ratón? ¿Y qué puede aprender un joven de un millar de hormigas cortadoras de hojas? jaime hernandez, el afamado creador de Amor y Cohetes, se hace estas y otras muchas preguntas al convertir famosos mitos en cómics frescos, sorprendentes y plenamente contemporáneos. Guiado por las obras clásicas de F. Isabel Campoy y Alma Flor Ada, el primer libro para jóvenes lectores de Hernandez acerca las historias y estampas de Latinoamérica a una nueva generación de aficionados a la novela gráfica de todo el mundo.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943145317
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Series:	TOON Latin American Folktales
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.20(d)
Language:	Spanish
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

JAIME HERNANDEZ es el co-creador, junto a sus hermanos Gilbert y Mario, de la serie de cómic Amor y cohetes. Desde la publicación del primer número de Amor y cohetes en 1981, Jaime ha sido galardonado con un Premio Eisner, 12 Premios Harvey y el Premio Literario de Los Angeles Times. El New York Times Book Review lo reconoce como “uno de los artistas con más talento que nuestra cultura políglota ha producido”. Jaime decidió crear La matadragones, su primer libro para lectores jóvenes, porque “me pareció interesante hacer algo distinto de mis habituales cómics para adultos”. Leyó montones de cuentos populares hasta elegir estos tres. ¿Qué encontró en ellos de especial? Quizá se vio reflejado en sus personajes. Jaime dice: “No soy tan valiente como la matadragones, pero puedo ser tan sensible como ella. Soy tan vago como Tup, aunque no tan ingenioso. No soy tan vanidoso como Martina, pero puedo ser igual de necio”.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2018
Gr 4–6—This is the first children's book by groundbreaking comic artist Jaime Hernandez, one of the three Hernandez brothers responsible for the comic "Love and Rockets." Readers will most likely skip over the old-fashioned, didactic introduction by F. Isabel Campoy on the power of folktales to get to the fun part, and what fun it is. In "The Dragon Slayer," a resourceful farm girl refuses to let a seven-headed dragon interfere with her plans of marriage to a prince. "Martina Martinez and Perez the Mouse" centers on a foolish young bride who, when her mouse husband falls into a pot of soup, cries instead of rescuing him. And in "Tup and the Ants," a lazy young man goes far on his wits and ability to get others to do his work. Hernandez's colorful, expressive drawings are full of movement, helping the stories extend beyond the concise, direct text. As so often happens in folktales, humans and animals exist on the same plane, adding to the whimsy. A brief discussion of the three selections closes out each volume. VERDICT These delightfully rendered stories should easily find a home in the folktale/fairy-tale section of any library.—Lucia Acosta, Children's Literature Specialist, Princeton, NJ

School Library Journal

02/26/2018
For his retellings of three traditional Latin American tales, Hernandez (the Love and Rockets series) creates panel artwork that’s satisfyingly crisp and sure. In the first story, an unnamed but resolute young woman uses a talking magic wand to slay a dragon and win a husband. In the second, a rat named Ratón Perez falls into a vat of soup, and the community grieves for him—until an old woman realizes that he might not be dead. In the third, Tup, a lazy but enterprising young man, enlists ants to do his farmwork and outwits his older brothers. Fairy tales with brown heroes and heroines are rare, and these stories are full of unexpected twists, as a rat wins the heart of a woman (“I have been meaning to ask you to go out with me for a long time,” Ratón Perez murmurs to Martina) and industrious ant employees build an earth oven and roast Tup’s corn while he naps. Sensitive readers may be disturbed by the mourning rituals in the second story, in which grieving birds cut off their own beaks and tails. Available in English and Spanish. Ages 8–12. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

TEXAS BLUEBONNET AWARD 2019-20 MASTER LIST
WINNER 2018 AESOP PRIZE (AMERICAN FOLKLORE SOCIETY)
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE
NAMED TO KIRKUS' REVIEWS BEST BOOKS OF 2018
NPR 2018 GREAT READS
"A trio of Latin American folktales are given a makeover in the children's-book debut of one of the brothers behind famed graphic-novel series Love and Rockets...In his six-panel pages, Hernandez flexes his considerable storytelling skills, his deceptively simple art conveying all the detail, nuance, and expression of character each story needs...In addition to the tales themselves, the book opens with an on-point essay by author F. Isabel Campoy putting the mix of Spanish and Native American influences in context...María E. Santana's simultaneously publishing Spanish-language translation is identical in look but far from dry, flawlessly employing its own language quirks. Rousing tales, spirited artwork, and rich backmatter ensure that this slim graphic novel for kids becomes a rich resource for all caregivers, not just those of Latinx children." - Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW
"These delightfully rendered stories should easily find a home in the folktale/fairy-tale section of any library." - School Library Journal
"This beautifully designed collection, with amiable art in lovely full color, is perfect for bedtime read-aloud or a lesson on traditional folktales." - Booklist
"With its eye-catching design, appealing cover, and its spirited stories, you may have to pry this entertaining and informative book from the hands of children." - Julie Danielson's "Four Favorites" on the Kirkus blog
"It’s a perfect work for adults who grew up on Love and Rockets to share with their children, and it’s an equally perfect introduction to the rich folklore immediately to the south of the U.S." - Good Comics for Kids on the SLJ Blog
"One of the best folktale and fairy tale-based comics I've seen...The Dragon Slayer is a sweet, short burst of smart, loving comics, and comes highly recommended." - Kinder Comics
"I absolutely love this introduction to Latin American folktales, and can only hope there’s a volume 2 somewhere down the line. This is such a great addition to folk and fairy tale collections and diverse, culturally rich collections." - Mom Read It
"Campoy’s introduction, and the tales’ origins and bibliography, including art reproductions, in the back matter, combine to enrich understanding of the culture of these strong heroines and heroes. Hernandez’s vivid illustrations make the tales modern, relatable and universal." - Youth Services Book Review Massachusetts

From the Publisher