La Matadragones

by Jaime Hernández, F. Isabel Campoy (contributor)

Spanish language edition of The Dragonslayer: Folktales from Latin America

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Comics, Childrens, Fantasy, Latinx, Folk Tales

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 3, 2018

About the author

Jaime and his brother Gilbert Hernández mostly publish their separate storylines together in Love And Rockets and are often referred to as 'Los Bros Hernandez'.

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun book that will appeal to children and adults - great art! Folktales really do open doors to who we are; important lessons that have been learned in the past show us how view who we are today. I also believe that folktales can hold people together, keeping culture alive after so much of it has been lost, helping to 'rally' groups for the future.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jon and Izzy liked this Toon kid book production so I thought I would check it out, but especially to see what Jaime Hernandez, having produced something like forty years of Love and Rockets LA punk alt-comix would do in a very different style for kids. I came to admire him even more for doing this became use it's so different for him. The tales are okay--dragons, a woman that marries a mouse, a thousand leaf-cutter ants--from F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada, with some background information.

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now for me, a book title like the 2018 graphic novel anthology The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America (with artwork by Jaime Hernández and texts by Hernández, F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada) kind of insinuates that there should be retellings of many tales from ALL over Latin America textually and visually encountered and not just three Mexican stories, with this actually not being a huge issue, to be sure, but that yes, I certainly am a trifle disappointed and was definitely expecting and hoping for a bit more geographic and cultural variability from and in The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America (and that although F. Isabel Campoy's enlightening introduction to The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America and Alma Flor Ada's equally appreciated notes correctly point out that Latin American lore is diverse, with influences from Native American cultures and Europe, it should also be mentioned in The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America that Europe should actually not just mean Spain, that Latin American folklore has also been influenced by France, Portugal and indeed equally so by much of Africa).

But well, any potential folkloric themed criticisms from me hugely notwithstanding, the three stories presented in The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America are at least textually speaking absolutely and utterly delightful and are also ownVoices (as Jaime Hernández, F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada are all Mexican).

So we begin The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America with the eponymous The Dragon Slayer which has Jaime Hernández tell both textually and illustratively the story of a poor family’s youngest daughter being exiled from her family and forced to find alternate means to support herself (because her older sisters are jealous of her beauty and have framed her for stealing), basically a fantastical and delightful twist on the archetypical slay-the-dragon-to marry-the-princess tale, but with the dragon destroyer being not a prince, not a male, but rather the exiled daughter who through her kindness to a starving stranger is able to obtain a magical wand to help her kill a destructive dragon, marry a prince and also thwart the prince's father (who arrogantly does not want a peasant for a daughter-in-law). And yes, Hernández illustrates The Dragon Slayer using a visually simple and uncluttered format, which makes his artwork easy to follow for even total graphic novel neophytes. But honestly speaking, but frankly, while the combination of text and image works well enough together, personally speaking I do find Jaime Hernández' artwork for The Dragon Slayer almost a wee bit too simplistic for my tastes and thus also kind of emotionless and stagnant, and truth be told not just for The Dragon Slayer, but in fact also for the remaining two folktales in The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America, for Alma Flor Ada's Martina Martines and Pérez the Mouse and for F. Isabel Campoy's Tup and the Ants (and that Hernández' artwork for Tup and the Ants I actually find quite ugly and visually blah), that unfortunately, while Jaime Hernández' illustrations for The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America are visually adept and adequate, they also do not really bring the stories visually to life for me in any way and that I personally would actually prefer no artwork at all for The Dragon Slayer (and which I guess kind of defeats the purpose of The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America being a graphic novel).

Now the second story presented in The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America, Martina Martinez and Pérez the Mouse involves the marriage of Martina (a human) and a mouse (Pérez) who one day suffers a tragic accident but is rescued and revived by a wise woman, by a healer, who keeps her cool and is able to save Pérez after he has fallen into a pot of boiling soup whereas his wife Martina and everyone else can only lament and grieve (penned by Alma Flor Ada, gleaned from her book Tales Our Abuelitas Told, and although Flor Ada's Martina Martinez and Pérez the Mouse has a happy ending, in the endnotes, it is pointed out that there are also much sadder endings, that there are indeed also versions where Pérez does not survive falling into that scalding and therefore dangerous soup). And the final tale for The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America, F. Isabel Campoy's Tup and the Ants and the only tale to present a male protagonist, it shares themes with The Dragon Slayer and with Martina Martinez and Pérez the Mouse regarding the value of cleverness, common sense and also kindness, since albeit Tup might well have a tendency towards being lazy, he succeeds and wins through regarding his field because Tup gets the ants to help him but that he also does not just exploit them either, that Tup donates his daily lunches to the ant colony in exchange for them helping him end up with he best corn field (and just to say one again that I really do not find Jaime Hernández's pictures for Tup and the Ants all that visually appealing but that I really do majorly textually adore Campoy's story and how cleverness, resourcefulness and also being kind to one's employees so to speak makes Tup succeed and triumph over his doubting and often dismissively nasty and opinionated family).

Finally, with regard to how I am going to be rating The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America, well, because I really enjoy the three presented Mexican folktales but cannot say that Jaime Hernández' artwork is entirely to my visual tastes and as such also does not really increase my textual enjoyment of The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America (and that I as already mentioned above equally do wish that F. Isabel Campoy's introduction were a bit more extensive and detailed and with less informational gaps and holes), yes, my rating for The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America is going to be only three stars, but that the three stories in and of themselves, that The Dragon Slayer, Martina Martinez and Pérez the Mouse and Tup and the Ants are indeed five star tales to and for me.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's the cover:



Hernandez presents three fairy tales from Latin America, done in graphic novel format, and aimed at middle-grade readers. Kudos to the author for making young girls the protagonists in the first two stories. The artwork is . . . serviceable . . . but nothing special. I would have preferred something a little more ornate and flowery.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three folktales from Latin America are rendered into graphic novel form is this attractive addition to the Toon library. Included are "The Dragon Slayer," a classic tale of a youngest sister who must be strong and clever to survive; "Martina Martínez and Pérez the Mouse," by Alma Flor Ada, about a young woman whose husband, a rat, falls into the soup, and his eventual rescue; and "Tup and the Ants," about a lazy youngest son who ends up being the luckiest son of all. I like that the book is imbued with images and patterns from Latin American art, and includes historical backgrounds of the tales. 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.

[Phil J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only is this a great graphic novel, but it is the best source I have found for Latin American folktale retellings. The first of the three stories is a great hero's quest tale that will fit well in my Hero's Journey unit.

The female characters in the first two stories have a lot of agency without it feeling forced, which is unusual for European-based fairy tales.

It is a little weird to me to see Hernandez creating children's books. I will always associate him with "taboo" underground comics from the '80s.

[Ashley Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contains "The Dragon Slayer," "Martina Martinez and Perez the Mouse," and "Tup and the Ants." This graphic novel adaptation of Latin American folktales for young readers emphasizes the importance of generosity, resourcefulness, and a problem-solving mindset. The bibliographic essay at the end is the best part.

[Jesús · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three, young-person-friendly, Latin American folks tales written, drawn, and adapted by comics legend Jaime Hernandez.

The eponymous first story is passable, but nothing exceptional. It’s a mostly predictable story about a poor servant woman marrying a prince after slaying a dragon.

The last two stories, however, are outstanding. One is a fun morality tale about a young woman whose husband (a rat) falls into a pot of soup. She mourns his loss and spreads her sadness to others. In case you don’t already know how the story ends, I won’t spoil it, but the moral of the tale is a twisted variation on “not counting one’s chickens before they’re hatched.”

I especially love the last story. I’m a big fan of children’s stories in which immoral behavior is rewarded, and wow does this little spit get rewarded for his immorality! The story is a riff on some of the great trickster folk tales. Again, I won’t spoil it for those who don’t already know the story, but the main character—the youngest of three brothers—is pathologically lazy, but he is also heroically savvy about preserving his laziness.

Everything in the book is drawn in a simplified and cartoonishly exaggerated version of Hernandez’s usual style. A fantastic and quick read that I hope to come back to and revisit in the future. Absolutely worth your time.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only are the illustrations a perfect compliment to the folktales themselves they are folded around a larger and short description of the specific folktales told and folktales' importance in any culture. So it was a learning experience folded into a learning experience as a non-Latinx person.

And if I was playing favorites, the first story struck me the most though the one about solving problems as the woman did when she rescued the mouse/husband from the soup was also particularly insightful and connected me to the text.

I will definitely pass this around.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three Latino folktales that are a lot of fun. They follow traditional patterns of three sons or daughters and repetition. The first two stories have a female hero. Both the front and end contain further information on the tales which puts them into historical and cultural context. Cute cartoon illustrations make this an overall great read.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well done comic version of three Latin American folktales by Jamie Hernandez. My kids (5 & 9) both loved it and I did too. Even reads aloud well and there is some nice back matter. Highly recommended for ages 5-10.

[The Voracious Bibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful book. These three graphically-rendered, Latin American folktales are sure to delight both children and adults alike. I loved it.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quirky, fun and fast read

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A diverse choice for the Bluebonnet books 2019-2020, but I felt some of the stories might be a bit much for 3rd graders. #weneeddiversebooks Overall I did enjoy it, but graphic novels aren’t my favorite by far.

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting stories. I've never read any folktales from Latin America. The preface and end notes are very feminist focused.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique folktales from Latin America! I loved the twist in the second one!!!

[Anna Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun comic book for upper elementary grades, particularly 4th-5th grade.

This book has three stories from Latin America, each one fascinating folk tale that mainly focuses on clever characters and how they solve their problems.

There are quite a few interesting lessons within the different stories. The pictures are wonderfully done as well. It's a bit short, but they are great folktales for students to read and reflect on.

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Folktales are a great way to introduce kids to stories and even a bit of history. Stories like this are a great way to teach moral lessons, bravery and even values. These three folktales speak of art, spirituality and proper behavior illustrated in a graphic novel fashion for a quick and easy read.

The Dragon Slayer is a story about a young girl banished from her home. Along a winding road she meets an old woman who gives her a magic wand which she used to save a kingdom and marry a prince. Martina Martinez and Perez the Mouse share a story of love, friendship, sorrow and how to lend a helping hand. Tup and the Ants is a clever story about family, sharing with friends and hard work.

Graphic novels are a great way to get kids reading stories. This book offers history and culture. The back pages share the true stories along with illustrations to show readers about the history of these stories and the origin. Readers are also encouraged to write their own folktale.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hernandez, Jaime The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America, 40 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Toon Graphics (Candlewick), 2017. $17. Content: G.

Three different folktales are included in this graphic novel. The first is called The Dragon Slayer and is about a young girl who uses a magical truth wand to help the boy she loves from being sacrificed to a dragon. The second story is Martina Martinez and Perez the Mouse about a woman who attracts all sorts of animals, but finds her true love in a rat, but he falls into a soup pot and a wise woman from town has to save him. The third story is Tup and the Aunts about a boy who convinces a colony of aunts to do all of his chores of planting a corn field.

Although the three stories are completely different they are all entertaining with different morals to the story. The illustrations are cartoon-ish but well done. I enjoyed these stories and there are author’s notes at the beginning and the end that explain why we have folktales and more history on the three folktales in this book. I would imagine this has a limited audience and would probably most effectively be used by a Literature teacher in a Folktales unit.

EL (K-3), EL – OPTIONAL. Reviewer, C. Peterson.
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Su · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really delightful collection of three of the most believed stories in Hispanic/Latinx culture. I was really nostalgic for the art style, having been made to watch Muzzy the clock-eating alien as a child, and the tales were warm and familiar. It’s also really awesome to have a children’s book that really shows the diversity of Latin America and clearly as well as vibrantly communicates the importance of ingenuity, determination, generosity, love, loyalty, and not waiting for some hero but becoming your own.

Also Jaime Hernandez emphasizes the importance of nurturing the strength of women and young girls and cultivating their sense of independence. He also sets out to highlight the tradition of celebrating these women in Latinx and Hispanic culture which is a much needed message, counter to what many of us are taught to believe about Latinx/Hispanic culture in the US and elsewhere.

A much need small collection of cultural tales and a much welcomed children’s book debut from the already prolific Jaime Hernandez.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spanish language edition of Dragonslayers. Three folktales from Latin America are rendered into graphic novel form is this attractive addition to the Toon library. Included are "The Dragon Slayer," a classic tale of a youngest sister who must be strong and clever to survive; "Martina Martínez and Pérez the Mouse," by Alma Flor Ada, about a young woman whose husband, a rat, falls into the soup, and his eventual rescue; and "Tup and the Ants," about a lazy youngest son who ends up being the luckiest son of all. I like that the book is imbued with images and patterns from Latin American art, and includes historical backgrounds of the tales. 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.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eisner-award winner Jaime Hernandez has taken 3 short tales that feature strong women from Latino folk literature and retells their stories in graphic form. The stories included are "The Dragon Slayer", "Martina Martinez and Perez the Mouse", and "Tup and the Ants".

A wonderful balance of words and images is achieved in this TOON book. Hernandez's digitally colored India ink images are simple, yet effective. The artwork is clear and fresh, reflecting their Latino origins. There is a timeless quality to them, with modern clothing and hair matched with traditional culture and technology.

An introduction by F. Isabel Capoy puts Hernandez's work in perspective. Backmatter includes notes about each of the tales told, bios about the Hernandez and authors of the source books for the tales, and a bibliography for more tales.

Excellent tool! For grades 2-4.

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 2019 Texas Bluebonnet nominee contains 3 Latin American folktales told in graphic novel format. The front and back matter in this collection will allow educators to use the tales effectively with 3rd-6th grade during lessons on the genre. Readers of graphic novels in that same target audience will find the illustrations entertaining and adequate supporters of the simplistic text. The absence of profanity, excessive violence, and sexual content make it easy to place it into elementary library collections, but if the budget is tight and/or it isn’t a Texas library that supports the ideals of the TBA list, there may be more engaging choices available.

[Ian Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dragon slayer : folktales from Latin America was a quick and fun way to read traditional folktales. The graphic illustrations from Jaime Hernández, whom I love and worship from Love & Rockets, really brought these folktales to life. There are only three tales but all with obvious themes and/or lessons to learn. I cannot wait to get a copy for my third grade classroom and for my home library for my own kids to enjoy.

[J. Jefferson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fresh and interesting look into folktales from Latin America! After a brief introduction of folktales, there are three folktales with strong feminine characters, animals, and even monsters. The text is told in graphic novel/ cartoon format; the illustrations are vibrant and detailed. The Latin American influence is seen in the color, patterns, and character names/ settings of the stories. It will be interesting to see what morals/ lessons readers take from each story.

[Sofia Araya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this. The three folktales in this graphic novel are fun, and two of them have female protagonists. The folktales are odd, but classics. One of them, the story of El Raton Perez is a classic that I grew up listening to as a child. This book is a fun, modern way of presenting this tales to a new generation.

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

She slays the seven-headed dragon and saves the prince! Raton Perez falls into the soup reaching for the golden onion and only Dona Pepa thinks to rescue him! Tup, with the help of his new and pesky ant friends, plants the crops and saves the farm! Latin American folktales come to life in these delightfully illustrated graphic stories. Girl power!

[Comics Alternative · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://comicsalternative.com/young-re...

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long-time comic book creator Jaime Hernandez makes his children's book debut in this slim collection of stories, featuring three Latin American folktales told in graphic novel form. Prolific children's author F. Isabel Campoy provides a brief introduction on folktales in general and Latin American folklore in particular, emphasizing its celebration of strong women, and then the tales themselves are presented:

The Dragon Slayer, adapted from a story of the same name in John Bierhorst's Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions , in which a young girl finds work in the Kingdom of Dragonia, falls in love with the king's son, and with the help of a magical stick given her by an old woman she helped, manages to slay a dragon, steal a magical ring, and save her beloved.

Martina Martínez and Pérez the Mouse, test by Alma Flor Ada and taken from Ada & F. Isabel Campoy's Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection , in which the eponymous heroine eventually marries a charming mouse, only to almost lose him when he falls into the soup pot. I have encountered a Puerto Rican variant of this tale before, in Pura Belpré & Carlos Sanchez' Perez and Martina , although there the heroine is a cockroach.

Tup and the Ants, also adapted from a story of the same name in John Bierhorst's Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions , in which a lazy third son triumphs over his elder brothers by being clever, and by using the help offered by some ants.

The book closes with an afterword exploring some of the themes in the stories included, as well a bibliography.

As someone who loves folklore of all kinds, I enjoyed The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America, appreciating both the stories themselves and the introduction and afterword. I don't know if Hernandez' artwork was quite to my taste, but I liked seeing these tales translated into graphic novel form, as I know many young people particularly enjoy this form, and this will make the stories accessible to them. If I had any complaint, it would be that I wish the specific cultural origins of all three stories was included. There was mention of Tup and the Ants being from Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula in the afterword, but no other specifics were given, something I found unsatisfying, particularly as emphasis was put on the diversity of Latin American traditions. While these may be stories which are widespread in the region, some information on the specific variants being used would be welcome. I also wished that John Bierhorst, whose prolific work in the field of folklore I have found very enjoyable and informative, had been given the same credit, in the main body of the book, as Alma Flor Ada was, on the title page for Martina Martínez and Pérez the Mouse. Credit for the two tales which were adapted from Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions is given on the colophon, but not in each folktale's title page, in the book. Leaving those critiques aside, this is one I would recommend to young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone looking for Latin American folklore for children.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are some good Latin American stories, BUT! As with a lot of folktales, there are some... suspect elements.

1. The Dragon Slayer

The youngest of three daughters made her elder sisters jealous by simply existing, so they tricked their gullible father into kicking her out. She meets an old woman and shares her food with her, and in thanks the old woman gives the girl a magic wand that tells her exactly what she needs to know about anything. She ends up working for the Dragonia royal family and catches the eye of the prince (and vice versa), but the king won't have that, even though the girl kills the seven-headed dragon to ease the king's worries. So the king sends the prince away to war rather than allow the lovers to marry, and the girl saves the prince with magic, then they run away to form their own kingdom where they married and ruled successfully.

It's a good, traditional story, but the backbone of it is "Be good, and do exactly what talking things tell you to do." There's no room for thought in this kind of story, beyond the daughter's insight into knowing what to ask.

2. Martina Martínez and Pérez the Mouse

Martina finds some money and buys a ribbon to make herself pretty. She catches the eye of several suitors: Señor Gato (Cat), Señor Perro (Dog) ,Señor Gallo (Chicken), and Señor Ratón (Mouse). She decides on Señor Ratón Pérez and they get married. When she makes soup, Pérez falls into the pot, which causes Martina to run outside and start crying. Two birds see her and, in sympathy, cut off their beaks(?!). A mourning dove sees the birds and, in sympathy, cuts off her tail. The fountain sees the mourning dove and, in sympathy, stops flowing her water. A girl Mariquita sees the fountain and, in sympathy, breaks her water jug. Mariquita goes home and tells her aunt Doña Pepa everything that happened, and the aunt asks who is helping Ratón Pérez. She rushes over and pulls him out of the pot to save him from drowning, and he recovers. Doña Pepa then makes paste to glue back together the birds' beaks and tail, and the water jug.

*Besides* the bestiality, the self-mutilation is rather disturbing! Could they really not have done something less horrific to show support??

3. Tup and the Ants

Three brothers went out to get married and ended up with three sisters, marrying them according to age. Tup, the youngest, was berated for being lazy. The sisters' father sent the brothers out to clear the land for cornfields. The first two went to work, doing a poor job, but Tup did no work and ended up falling asleep and having ants steal his food. He tells the queen ant either to give him back his food or do his work for him. Since the food was eaten, they do his work, so Tup gets to do nothing and go home early. The father sees Tup come back and decides (correctly!) that he has done nothing and tells the mother not to give him any food. Each task the brothers are given, the older brothers do a poor job but get a good dinner, but Tup is supposed to have done nothing (because the ants are doing it all in exchange for Tup's food), and gets no dinner at all. Finally, when it comes to eat the roasted corn, the family sees the lack of work the older brothers have done, compared to Tup's (ants') hard work, and Tup is rewarded in the end.

On one hand, Tup stumbled into a great deal and reaped the benefits. On the other, how exactly did he get on for so many days without food?? (Maybe laziness is an appetite suppressant?) Also, who doesn't supervise their workers to ensure they are actually doing what they're supposed to be doing?

(4. Informational blurb about the stories)

On the whole, some fun stories... if you don't think about them too hard, haha. Probably true of a lot of folktales/fairy tales.