Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2004)

Starred Review In Max's third adventure, a family secret prompts Max to join a club of other young adults who share the same unspoken connections ey are related to world-famous luchadores. Fans of lucha libre will be excited to see 12-year-old Max follow in his family's wrestling legacy and begin his own luchador career. Max hopes to be like his famous uncle, the Guardian Angel, but he's a bit distracted with his two love interests, Cecilia and Paloma. Middle-grade readers will be captivated by Max's story and Garza's exciting descriptions of the wrestling matches. While the narrative clearly establishes that wrestling is a male-dominated world, Garza makes sure to include strong luchadoras like Paloma and La Dama Enmascarda (The Masked Lady). Black-and-white drawings appear at the beginning of each chapter, effectively capturing Max's emotions and setting the tone for upcoming plot developments. Another wonderful aspect of this story is that bilingual readers can follow the narrative in English on one page and read the Spanish translation on the next. This energetic follow-up to Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel (2011), a Pura Belpré Honor Book, will be hard to wrestle from readers' hands.

Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

In this third entry, twelve-year-old Max's luchador uncle invites Max to a big event in L.A., where ex-girlfriend Cecilia lives. But the equally beguiling Paloma invites Max to join the Lucha Libre club and watch the tournament. What this illustrated bilingual story may lack in literary distinction, it more than makes up for in child appeal, with tween romance, wish fulfillment, and adventure.

Kirkus Reviews

In the third book of Max's Lucha Libre Adventures, the titular hero struggles through the complexities of young love as he prepares to fulfill his luchador destiny. "Who knew the life of a twelve-year-old could be this darn complicated?" Uh-oh. Things are heating up between Max and Paloma. Though she's moving to another city, Max can't help but wonder if his newfound friend—who also shares a familial link to the lucha libre world—is more than just a friend. Max's long-distance relationship with the girl of his dreams, Cecilia Cantu, also ends on a less-than-ideal note, muddling matters even more. Meanwhile, Max flies to Los Angeles to watch his tío Rodolfo, the legendary Guardian Angel, compete against some of the fiercest luchadores in the world. As he trains to follow in his renowned uncle's footsteps, Max must face off against a rival of his own. Can Max triumph in both love and lucha libre? Book 3 of Max's journey keeps to the same structure as its predecessors, with short, breezy chapters and a bilingual format (English text on the left, Crosthwaite's Spanish translation on the right). The highlights here are the lucha libre matches. Garza excels at writing scenes full of awesome luchador action and high-octane antics. Though the romance plot at times feels overcooked, it fits within the high-stakes melodrama of the story. Pretty darn good fun. (Fiction. 8-12)

School Library Journal (Mon May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

Gr 3-7Maximilian is back in this third book in the series. Wrestling with keeping his lucha libre life and his feelings for Cecilia, the girl of his dreams, a secret, Max doesn't think his life can get any more complicated. When Paloma, the only friend who knows that Max's uncle is the great Guardian Angelthe greatest luchador of all timemoves away, Max doesn't know whom he will be able to talk to about lucha libre. He receives a ticket and backstage passes to attend the Big Brawl in Los Angeles and travels with his uncles and Vampiro Velasquez. He is quickly inducted into the Lucha Libre Cluba group for kids who are related to luchadoreswhich Paloma is a part of. With the help of Vampiro Velasquez, who provides valuable life lessons as well as instruction on wrestling techniques, the protagonist discovers what makes the Guardian Angel more than just a man in a mask. Written in English and Spanish, this story is filled with excitement and addresses the problems and everyday worries of kids like Max. Illustrations accompany each chapter, and all readers, including reluctant ones, will find something to interest them; the addition of the female luchadoras and their young relatives is a nice touch. Readers of all ages will discover wisdom within the story, especially in the character of Vampiro Velasquez, who reminds us that time passes for everyone. VERDICT Highly recommended, particularly for bilingual collections and where the author's books are popular.Selenia Paz, Helen Hall Library, League City, TX