Before his untimely death, MJ's papi instilled in her a love of professional wrestling. At 12, she struggles to cope with his passing, her mother's overburdened schedule, and a bully on the gymnastics team til she learns that her neighbor, a retired luchador, runs a school for aspiring wrestlers. After convincing him and her mother to let her train, she finds peace and belonging in the grueling art form and its community. And when a bitter bureaucrat attempts to have the school shut down, she must find the confidence to stand up for her newfound family d herself. In his middle-grade debut, Wallace draws upon his own pro-wrestling experience to give a backstage glimpse of all the work, athleticism, and creativity that goes into the oft-misunderstood art form. The characters and events are rendered with all the beautifully unambiguous melodrama of a wrestling angle: loathsome bad guys, dramatic promos, and undeniably exciting action. Young fans will cherish gaining a deeper understanding of "sports entertainment" d of the Mexican-wrestling tradition of lucha libre d newcomers, too, will find in MJ a baby face worth cheering for.

Maya Jocelyn Medina, MJ for short, became a huge professional wrestling fan after being introduced to the sport by her late Papi.Papi may not be around anymore, but her love of wrestling, specifically Mexican-style wrestling, or lucha libre, still runs deep and helps her feel connected with him. When a chance meeting acquaints her with Mr. Arellano, the owner of a local luchador wrestling school, MJ does everything she can to convince both him and her skeptical mom that she belongs in the program. At 12, she becomes the youngest wrestler at Victory Academy, and she must work hard to prove that although she's small, she can grapple with the best of them. MJ learns how to throw down with other wrestlers whom she comes to care about and trust. Her growing strength in the ring also translates into more confidence in sixth grade, where she encounters bullies and racism. MJ suspects that the string of costly code violations from the State Athletic Commission that plagues the academy may be part of a larger conspiracy to close its doors for good. MJ's tenacity leads to a thrilling conclusion in a story filled with action and sensitive character development, and readers, whether lucha libre fans or not, will be drawn into her story. MJ and many members of the wrestling community are Mexican American.This touching story of grit and luchadores wrestles with themes of loss and chosen family. (Fiction. 8-12)