Pura Belpre Award Winner - Mexikid! by Pedro Martin

Pura Belpre Award Winner - Mexikid!

by Pedro Martin

The Springfield-Greene County Library (SGCL)'s catalog places this book within five distinct genres: Autobiographical comics, Graphic novels, and Comics (Graphic works).

Derived from a variety of sources, the average recommended age is nine to 14.  The Springfield-Greene County Library's catalog lists this item in Children's Biography, and can also be searched among juvenile literature, identity (Psychology), and comic books.

Family road trip, cultural exposure, intergenerational relations - what more could one ask for? This wonderful adaptation emphasizes family, familiarizing readers with Mexican culture and language, particularly with the use of specific terminology and bold lettering effectively used to provide insight into the Martin(teen) family's inner workings, as well as various actions and attitudes.  This wholesome family adventure is sure to please readers of any age, but particularly juvenile children, and those born to parents who have immigrated.

I chose this particular graphic novel for a few reasons.  First, I have been attempting to engage more within this medium as it continuously continues to insurmountably expand in terms of content and format(s).  Second, this medium is highly popular among the recommended age group, and I feel does a wonderful job of conveying a story in a manner that will resonate.  Third, this works approach to expose readers to several aspects of a differing culture: family, food, customs, and living history.

For Mexikid, I will be evaluating settings, point of view, and dialogue.

Mexikid hosts several settings, and I feel that the author does a great job transitioning: from the Martin's (een) family home to their Winnebago, to the parents' home village to the local cemetary.  Each setting provides different dynamics, yet, one element remains steadfast - family!  The author also effectively uses color to differentiate between the settings: the family home predominantly features varying tones of yellow and beige, terra cotta when reflecting on the past, brown combined with yellow and beige within the Winnebago (literally their mobile home), the use of dark orange and turquoise to represent the village.

The primary point of view is that of the narrator, Pedro, and his interactions with numerous siblings, parents, and his abuelito [grandfather] (Martin, 11).  Pedro has a remarkable ability to relate conversations, settings, and circumstances to the appropriate age group, and draw readers into the story, making them feel like they are part of the experience.  One wonderful and unique aspect this book provides is that the narrator illustrates he and his sibling's coming-of-age while traveling, and perhaps, can help children who are personallly struggling.

Mexikid is all about dialogue between the numerous family members, yet, it is different depending on who is interacting: Pedro with his parents, between he and his siblings, but, most importantly, between he and his grandfather, emphasizing the importance of family.  One part that is resonating with me is that Pedro loves to draw, and is infatuated with super heroes, and throughout the journey, discovers that not only his is grandfather a good artist, but that he is a superhero in his own right!

References

Cabrera, K. (2023). Mexikid - A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martin. Texas Standard. Texas Standard.                     Retrieved May 28, 2024, from https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/mexikid-graphic-novel-                 pedro-martin-comics-mexican-american-seventies/.

Martin, P. (2023). Mexikid: A graphic memoir. Listening Library.