Martín's memoir is very relatable, especially for students navigating different cultural identities. The mix of humor and vulnerability makes the story so much more meaningful, while the visuals also add such emotional depth. It‘s a great way to explore underrepresented voices and encourage personal reflection. This text also invites students to reflect on their own stories while appreciating voices that have been underrepresented in literature.
Mexikid would be a fantastic scaffold for creative writing in the classroom. After reading the novel, I would have students create their own short visual novel (1-2 pgs.) that captures a meaningful moment or story from their own lives. It would be incredible to see each student‘s writing come to life through their own visual art. It‘s a powerful way to validate their voices and build confidence as both writers and artists.
pickSet in the late 1970s, this heartwarming graphic novel follows a young boy named Pedro and his family as they journey 2,000 miles to Mexico to bring their grandfather back to the U.S. The story blends humor, culture, and emotion, highlighting the dynamics between family members and Pedro‘s own journey of self-discovery. With its rich illustrations and compelling narrative, Mexikid is sure to keep you engaged from the first mile to the last.
During my college experience, I‘ve been assigned four visual novels. Honestly, in those cases, I found myself more drawn to the visuals than the actual stories. Mexikid, however, was a different experience entirely. I genuinely enjoyed both the artwork and storyline. The illustrations don‘t overpower the text; they enrich it. This book is a fantastic introduction to visual novels and a great starting point for anyone curious about the genre.
Forgot to post this last one for Mexikid. I guess I liked the pages where the words are the focal point the most, because I loved pg 238. This story is often lighthearted, but there are several meaningful themes mentioned, like the value of patience. Patience is something I struggle with (@ my car wreck, RIP Rhonda the Avalon), and I think I would have benefited from reading this when I was younger. It is cool to see a funny GN tackle deep topics.
This reveal shocked me!! I‘m reading this on a road trip and have been curious how the three perspectives were connected, it is so fun that Mr. Howe is the nerdy turtle lover in the third POV. It reveals a lot about his background and nature. This reminds me of a book I recently read named “Death of the Author” by Nnedi Okorafor. She had a similar POV reveal, although it was slightly more dramatic.
“They were a pair in the same way a pair of headphones was a pair — connected and sharing a music only they possessed.”
I love this quote. There are several types of love and relationships (e.g. platonic, romantic, familial, etc.) and I feel like this quote could encompass several meanings depending on the context.
I love this definition of meaning. As a pre-ELA teacher, it is cool to see authors teach readers via their characters. I‘d be interested to see if my students would care or pick up on this definition while reading independently.
I like how Mr. Howe is portrayed so far. He is showing restraint in how he talks to, displaying how teachers often feel as though they are voiceless due to the pressure from society. He seems invested in his students.
I literally just started this book and wanted to comment on the phrase “It would be a good idea to stop and consider what you think about this sentence” (pg. 2). I love that the author instructs the reader to pause while reading and muse over what the sentence above means to them. The repetition indicates it is an important sentence, but as a teacher it is cool to have more explicit instruction for students within the text, from the author.
I took a class in nonfiction that changed how I view book design, especially cover art. I really appreciate how intentional and detailed the design of Mexikid is. Each illustration featured, from the soda bottles to the half bananas, has meaning. I know the saying “Don‘t judge a book by its cover” exists, but a good cover definitely helps convince me to read a book. This cover led to a book that did not disappoint.
