Author :
Duncan Tonatiuh
Preschool - 2nd Grade
Dear Primo
Dear Primo, Hardcover, English, Book, Duncan Tonatiuh, Preschool - 2nd Grade, 9780810938724, $15.95
$448.07 for the Story Collection Pura Belpre English Set, Including 20%-Off, Free Shipping, and No Sales Tax : 24 Hardcover English Books and 18 Softcover English Books
Pura Belpre Award Honor Book in 2011 for Illustration
From first-time Mexican author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes the story of two cousins, one in America and one in Mexico, and how their daily lives are different yet similar. Charlie takes the subway to school; Carlitos rides his bike. Charlie plays in fallen leaves; Carlitos plays among the local cacti. Dear Primo covers the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of two very different childhoods, while also emphasizing how alike Charlie and Carlitos are at heart. Spanish words are scattered among the English text, providing a wonderful way to introduce the language and culture of Mexico to young children. Inspired by the ancient art of the Mixtecs and other cultures of Mexico, Tonatiuh incorporates their stylized forms into his own artwork.
School Library
Journal : Kindergarten-Grade 3—Tonatiuh compares and contrasts the daily
lives of two cousins, or primos. Charlie is American, and Carlitos is
Mexican. Charlie enjoys a slice of pizza after school, while Carlitos helps
his mother make quesadillas. Charlie cools off in an open fire hydrant, while
Carlitos jumps into a small rio. The writing is simple yet peppered with
imagery that enhances it significantly: "Skyscrapers are buildings so
tall they tickle the clouds" or "The subway is like a long metal
snake and it travels through tunnels underground." Twenty-seven Spanish
words are sprinkled throughout the text, easily understood from the context
and explained in a glossary. Tonatiuh's hand-drawn, then digitally colored and
collaged illustrations were influenced by the art of the Mixtecs, one of the
major civilizations of Mesoamerica. While the pictures are attractive and
carefully composed, one small problem might be that all the faces, young or
old, male or female, are identical—only their hairstyles change, and at no
time do any of the characters make eye contact. This accurately reflects
Mixtec tradition, but may be a bit disconcerting for children unless put into
context. Otherwise, this is an excellent tool for explaining how cultures
connect.
Booklist : This spin on the traditional tale of a city mouse and a country mouse explores the lives of Charlie, in urban America, and his cousin Carlitos, who lives in Mexico’s countryside. As the two boys write snail-mail back and forth, they describe their respective homes (an apartment for Charlie, a farm for Carlitos), methods of transportation, favorite sports, food, and cultural traditions. The alternating letters are printed in distinct fonts, and Carlitos’ messages integrate Spanish words, which are then helpfully duplicated next to a corresponding image and included with pronunciations in the appended glossary. The digitally enhanced collage illustrations are based on traditional Mixtec art, and show the characters posed in profile in simply composed scenes. This useful method of comparing and contrasting can serve as a fine general introduction to contemporary rural life in Mexico, while it also demonstrates the fun of having a pen pal and reinforces the sense that kids around the world are more alike than different. Grades 1-3.
Story
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