#mexikid

Middle School Monday: Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir by Pedro Martin 

Pedro Martin isn’t sure how he feels about having his grandfather come to America to live with their family. It’s true that his grandfather lived an exciting life, and probably has lots of amazing stories to share. But their house is already so crowded with his eight brothers and sisters. Is there really room for one more?

When their enormous family starts a road trip to Mexico to pick up their abuelito, they’ll be taking the trip of a lifetime, filled with lots of unexpected adventures. 

5 out of 5 stars

Pedro Martín has written a hilarious graphic novel memoir that is great for young and old audiences. Martín tells all about his life in the early 70s as the seventh of nine children, half of whom were called Barn Babies because they were born in Mexico "in an adobe barn with cattle around. Probably." while the other half were Hospital Babies because they were born in America, where "there were no good adobe barns" to have babies in.

All of the family head to Mexico in the family Winnebago (lovingly called The Millennium Falcon by Pedro and his Star Wars loving siblings) to pick up their Abuelito and bring him back to America with them to live. With nine kids in tow, of course there's going to be chaos as they cross the border. Pedro and his family face empty gas tanks, being stopped by border patrol, and their father refusing to stop at any sightseeing locations (the horror!).

Along the way, Pedro is told stories of his grandfather, who had a faithful mule and transported goods to people he knew amidst the Spanish Revolutionary War. Pedro imagines Abuelito to be a Jedi, or like Hulk, or some other legendary character--at least, legendary to a child from the 70s.

This was a hilarious memoir with lots of notes on Mexican culture to help introduce people who don't know anything about the history. Pedro's family reminds me of my own and, I'm sure, that feeling will be the same for anybody who grew up in a large family. There's lots of funny moments, while also containing some poignant ones as the life of Pedro's Abuelito is unfolded before him.

Im taking commissions right now! and we can discuss style, im flexible with it!