A retro yet timeless story of family and identity.
Martín brings his successful Mexikid Stories online comic series to print.
Living in California’s Central Coast as a first-generation Mexican American, Pedro (or the “American-style” Peter) struggles to find his place. As an American kid growing up in the 1970s, he loves Star Wars and Happy Days but dislikes the way his five oldest siblings, who were born in Mexico, make him feel less Mexican just because he and the three other younger siblings were born after his parents immigrated to the U.S. to work picking strawberries. A family trip to Jalisco to bring their abuelito back to California to live with them presents Pedro with an opportunity to get in touch with his roots and learn more about the places his family calls home. Told from Pedro’s perspective, the panels read as a stream-of-consciousness travelogue as he regales readers with his adventures from the road. Along the way, Pedro has fresh encounters with Mexican culture and experiences some unexpected side quests. Full of humor, heart, and a decent amount of gross-out moments, Martín’s coming-of-age memoir hits all the right notes. Though the family’s travels took place decades ago, the struggles with establishing identity, especially as a child of immigrants whose identity straddles two cultures, feel as current as ever. The vibrant, action-packed panels offer plentiful details for readers to pore over, from scenes of crowded family chaos to the sights of Mexico.
A retro yet timeless story of family and identity. (family photos, author’s note) (Graphic memoir. 9-14)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780593462287
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
Inspiring and informative.
A look at a historical figure who grasped the myriad possibilities of coding and algorithms two centuries ago.
Ada Lovelace is an appealing and intriguing subject: astonishingly bright, with an unabashed love of learning. Her determined, mathematically gifted mother ensured that Lovelace had access to education in the hope that Ada wouldn’t follow in the irresponsible footsteps of her absent father, Lord Byron. But it also meant that Ada was given the tools to both ground and support her imagination. The narrative is carried entirely by the dialogue and visual depictions of Ada’s experiences, and it packs in a great deal of information at an engaging pace. Bayarri’s clear, rounded illustration style and orderly frames have a friendly, welcoming feel, conveying a sense of Lovelace’s cultural and temporal context—women and men in period dress, travel by carriage, pastoral surroundings. Ada is privileged to be taken seriously and is included in gatherings with notable minds like Mary Somerville, Charles Lyell, and Lovelace’s mentor and eventual colleague Charles Babbage. Lovelace could see the way that math could help design hundreds of things: “The great phenomena of the natural world are expressed through mathematics.” Bayarri convincingly demonstrates that Lovelace’s lively creativity allowed her remarkable gift for numbers to truly flourish. The only disappointment is the paucity of the “further resources” list. Still, this is a fine introduction to Lovelace and her work.
Inspiring and informative. (timeline, glossary, index) (Graphic biography. 9-13)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-72847-826-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A story that will encourage youth to fight for their dreams.
A biracial former professional hockey player recounts his endless battle against systemic racism.
Aliu’s powerful graphic memoir opens with his joyful memory of falling in love with hockey as a child—juxtaposed with a scene of him being brutalized by a racist teammate. Readers are introduced to his parents—his father was Nigerian; his mother was Ukrainian—who faced discrimination for their interracial relationship. An older version of Aliu recounts his early life living in both Ukraine and Nigeria (including the difficulties his family encountered in each country) before eventually moving to Canada. There, young Aliu often felt like an outsider. When he discovered hockey, he put his all into becoming the best despite frequently being the only Black boy on his teams and relying on thrifted equipment. The strife he constantly confronted is clearly detailed—physical assaults, lack of recognition (despite stellar performances, he was often ranked relatively low), and racial slurs from NHL coach Bill Peters. Aliu makes clear that the racism he endured was institutional and that no individual player can dismantle it, but he believes that together we can work to effect change. His honest account of persevering in the face of oppression will inspire young readers, even reluctant ones, to pursue their passions no matter how seemingly insurmountable. Blunt, simple language, a brisk pace, and realistic illustrations work harmoniously to keep readers engaged.
A story that will encourage youth to fight for their dreams. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9781338787603
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Graphix/Kaepernick Publishing
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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