Mexikid: 02/14/24

Mexikid by Pedro Martín (2023) is a graphic novel memoir of a trip taken from Watsonville to a village in Jalisco. Pedro is one of the youngest in his family, among the set of children born in the United States. His oldest siblings were born in Jalisco.

In 1977 the entire family spread across two vehicles: a pick up truck and an RV drove the two thousand miles to bring Apa's father home to Watsonville. Along the way Pedro and his American born siblings had to adjust to a culture that wasn't quite their's, in the same way that the United States wasn't quite their eldest siblings' culture.

Through the trip the reader learns along with Pedro about Mexico's history, culture, and traditions. The story is told through the author's humorous artwork as well as a mixture of English and Spanish dialog. Some of the dialog is translated and some isn't. Some of the translations are humorous approximations that capture how young Pedro probably understood (or misunderstood) what had been said.

There is also a Spanish language version, and I might go back and re-read it that way.

Five stars

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