Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin by Tonatiuh, Duncan

Two cousins--one in the United States and one in Mexico--learn their lives aren't so different in Dear Primo, a charming picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh.

A Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book!

"Reinforces the sense that kids around the world are more alike than different." --Booklist

"An excellent tool for explaining how cultures connect." --School Library Journal

Meet Charlie and Carlitos. Charlie lives in America. Carlitos, his primo, lives in Mexico. Charlie takes the subway to school, plays basketball with his friends, and loves pizza. Carlitos rides his bicicleta to school and enjoys playing fútbol at recess, and his favorite meal is quesadillas.

Their lives appear different, but do Charlie and Carlitos have more in common than it seems?

• Learn about Carlitos and his life in rural Mexico.
• Learn what's different about his daily life and what's the same, compared to life in the United States.
• Learn that kids everywhere can be very alike, even if their clothes, food, and homes are very different.
• And more!

"Score! I just got a letter from my primo, my cousin. I live in America, but he lives in Mexico, where my family is from. Maybe someday we'll meet." Through excerpts of letters written back and forth, the two cousins learn that they have more in common than the boundaries of their lives, their communities, and their countries would suggest.

Through his artwork and story, Duncan Tonatiuh introduces young readers to a very timely idea--that community is larger than just neighborhoods and schools.


Author: Duncan Tonatiuh
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Published: 03/01/2010
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.04lbs
Size: 11.32h x 8.85w x 0.45d
ISBN: 9780810938724
Audience: Ages 4-8

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 3.2
Point Value: 0.5
Interest Level: Lower Grade
Quiz #/Name: 136258 / Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin

Award: Pura Belpre Award - Honor Book
Award: Americas Award for Children & Young Adult Literature - Commended
Award: Monarch Award - Nominee

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 02/01/2010 pg. 48
School Library Journal 03/01/2010 pg. 134
Publishers Weekly 03/15/2010 pg. 52
Kirkus Review - Children 03/01/2010 pg. 210
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/2010 - Recommended, Satisfactory

About the Author
Duncan Tonatiuh was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Miguel de Allende. His books, including Diego Rivera, Dear Primo, and Separate Is Never Equal, have received many awards over the years. He currently lives in San Miguel with his wife and children but travels to the US often.