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Twin Cities:
FOUR STARRED REVIEWS • A critically acclaimed graphic novel with rave reviews about this timely story featuring middle school twins living on the Mexico-US border and trying to discover exactly who they are – together or apart.
“Transcendentally good.” —Kirkus Reviews , starred review
Being twins means having a best friend forever . . . But when one goes to middle school in Mexico and the other across the border in California, can that bond withstand the distance? Luis Fernando is staying local in Mexicali, Mexico, while Luisa Teresa crosses the border every day so she can go to a private school in Calexico, California. As they try to embrace new experiences close to and far from home, the twins hit like making new friends and navigating school pressure without the other one for support. Fernando and Teresa finally have the chance to stand on their . . . isn’t that what the always wanted?
A unique and timely story about siblings, middle school, and peer pressure from rising star Jose Pimienta, Twin Cities is at once a relatable contemporary story and much-needed window into an experience so many kids can relate to but has rarely been seen in children’s graphic novels.
"From start to finish, Twin Cities is a superbly crafted work of art and emotion that marks Pimienta as a creator to watch." — BookPage , starred review
“Transcendentally good.” —Kirkus Reviews , starred review
Being twins means having a best friend forever . . . But when one goes to middle school in Mexico and the other across the border in California, can that bond withstand the distance? Luis Fernando is staying local in Mexicali, Mexico, while Luisa Teresa crosses the border every day so she can go to a private school in Calexico, California. As they try to embrace new experiences close to and far from home, the twins hit like making new friends and navigating school pressure without the other one for support. Fernando and Teresa finally have the chance to stand on their . . . isn’t that what the always wanted?
A unique and timely story about siblings, middle school, and peer pressure from rising star Jose Pimienta, Twin Cities is at once a relatable contemporary story and much-needed window into an experience so many kids can relate to but has rarely been seen in children’s graphic novels.
"From start to finish, Twin Cities is a superbly crafted work of art and emotion that marks Pimienta as a creator to watch." — BookPage , starred review
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2022
39 people are currently reading
447 people want to read
About the author
José Pimienta
17 books25 followersJo Pi's almost full name is Jose Pimienta. They reside in Burbank, California where they draw comics, storyboards and sketches for visual development. They have worked with Random House Graphic, Iron Circus Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Disney Digital Network, and more.
During their upbringing in the city of Mexicali, Mexico Jo was heavily influenced by animation, music and short stories. After high school, they ventured towards the state of Georgia where they studied at Savannah College of Art and Design.
During their upbringing in the city of Mexicali, Mexico Jo was heavily influenced by animation, music and short stories. After high school, they ventured towards the state of Georgia where they studied at Savannah College of Art and Design.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 2, 2022
This is actually a great book about boy-girl twins, age 12, living in Mexicali. They are best friends. But now they are starting 7th grade and Teresa will be going to Catholic school in Calexico across the border. Fernando will be staying in Mexico.
Fernando is upset that his sister is moving away from him, both emotionally and by going to another school.
While Teresa is studious, hard-working, and getting more religious - the friend Fernando makes at school is a bit shady and rough. Alex hates America and gringos with a vitriolic passion, and his hateful rhetoric stains Fernando and his relationship. Alex, although not a likeable character, is also fleshed out as we get hints that he has 'another family' north of the border and perhaps some half-white siblings.
Pimienta does a great job of showing the twins' lives side by side. Most pages feature one twin's life on the left side and the other's on the right. Although the twins are very close, love each other deeply, and both are expected to work for their parents (as in chores) - you can see Fernando has an easier time of it being a boy. He plays a lot of videogames, rarely studies, and has his own room. Meanwhile, Teresa has been sleeping on a futon on the floor for two years waiting for her own room that her parents promised her. She studies non-stop and is still expected to do many chores (to be fair, Fernando is expected to do a lot of housework as well).
HIGHLIGHTS:
Great artwork. Kind of a unique style, but it grows on you.
Great sibling relationship (although choppy for the main portion of the book), the twins truly are very close and love each other very much. Siblings are blood and have your back, is the message. Even though you may fight or disagree about stuff.
Great portrait of a Mexican family, a snapshot of Mexican culture.
Realistic showing of how a bully or a predator can befriend people only to exploit them or hurt them viciously.
Realistic portrayal of how being a good kid is a burden but leads to good outcomes, whereas being a 'bad kid' leads to trouble and getting into situations you oftentimes can't get out of.
TL;DR - Great book, I'd recommend it to anyone. Illustration of a Mexican family. Illustration of sibling-love and close sibling bonds. Book for anyone interested in twins. Deals with some serious topics, but not a heavy book nor a boring one.
RELATED READING: Twins by Varian Johnson.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
December 22, 2022
This slice-of-life story depicts a 6-month period in the realistic lives of twin middle-school students - Teresa and Fernando - who live in Mexicali, Mexico, right on the border with the United States. During this period, the sister twin is beginning school on the U.S. side of the border - Calexico, while the brother has chosen to remain enrolled in school on the Mexicali side.
As the two begin to have separate lives, the tension between them results in the brother reaching toward a friendship with the "only available" person - a slightly-more mature boy with a lot of issues. Unfortunately, that kid's issues can't be untangled even though some of them offer a reasonable and valuable critique of the border cities' problems resulting from North-American domination, while other of his issues are just clearly dangerous and problematic - especially for the intended audience. Will young readers be likely to think of Alex's ideas as linked by causation, or see them for the smorgasbord they seem to be from my adult perspective?
That is; Do all teenage drug dealers live in bigger houses with their own bedrooms & televisions, see the U.S. policies and tourists as exploitative, criticize American cultural expressions - like music & movies - as inferior, smoke weed, lie, pressure friends to work for them, turn to violence when they are crossed? Or will this one kid seem unique & unusual?
Meanwhile, the siblings' differences and the differentiated ways they cope, and the different scenarios they encounter in their days - all of it *also* seems rushed-over and tossed together like salad rather than laid out in a way that would deepen understanding, empathy, or political analysis.
Although the climactic conflict is resolved in a way that may appear believable to Northerners (Teresa intervening, the kids working out their dispute in secret so neither gets in trouble) ...but I'm going to guess that Mexican parents living in a border city, crossing over multiple times every week, would've noticed the problems before they got to the crisis point. (Middle school students sneaking around and occasionally smelling like pot in any city is going to get their parents' attention, but in a border town...I didn't believe the parents would fail to notice this.)
There are interesting cultural details woven into the story, and the images show diverse populations and unique cultures in both places - the author/illustrator is clearly familiar with both, and also used photographic sources to make the art very realistically detailed and specific.
I think kids who like realistic graphic novels about middle school students will find the general story of interest, and the crisis about pot-dealing a little overwhelming. Since it is never revealed to the parents or teachers, there is no moment when the author gives young readers a "this is what you *really* should do, if this comes up" lesson, which in my mind would've been the developmentally appropriate tactic. As it is, kids will end this book believing that getting involved in a drug deal is a secret 12-year-old siblings should keep and handle amongst themselves.
As the two begin to have separate lives, the tension between them results in the brother reaching toward a friendship with the "only available" person - a slightly-more mature boy with a lot of issues. Unfortunately, that kid's issues can't be untangled even though some of them offer a reasonable and valuable critique of the border cities' problems resulting from North-American domination, while other of his issues are just clearly dangerous and problematic - especially for the intended audience. Will young readers be likely to think of Alex's ideas as linked by causation, or see them for the smorgasbord they seem to be from my adult perspective?
That is; Do all teenage drug dealers live in bigger houses with their own bedrooms & televisions, see the U.S. policies and tourists as exploitative, criticize American cultural expressions - like music & movies - as inferior, smoke weed, lie, pressure friends to work for them, turn to violence when they are crossed? Or will this one kid seem unique & unusual?
Meanwhile, the siblings' differences and the differentiated ways they cope, and the different scenarios they encounter in their days - all of it *also* seems rushed-over and tossed together like salad rather than laid out in a way that would deepen understanding, empathy, or political analysis.
Although the climactic conflict is resolved in a way that may appear believable to Northerners (Teresa intervening, the kids working out their dispute in secret so neither gets in trouble) ...but I'm going to guess that Mexican parents living in a border city, crossing over multiple times every week, would've noticed the problems before they got to the crisis point. (Middle school students sneaking around and occasionally smelling like pot in any city is going to get their parents' attention, but in a border town...I didn't believe the parents would fail to notice this.)
There are interesting cultural details woven into the story, and the images show diverse populations and unique cultures in both places - the author/illustrator is clearly familiar with both, and also used photographic sources to make the art very realistically detailed and specific.
I think kids who like realistic graphic novels about middle school students will find the general story of interest, and the crisis about pot-dealing a little overwhelming. Since it is never revealed to the parents or teachers, there is no moment when the author gives young readers a "this is what you *really* should do, if this comes up" lesson, which in my mind would've been the developmentally appropriate tactic. As it is, kids will end this book believing that getting involved in a drug deal is a secret 12-year-old siblings should keep and handle amongst themselves.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
March 5, 2024Great book. It also helped me imagine the sibling experience which I know nothing about.
June 29, 2023
I never knew that there were kids (and others) that cross the border daily. The fact that these two cities exist makes me want to visit both.
The relationship between the twins as they grow and change is believable, and many young people will relate to it.
(I would not include the book in my elementary library because of the maharaja use, but it is appropriate for middle schools.)
The relationship between the twins as they grow and change is believable, and many young people will relate to it.
(I would not include the book in my elementary library because of the maharaja use, but it is appropriate for middle schools.)
March 7, 2023
Illuminating look at what it's like to live on the border.
Twin siblings make different choices for where to go to middle school, and their lives suddenly become starkly different.
One twin goes to school in Mexico, where they live and meets a new friend who introduces them to weed.
The other carpools across the border to the US, where they struggle to learn the language and keep up with their schoolwork.
This schism affects their relationship with each other, and with their parents, as well.
Engagingly illustrated in full-color. A great window into an experience very different from mine!
Twin siblings make different choices for where to go to middle school, and their lives suddenly become starkly different.
One twin goes to school in Mexico, where they live and meets a new friend who introduces them to weed.
The other carpools across the border to the US, where they struggle to learn the language and keep up with their schoolwork.
This schism affects their relationship with each other, and with their parents, as well.
Engagingly illustrated in full-color. A great window into an experience very different from mine!
April 7, 2025
hm....
okay
want more depth
hm...
okay
want more depth
hm...
May 31, 2025
a good book, with these cool twins, brother and sister.
March 29, 2025
Esta novela gráfica tiene un significado muy personal para mí, ya que habla del lugar donde nací y donde he pasado la mayor parte de mi vida, hasta hace dos años, cuando me mudé a la Ciudad de México para estudiar mi maestría. Fue entonces cuando me reencontré más que nunca con mi origen, que forma una parte esencial de mi identidad: el ser del norte, de la frontera. Este proceso también me llevó a darme cuenta de que la temática del norte y la frontera está a menudo mal representada o mal abordada. Por eso, regresando un poco, encuentro un valor inmenso en esta novela gráfica. Le agradezco profundamente por tratar una temática tan importante para mí, como lo es esa subcultura que caracteriza a nuestra ciudad, resultado de la mezcla de dos culturas de dos países tan distintos, y de sus gentes, que, de alguna manera, logran una convivencia. A veces a la fuerza, a veces por gusto.
February 22, 2023
Finally got to reading this one, I've had a library copy at my house for a while! I have a lot of thoughts...
What I liked: Pimienta captures a lot of complexity throughout the narrative:
- the push and pull of being twins, both wanting to be close but also wanting to be your own person
-Parental pressure to succeed
-Navigating living on the Calexico-Mexicali border, two languages, code switching etc. This is particularly addressed through Teresa's story, but also the tension between Teresa and Fernando's changing views on Mexico versus the US
-Friendship Changes
-Peer Pressure
Teresa and Fernando felt like realistic tweens, navigating middle school and beginning to find their individual identities. I've read picture books about border towns, but never a graphic novel and I think it's great that we're getting more and more voices and stories in this format. I did find the choice to include very little Spanish interesting. Pimienta's author's note gets at this somewhat, but it did seem like more Spanish could have been included in the dialog.
Concerns:
-The art style took some getting used to. It took me a bit to figure out why it was bugging me, I think the facial expressions felt a little stiff maybe? A lot of the beginning has all of the characters with wide, almost Pac Man like, mouths that felt a little off to me. Once I got into the narrative more this didn't bother me as much though.
-The inclusion of the drug dealing plotline was really interesting to me. Alex's peer pressuring of Fernando, his influence over him, felt believable and scary as an adult reader. The final confrontation was scary with Fernando and Teresa visibly terrified. The whole part at the border with Teresa was equally terrifying and her fear is palpable. With that said, I think the way this plotline is handled places this solidly in a more middle school range for library placement. A more mature reader will be able to read between the lines and realize Fernando has been making poor choices, that Alex was not a good friend etc. Because Pimienta chooses to never address the drugs in his author's note, never has Fernando face any repercussions etc. I think it minimizes both what Alex did in influencing Fernando, but also loses the clearer messaging typically seen in texts for a younger audience. At least we have a scene where Teresa confronts him about his risky behavior. We never see if Fernando's drug use is affecting his grades, or his health, or even if he's very afraid about what he's doing. The very strict parents bring most of their weight down on Teresa, which bothered me in general. I find it hard to believe they wouldn't have been concerned about Fernando's behavior and/or have figured out he was smoking pot, especially when he and Alex do it at Fernando's house.
-I almost found myself wishing this had been broken into a pair of graphic novels. One that followed the timeline from Teresa's perspective that focused on her code switching, academic pressures etc. One that follows Fernando's loneliness, drug use, dealt with the aftermath of his choices more. That split might have allowed Pimienta to delve into both characters with more complexity.
What I liked: Pimienta captures a lot of complexity throughout the narrative:
- the push and pull of being twins, both wanting to be close but also wanting to be your own person
-Parental pressure to succeed
-Navigating living on the Calexico-Mexicali border, two languages, code switching etc. This is particularly addressed through Teresa's story, but also the tension between Teresa and Fernando's changing views on Mexico versus the US
-Friendship Changes
-Peer Pressure
Teresa and Fernando felt like realistic tweens, navigating middle school and beginning to find their individual identities. I've read picture books about border towns, but never a graphic novel and I think it's great that we're getting more and more voices and stories in this format. I did find the choice to include very little Spanish interesting. Pimienta's author's note gets at this somewhat, but it did seem like more Spanish could have been included in the dialog.
Concerns:
-The art style took some getting used to. It took me a bit to figure out why it was bugging me, I think the facial expressions felt a little stiff maybe? A lot of the beginning has all of the characters with wide, almost Pac Man like, mouths that felt a little off to me. Once I got into the narrative more this didn't bother me as much though.
-The inclusion of the drug dealing plotline was really interesting to me. Alex's peer pressuring of Fernando, his influence over him, felt believable and scary as an adult reader. The final confrontation was scary with Fernando and Teresa visibly terrified. The whole part at the border with Teresa was equally terrifying and her fear is palpable. With that said, I think the way this plotline is handled places this solidly in a more middle school range for library placement. A more mature reader will be able to read between the lines and realize Fernando has been making poor choices, that Alex was not a good friend etc. Because Pimienta chooses to never address the drugs in his author's note, never has Fernando face any repercussions etc. I think it minimizes both what Alex did in influencing Fernando, but also loses the clearer messaging typically seen in texts for a younger audience. At least we have a scene where Teresa confronts him about his risky behavior. We never see if Fernando's drug use is affecting his grades, or his health, or even if he's very afraid about what he's doing. The very strict parents bring most of their weight down on Teresa, which bothered me in general. I find it hard to believe they wouldn't have been concerned about Fernando's behavior and/or have figured out he was smoking pot, especially when he and Alex do it at Fernando's house.
-I almost found myself wishing this had been broken into a pair of graphic novels. One that followed the timeline from Teresa's perspective that focused on her code switching, academic pressures etc. One that follows Fernando's loneliness, drug use, dealt with the aftermath of his choices more. That split might have allowed Pimienta to delve into both characters with more complexity.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2025
This graphic novel is about middle-school-aged twins who have chosen to go to school on different sides of the US-Mexico border. Teresa commutes to Calexico and Fernando stays in Mexicali. Each struggles a bit with the choice they've made and their parents don't seem very tuned into the difficulties of waking up early to commute, balancing homework and chores, and for Fernando losing one of his closest friends and being left behind. There's a subplot with Alex, a problematic new 'friend' who introduces Fernando to marijuana and later pressures him into selling. Teresa finds his stash and in surprise hides it in her pencil case when her mom is coming. She forgets (?), so she's at risk for getting caught with it in her carpool across the border when she packs it for school the next day. I thought this was a weakness of the book, along with having the 'bad' friend be anti-American instead of with a relatively nuanced view of what each side has to offer like the other kids. For a middle grade book it seemed to leave quite a few things unresolved. What did Teresa do with the joints? How did she explain the missing fundraiser money that was paid to Alex to stop him beating up Fernando to try to get payment? At times it was a fairly slow, slice-of-life depiction, primarily in English but in a clearly Mexican setting. At other times the plot seemed to skip ahead. Quite a bit of the 'kid' conflict is unresolved if you consider that Teresa was concerned about low grades and might get permission for after school activities if she could still get home. Those kinds of things matter a lot to kids, so how did they resolve? What did each of them ultimately decide about where they wanted to be educated?
TESOL comment: The dialogue of this book is almost entirely in English apart from spelling laughter ja-ja instead of ha-ha and the use of the word pocho/pocha, a derogatory adjective describing someone Mexican who has 'sold-out' to live in the US speaking 'Spanglish'. At the end of the GN the author discusses these choices including the way some people are 'reclaiming' pocho/pocha, but how it still seems like a slur to him since it referred first to damaged fruit.
cw: use of marijuana by children, dialogue about selling marijuana, and a fight about drug money (might revise some readers' opinions of this as a middle grade book), some culture clash, anti-American sentiment, depiction of sexism in Mexican family's assignment of chores, brief dialogue about religion (Both characters attend Catholic schools. The brother finds religion class 'stupid'. The sister says religion 'fulfills' her and that she's working for the education 'of her soul'. Nuns are portrayed as kind and helpful, but there's also the suggestion that fundraising selling candy can raise ones grades at the Catholic school in Calexico.)
TESOL comment: The dialogue of this book is almost entirely in English apart from spelling laughter ja-ja instead of ha-ha and the use of the word pocho/pocha, a derogatory adjective describing someone Mexican who has 'sold-out' to live in the US speaking 'Spanglish'. At the end of the GN the author discusses these choices including the way some people are 'reclaiming' pocho/pocha, but how it still seems like a slur to him since it referred first to damaged fruit.
cw: use of marijuana by children, dialogue about selling marijuana, and a fight about drug money (might revise some readers' opinions of this as a middle grade book), some culture clash, anti-American sentiment, depiction of sexism in Mexican family's assignment of chores, brief dialogue about religion (Both characters attend Catholic schools. The brother finds religion class 'stupid'. The sister says religion 'fulfills' her and that she's working for the education 'of her soul'. Nuns are portrayed as kind and helpful, but there's also the suggestion that fundraising selling candy can raise ones grades at the Catholic school in Calexico.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2024
Spoiler Free Review
Twins Teresa and Fernando start the 7th grade year separated for the first time, start to have their own individual lives. Fernando attends school in Mexicali, Mexico while Luisa crosses over the border to attend a private school in Calexico, California. Used to not being separated, Fernando spends his time alone as Luisa and his 2 friends who now go to the private school with Luisa, are no longer around. He meets an older student that he probably should stay away from as his influence is trouble. Teresa finds it easy to fit the American school and easily makes new friends but starts but her enthusiasm falters slightly under the wight of her new reality (Kirkus Reviews, November 26th, 2024) due to the high academic stress and parental expectations from her family. This story shows 2 siblings and the challenges they face the first time being apart while attempting to maintain and strengthen their bond with one another.
Commentary
My fiance’s brothers are twins and I’ve noticed that they are very different kids but have a strong bond with each other. My fiance has told me that growing up that they were inseparable, having the same friends, interests, etc. I’ve gotten very close to them over the last 5 years i’ve known them and since they’ve gone to 2 separate colleges, I noticed that it has been hard for them not being together all the time like they used to. They have different lives now and it was tough at first for them but have manged to maintain and strengthen their bond with one another over a distance. This story very much reminds me of them. Teresa and Fernando both probably relied on one another to get through hard times or to keep the other in check. The story displays a good theme with self identity and cultural / societal division and how it can affect relationships and cultural expectations
Classroom Applications
A cultural awareness type of discussion would be ideal for this book. The book provides insight on those with multicultural identities. Students can discuss their own cultural identities and the cultural identities of their families, how them embrace it and how they balance their other cultural heritage if they have one. For example, I’m Italian and Mexican but I embrace my Italian culture more than my Mexican. My fiance keeps us in touch with our Mexican heritage and while ensuring I can still be be in touch with my Italian heritage.
Twins Teresa and Fernando start the 7th grade year separated for the first time, start to have their own individual lives. Fernando attends school in Mexicali, Mexico while Luisa crosses over the border to attend a private school in Calexico, California. Used to not being separated, Fernando spends his time alone as Luisa and his 2 friends who now go to the private school with Luisa, are no longer around. He meets an older student that he probably should stay away from as his influence is trouble. Teresa finds it easy to fit the American school and easily makes new friends but starts but her enthusiasm falters slightly under the wight of her new reality (Kirkus Reviews, November 26th, 2024) due to the high academic stress and parental expectations from her family. This story shows 2 siblings and the challenges they face the first time being apart while attempting to maintain and strengthen their bond with one another.
Commentary
My fiance’s brothers are twins and I’ve noticed that they are very different kids but have a strong bond with each other. My fiance has told me that growing up that they were inseparable, having the same friends, interests, etc. I’ve gotten very close to them over the last 5 years i’ve known them and since they’ve gone to 2 separate colleges, I noticed that it has been hard for them not being together all the time like they used to. They have different lives now and it was tough at first for them but have manged to maintain and strengthen their bond with one another over a distance. This story very much reminds me of them. Teresa and Fernando both probably relied on one another to get through hard times or to keep the other in check. The story displays a good theme with self identity and cultural / societal division and how it can affect relationships and cultural expectations
Classroom Applications
A cultural awareness type of discussion would be ideal for this book. The book provides insight on those with multicultural identities. Students can discuss their own cultural identities and the cultural identities of their families, how them embrace it and how they balance their other cultural heritage if they have one. For example, I’m Italian and Mexican but I embrace my Italian culture more than my Mexican. My fiance keeps us in touch with our Mexican heritage and while ensuring I can still be be in touch with my Italian heritage.
January 29, 2024
Hey awesome readers! I just read this super interesting graphic novel called "Twin Cities," and it's like a journey into the lives of twins who have to be apart for the first time. Let me spill the details!
So, there are these twins, Luis Fernando and Luisa Teresa, and they are inseparable. But guess what? They get the chance to stand on their own and go to different schools. Fernando stays in Mexicali, Mexico, while Teresa goes to a school across the border in Calexico, California. Can you imagine being apart from your twin every day?
At first, it seems like a cool chance to discover who they are on their own. But things get real, real quick. Fernando realizes that being alone in middle school isn't all that great, and he makes friends with someone who's a bit, well, different.
On the other side, Teresa is all set to thrive and show what she's made of. But crossing the US/Mexico border every day isn't as easy as it sounds. She's facing challenges without her brother's support, and it's not as awesome as she thought it would be.
At home, instead of reconnecting, the twins find themselves pushing each other away. It's like they wanted to be on their own, but now they're realizing it might be tougher than they thought.
The book is a graphic novel, which means there are cool pictures that tell the story along with the words. The characters are drawn so well, and you can see all the emotions they're going through.
If you're into stories about siblings, middle school adventures, and the challenges of growing up, "Twin Cities" is the book for you. It's a contemporary tale that dives into family, friendship, and the struggles of trying to meet impossible standards. Grab it, read it, and get ready for a twin-tastic adventure! 📘👫✨
So, there are these twins, Luis Fernando and Luisa Teresa, and they are inseparable. But guess what? They get the chance to stand on their own and go to different schools. Fernando stays in Mexicali, Mexico, while Teresa goes to a school across the border in Calexico, California. Can you imagine being apart from your twin every day?
At first, it seems like a cool chance to discover who they are on their own. But things get real, real quick. Fernando realizes that being alone in middle school isn't all that great, and he makes friends with someone who's a bit, well, different.
On the other side, Teresa is all set to thrive and show what she's made of. But crossing the US/Mexico border every day isn't as easy as it sounds. She's facing challenges without her brother's support, and it's not as awesome as she thought it would be.
At home, instead of reconnecting, the twins find themselves pushing each other away. It's like they wanted to be on their own, but now they're realizing it might be tougher than they thought.
The book is a graphic novel, which means there are cool pictures that tell the story along with the words. The characters are drawn so well, and you can see all the emotions they're going through.
If you're into stories about siblings, middle school adventures, and the challenges of growing up, "Twin Cities" is the book for you. It's a contemporary tale that dives into family, friendship, and the struggles of trying to meet impossible standards. Grab it, read it, and get ready for a twin-tastic adventure! 📘👫✨
July 23, 2022
This attractive middle grade graphic novel is another title for kids interested in realistic stories about siblings, especially twins. Teresa and Fernando are twins entering middle school. Always close, their life paths diverge when Teresa decides to go to an American school across the border in Calexico, while Fer opts to stay in Mexicali. Teresa, a serious student, loves her school in the U.S. and makes new friends, while Fer has trouble making friends at his new middle school. He ends up getting close to the only person who talks to him, a kid who is dealing weed, a kid that the reader can see is bad news. The twins start arguing and both are unhappy about how their relationship has suffered.
This story is clearly a labor of love for Pimienta, who has imbued each character with lots of personality, as well as creating detailed, affectionate views of the cities below and above the border with their fine-lined graphic art. I like that the story has the twin (pun intended!) stories of the twins’ relationship and their parallel lives at two different middle schools, which ends up being a case study in transborder theory. I like learning about the pressures faces by families living in this area, and how it effects kids. I was pleased that Teresa and Fernando finally find a way to come to terms with their different choices in the end, giving the story a satisfying conclusion.
There is not much action to much of the book, and I got a bit bored halfway through, and I think kids will be too. I also thought that the depiction of Alex, Fer’s dealer friend, was such a stereotype that I couldn’t take him seriously.
This story is clearly a labor of love for Pimienta, who has imbued each character with lots of personality, as well as creating detailed, affectionate views of the cities below and above the border with their fine-lined graphic art. I like that the story has the twin (pun intended!) stories of the twins’ relationship and their parallel lives at two different middle schools, which ends up being a case study in transborder theory. I like learning about the pressures faces by families living in this area, and how it effects kids. I was pleased that Teresa and Fernando finally find a way to come to terms with their different choices in the end, giving the story a satisfying conclusion.
There is not much action to much of the book, and I got a bit bored halfway through, and I think kids will be too. I also thought that the depiction of Alex, Fer’s dealer friend, was such a stereotype that I couldn’t take him seriously.
September 9, 2023
A MG+ graphic novel that explores what happens when sibling best friends go to different middle schools and begin growing apart.
🇲🇽
Luis Fernando and Luisa Teresa just finished sixth grade and are ready for middle school. However, Teresa is going to a private school across the border in California and Fernando is staying in their hometown to go to middle school there. Neither is prepared for how hard the transition is: Teresa is struggling to keep up with the workload she has now, as well as managing her time due to the drive in the mornings while Fernando doesn’t have many friends and ends up hanging with a boy who is bad news. Each twin struggles on their own instead of reaching out until it all comes to a breaking point.
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I can’t believe it took me this long to read this GN! @thejoepi explores the subject of what it’s like to live on the border, growing up in Mexico, but also the US and how hard it is to feel like you belong in either place. The author’s note was especially enlightening. I’ll be recommending this #book to many of my students who have come from Mexico to go to school here in Texas. This is for middle school and high school readers.
CW: drug use, drug dealing, border issues
3.5 ⭐️ bc the drug use doesn’t really allow for it to be in an elementary library but it’s def written for a MG audience. Kind of an odd choice.
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Luis Fernando and Luisa Teresa just finished sixth grade and are ready for middle school. However, Teresa is going to a private school across the border in California and Fernando is staying in their hometown to go to middle school there. Neither is prepared for how hard the transition is: Teresa is struggling to keep up with the workload she has now, as well as managing her time due to the drive in the mornings while Fernando doesn’t have many friends and ends up hanging with a boy who is bad news. Each twin struggles on their own instead of reaching out until it all comes to a breaking point.
🇺🇸
I can’t believe it took me this long to read this GN! @thejoepi explores the subject of what it’s like to live on the border, growing up in Mexico, but also the US and how hard it is to feel like you belong in either place. The author’s note was especially enlightening. I’ll be recommending this #book to many of my students who have come from Mexico to go to school here in Texas. This is for middle school and high school readers.
CW: drug use, drug dealing, border issues
3.5 ⭐️ bc the drug use doesn’t really allow for it to be in an elementary library but it’s def written for a MG audience. Kind of an odd choice.
March 4, 2023
Graphic novels, like everywhere, are flying off the shelves of my classroom library. They have been a lifesaver for many students' reading lives and provided access for those who are not ready for longer chapter books. I picked up Twin Cities to add to my collection, but am waffling about whether to make it available for my students.
Pimienta's story follows a set of twins, Teresa and Fernando, in Mexicali, Mexico. When they move to GR 7, one opts to continue schooling in Mexico while the other shifts to the USA. I appreciated how the author highlights ups and downs for both twins and doesn't make one's schooling significantly better than the others'. However, there is an element of drug use that doesn't really seem necessary for this age group.
When I was teaching in Othello, WA, this text would have been more relatable for my students. Now that I'm teaching in Bangkok, Thailand, I worry that a text like this at a school where we have almost no students from Latin America would create misconceptions about a Latinx people. For me, this book would be a better fit for certain demographics. Although the main characters are in 7th grade, I would recommend this book for GR 8 and up.
Pimienta's story follows a set of twins, Teresa and Fernando, in Mexicali, Mexico. When they move to GR 7, one opts to continue schooling in Mexico while the other shifts to the USA. I appreciated how the author highlights ups and downs for both twins and doesn't make one's schooling significantly better than the others'. However, there is an element of drug use that doesn't really seem necessary for this age group.
When I was teaching in Othello, WA, this text would have been more relatable for my students. Now that I'm teaching in Bangkok, Thailand, I worry that a text like this at a school where we have almost no students from Latin America would create misconceptions about a Latinx people. For me, this book would be a better fit for certain demographics. Although the main characters are in 7th grade, I would recommend this book for GR 8 and up.
March 9, 2025
Twins Luisa Teresa and Luis Fernando live in Mexicali, right on the border of Mexico and the US. When middle school starts, Teresa decides to attend a Catholic school in Calexico, the town on the US side of the border, while Fernando stays in Mexico. Teresa struggles with harder homework, early mornings, and daily border crossings. Fernando struggles with feeling that his twin has abandoned them, along with several of his friends, and he makes a new friend who is a bad influence and hates all things American--including kids like Teresa who cross the border all the time.
This is set in the past, but how long ago isn't clearly stated; border crossings were obviously a lot simpler, no cell phones, but video games were popular. Maybe the early 1990s? The sibling rivalry certainly feels believable. The two towns are lovingly detailed, so the world-building is well-done. I didn't love the illustration style, which felt a bit flat, and I was bothered by Teresa having what looked like a white starburst in her hair all the time. I think it's to indicate shine, but it just looked like she was going grey REALLY young. So, I liked this, didn't love it.
This is set in the past, but how long ago isn't clearly stated; border crossings were obviously a lot simpler, no cell phones, but video games were popular. Maybe the early 1990s? The sibling rivalry certainly feels believable. The two towns are lovingly detailed, so the world-building is well-done. I didn't love the illustration style, which felt a bit flat, and I was bothered by Teresa having what looked like a white starburst in her hair all the time. I think it's to indicate shine, but it just looked like she was going grey REALLY young. So, I liked this, didn't love it.
October 12, 2022
I don’t get the “hate” for this book. I loved the illustrations, particularly the wordless sequences, which moved almost like a movie. Considering this came from the authors experience, and it dealt with so many important aspects of growing up with siblings attending school on different sides of the border, I felt the frustration and the fear in addition to all the crap that happens in middle school. I learned about the Chinese cultural ties in Mexicali, which I had no idea about. To me, the friend selling drugs was not stereotypical, but more or less indicative of a well-off, bored kid who just happens to smoke and sell weed. I don’t see much difference between him and the kids I knew who sold weed in middle school - he even seemed more cultured. I was so grateful for a unique, very real struggle that I hadn’t been exposed to that have all the hallmarks of being twins and growing apart while remaining together. And I was NOT bored at all during this book- I finished it in a few hours in one night.
June 22, 2024
There were parts of this book I liked and parts I didn't like.
Likes:
The sibling rivalry and struggles with being individuals while also wanting to remain close
Distinct personalities
Portrayals of 2 different places that are so close geographically but very different culturally
Illustrations were visually appealing
Didn't like:
The drug dealing fiasco. While I know kids can be exposed to and feel the pressure to try drugs, it seemed to escalate quickly to the dealing and violence.
Fernando's struggles seemed a lot more intense than Teresa's. He was suddenly by himself, seemingly abandoned by not only his twin but all of his friends. And I wonder where the kids who greeted him at the end were at the beginning when he was looking for friends to hang out with. Teresa on the other hand struggled academically and with some time management issues, which seemed a lot more realistic and not so extreme.
Parts were a little hard to follow
Overall not a bad book, but I wasn't a big fan. With the drug situations, I would say for no younger than middle school.
Likes:
The sibling rivalry and struggles with being individuals while also wanting to remain close
Distinct personalities
Portrayals of 2 different places that are so close geographically but very different culturally
Illustrations were visually appealing
Didn't like:
The drug dealing fiasco. While I know kids can be exposed to and feel the pressure to try drugs, it seemed to escalate quickly to the dealing and violence.
Fernando's struggles seemed a lot more intense than Teresa's. He was suddenly by himself, seemingly abandoned by not only his twin but all of his friends. And I wonder where the kids who greeted him at the end were at the beginning when he was looking for friends to hang out with. Teresa on the other hand struggled academically and with some time management issues, which seemed a lot more realistic and not so extreme.
Parts were a little hard to follow
Overall not a bad book, but I wasn't a big fan. With the drug situations, I would say for no younger than middle school.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2022
Now that they've finished 6th grade, twins Luis and Fernando have the option to different middle schools. Fernando is staying in Mexicali, and Teresa is going to a school across the border in California to help her get into an American high school. While they have always been a unit, now they are drifting apart, sometimes by choice and sometimes by circumstances. Can they still be friends? Due to drug use and a very offensive word, I would recommend this for middle school and up, despite the cover's appearance. Pimienta does a great job setting the scene with all the detailed backgrounds. I wish there was more resolution with the parents' conflicting communication and expectations. (They give Teresa a lot of grief about homework but then make her do a lot of errands and chores.) Really does a good job showing how sibling relationships can change over time, but they can still be great supports for you. For fans of Twins and Sisters.
August 13, 2022
Sibling dynamics are at the heart of Jose Pimienta’s cleverly titled middle grade graphic novel, Twin Cities. Fraternal “Lu-Lu” twins Louisa Teresa and Luis Fernando Sosa opt to attend different middle schools, on different sides of the U.S. / Mexico border that divides Mexicali and Calexico. Teresa gets up extra early and spends long hours on homework in order to succeed at her Catholic school in Calexico, while Fernando prefers the familiarity of his local school in Mexicali. The siblings grow apart as Teresa establishes her own identity with a new set of school friends. Fernando, meanwhile, is befriended by another boy who may lead him down a dangerous path of dealing illegal drugs. Bickering between siblings gets serious when Teresa discovers her brother’s secret. Twin Cities is full of vibrant colors, authentic details, and relatable sibling tension!
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October 4, 2023Positively ✨living✨ for the map printed on the actual hardcover.
Anyways, TWIN CITIES had been sitting on my shelves for a while, but @whatafomareads 's post encouraged me to finally pick it up!
This would be a really good library addition for kids who enjoy:
🎒 historical fiction (set in Mexico!)
🎒 stories about twins growing apart
🎒 Mexican culture, specifically around the border on both sides
🎒 kids making good & bad choices
🎒 lots of convos around dual identities
🎒 stories that are based on the author's own experiences
Also, of note: this graphic novel has one of the best author's notes & language notes I've ever seen! I know giving lots of background context at the end is common in picture books, but I rarely see it in middle grade and I really appreciated it.
Glad I gave this one a read 😊.
Anyways, TWIN CITIES had been sitting on my shelves for a while, but @whatafomareads 's post encouraged me to finally pick it up!
This would be a really good library addition for kids who enjoy:
🎒 historical fiction (set in Mexico!)
🎒 stories about twins growing apart
🎒 Mexican culture, specifically around the border on both sides
🎒 kids making good & bad choices
🎒 lots of convos around dual identities
🎒 stories that are based on the author's own experiences
Also, of note: this graphic novel has one of the best author's notes & language notes I've ever seen! I know giving lots of background context at the end is common in picture books, but I rarely see it in middle grade and I really appreciated it.
Glad I gave this one a read 😊.
November 2, 2022
This contemporary children's graphic novel is set in the Mexican border town of Mexicali which is across from Calexico, California. Twin Fernando and Teresa are beginning middle school but Teresa is going to a private school in Calexico while Fer stays in Mexicali. Once close they begin to separate as Teresa wants to focus on school and Fer wants things to be the way they were with each other. They each have their own issues as Teresa struggles with having to get up early and staying on top of her classes. Fer makes friends with Alex who sells weed and slowly encourages Fer to do the same. Everything comes to a breaking point between the two. A well done story based on Pimienta's experiences growing up in a border town. Recommended for 4-6th graders who like realistic stories and are interested in kids who have different cultural experiences than their own.
November 4, 2022
This book is based on a really intriguing and timely premise and the anger is palpable. It does an excellent job of conveying emotions like joy, anger, fear, pride, and resentment. That balance is impressive. That’s what it does well. The artwork is interesting to look at and also engaging. I think there could be been some more depth for Fer and Alex. While this story isn’t my experience and I’m not the expert, it just seemed a bit one dimensional. Although, I can appreciate how hard it is to balance so much within so many pages. It also felt like it dragged a bit in the middle and then was wrapped up too fast at the end.
As a reader, it just felt like there could have been a bit more development to the story.
As a reader, it just felt like there could have been a bit more development to the story.
June 5, 2023
Twins Teresa and Fernando are growing apart as they choose different middle schools. Teresa elects a rigorous and competitive school in the US and Fernando decides to stay in Mexicali, making new friends who resent the US influence. Great depiction of sibling dynamics, school pressure, new friendships. I appreciated the genuine frustration and rejection of US culture over rich and beautiful Mexican culture. I appreciated how Fernando suddenly and accidentally slips into drug use and how Teresa has his back. It's also a sensitive portrayal of how young boys can get left to their own devices as they move into their teenage years and why that feels like abandonment. This book has a lot to say.
November 9, 2022
Twins Teresa and Fernando live in the US/Mexico border city Mexicali. They travel frequently to the California city of Calexico for shopping and entertainment. When they start middle school, Teresa heads to Calexico for school while Fer stays in Mexicali. As they navigate their new schools and life without each other, they learn they’ll need to rely on each other to deal with their loving but imperfect parents, a challenging new school for Teresa, and a new not-so-good friend (Fer). Includes an author’s note about living on the border and an interesting note on a pejorative term used by a character in the book.
January 5, 2023
Liked the illustrations, felt there was a lot of potential in the story with the twin conflict that ended up not being totally engaging on the page. The character who was anti-American ended up being an evil villain, which was a bit of a snooze--I felt it was a good opportunity for kids to engage with something complicated, but maybe the American publisher curtailed it and made it a simple "Mexicans who don't embrace American culture are intrinsically bad and probably drug dealers who want to corrupt younger children" kind of lesson. That part really bummed me out. There was a lot of potential here, and middle grade kids deserve more complex lessons, especially about American supremacy.
June 30, 2023
Twin Cities gets three stars from me. I was impressed by the detailed settings and the sections with mirror-image page layouts showing the twins' different experiences. The art style for the characters' faces took a bit of getting used to but I think it ultimately worked. Unfortunately, the writing wasn't quite as strong as the art--some of the dialogue didn't feel very believable, and the ending seemed rushed. But the author's notes explaining more about the setting and cultural issues that inspired the book added some nice depth.
Note there is some drug use by a couple of middle-school-age characters.
Note there is some drug use by a couple of middle-school-age characters.
August 8, 2023
Definitely didn’t meet my expectations 🤧
I was so hopeful especially because it’s set in MX
Pros: The graphics are really nice with some beautiful scenes and it does address a very interesting topic of how so many Mexican kids cross the border everyday to go to school
Cons: I know it’s a graphic novel but why the heck did it move so quickly? I was constantly checking the page numbers to make sure I hadn’t skipped a page because it definitely felt like the scenes were jumping around without a seamless transition. For this same reason I felt like there wasn’t a real plot: kinda just felt like I was reading about day to day interactions between the characters
I was so hopeful especially because it’s set in MX
Pros: The graphics are really nice with some beautiful scenes and it does address a very interesting topic of how so many Mexican kids cross the border everyday to go to school
Cons: I know it’s a graphic novel but why the heck did it move so quickly? I was constantly checking the page numbers to make sure I hadn’t skipped a page because it definitely felt like the scenes were jumping around without a seamless transition. For this same reason I felt like there wasn’t a real plot: kinda just felt like I was reading about day to day interactions between the characters
September 26, 2022
Twins Teresa and Fer live in Mexicali and are going to different schools for the first time in their lives, and have very different experiences. Teresa crosses the border every day to go to a school in Calexico, while Fer stays in Mexicali to go to a local school. Teresa struggles with the higher rigor and expectations at her school, while Fer struggles with feeling alone and relying on a bad news friend. This kind of feels like two stories pasted together, which can make the whole thing feel kind of long if you're not equally invested in both twins.
December 14, 2022
This did a great job of capturing the tension when siblings start to grow apart and make personal choices. It's especially intense because "Lu-Lu" (Luisa Teresa and Luis Fernando) are twins, and because they live in Mexicali, close to the US border, and Teresa decides to go to middle school in Calexico, seemingly making the choice of the US over their home country and culture.
Lots to discuss about finding friends in a new school, deciding who is good for you, preserving culture and language, etc.
Lots to discuss about finding friends in a new school, deciding who is good for you, preserving culture and language, etc.
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