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Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin
From first-time Mexican author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes the story of two cousins, one in America and one in Mexico, and how their daily lives are different yet similar. Charlie takes the subway to school; Carlitos rides his bike. Charlie plays in fallen leaves; Carlitos plays among the local cacti. Dear Primo covers the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of two very different childhoods, while also emphasizing how alike Charlie and Carlitos are at heart. Spanish words are scattered among the English text, providing a wonderful way to introduce the language and culture of Mexico to young children. Inspired by the ancient art of the Mixtecs and other cultures of Mexico, Tonatiuh incorporates their stylized forms into his own artwork.
F&P Level: M
F&P Genre: RF
F&P Level: M
F&P Genre: RF
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2010
19 people are currently reading
678 people want to read
About the author
Duncan Tonatiuh
30 books253 followersI was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. I received my BFA from Parsons School of Design and my BA from Eugene Lang College, both of them divisions of the New School University in New York City.
My first picture book "Dear Primo, a letter to my cousin" is published by H N Abrams and will be in stores March 1st, 2010.
My illustrations of the AH1N1 in Mexico were selected to be a part of CONACULTA's catalog of Mexican illustrators for children and young adults. They also appeared in the BBC when the pandemic broke out.
My short graphic novel Journey of a Mixteco was awarded the prize for the best thesis in the Integrated Design Curriculum department at Parsons. It appeared serially in the webcomix site topshelfcomix 2.0
I'm currently working on two new picture books. And I regularly upload new illustrations about current events to my blog.
My first picture book "Dear Primo, a letter to my cousin" is published by H N Abrams and will be in stores March 1st, 2010.
My illustrations of the AH1N1 in Mexico were selected to be a part of CONACULTA's catalog of Mexican illustrators for children and young adults. They also appeared in the BBC when the pandemic broke out.
My short graphic novel Journey of a Mixteco was awarded the prize for the best thesis in the Integrated Design Curriculum department at Parsons. It appeared serially in the webcomix site topshelfcomix 2.0
I'm currently working on two new picture books. And I regularly upload new illustrations about current events to my blog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
September 9, 2014
I love this author. He also wroteDiego Rivera: His World and Ours, which I read in my Art in Picture Books class! In a style evocative of Aztec art, Tonatiuh tells the story of two boys: one in America and one in Mexico. The cousins write letters back and forth comparing their experiences. From weekends at the marcado or supermarket to eating their favorite meals of quesadillas or pizza, the boys go through their favorite things. The Mexican experience is labeled with vocabulary words ("trompo," "canicas," and "papalote" for example) so that children can learn some Spanish! I love it.
It's a good family book and introduction to a culture outside of our own. I'd definitely recommend this one! (That's probably why it's a Monarch!)
It's a good family book and introduction to a culture outside of our own. I'd definitely recommend this one! (That's probably why it's a Monarch!)
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October 8, 2019Genre: Realistic Fiction
Grade Levels: K-4
Themes: Cousins, letters, Mexico, city/town life
Major Award: Pura Belpre Award Honor Book (2011)
Summary- This book is told through the letters that two cousins, Charlie and Carlitos, write to one another. Charlie’s family, including Carlitos, lives in Mexico but he lives in America so, they have never actually met. They tell each other of the differences in their lives: one rides a bike while the other rides the subway, one eats quesadillas while the other eats pizza, one shops at an open-air market while the other shops at a grocery store and so on. After writing their letters, they both come up with the same idea that they should visit their cousin.
Personal Response- This story was written in such a unique way through a letter format to put the experiences one may have in these two countries side by side. I loved that I could easily see these differences. I also enjoyed that the book included Spanish words to make the story more authentic but either defined those words in English or showed the worn next to a picture so that I could understand what they meant. The style of illustration was really interesting to me. I loved the use of teal textures in the character's pants, gallos, water in the fish tank, and many other places. The mix of these real textures along with drawings made the images very fin to look at.
Other Info-
What has this book led you to think about?
This book made me think about how different cultures are in different countries. As someone who has never traveled outside of the United States, I can only imagine how different it is. It made me want to travel to and live in these places to experience all these new things. It also made me wonder if there were ever any communication barriers between these cousins or if they both know some Spanish and English.
Have you had any experiences similar to this? In what way?
I could relate to the writing letters part of this story. I remember learning to write letters in 2nd grade. I loved writing letters so much that I continued to write letters to my second-grade teacher all the way through middle school. I also remember being at summer camp and writing letters to my family because we didn’t have phones and I missed them. I loved when I recieved a letter from my family just like Charlie did in the story.
Would you use this book with your students? Why/Why not?
I would use this book with my students. If I have an ELL in my class, I think this book could be valuable to them. Just seeing words in Spanish that are familiar to them may help them feel more included and less overwhelmed. It will also help students to see other cultures and what is similar and different between them.
Reader response/Classroom Connection -
1) Before reading this book aloud, I would do a picture walk with my class. If I had Spanish ELs in my class, I would have them share what they see in Spanish since some of the words are written in Spanish. I would have my native English speakers as well as ELs that were confident enough to participate say what those same things are called in English. I would have both my Spanish speakers and English speakers say the word in each language a few times.
2)I could use this book to start a lesson on writing letters. After reading and discussing this book, we could talk about how to write a letter. Students would then have a chance to write a letter to anyone of their choosing. They could get ideas of what to write about in the letter from this book.
Grade Levels: K-4
Themes: Cousins, letters, Mexico, city/town life
Major Award: Pura Belpre Award Honor Book (2011)
Summary- This book is told through the letters that two cousins, Charlie and Carlitos, write to one another. Charlie’s family, including Carlitos, lives in Mexico but he lives in America so, they have never actually met. They tell each other of the differences in their lives: one rides a bike while the other rides the subway, one eats quesadillas while the other eats pizza, one shops at an open-air market while the other shops at a grocery store and so on. After writing their letters, they both come up with the same idea that they should visit their cousin.
Personal Response- This story was written in such a unique way through a letter format to put the experiences one may have in these two countries side by side. I loved that I could easily see these differences. I also enjoyed that the book included Spanish words to make the story more authentic but either defined those words in English or showed the worn next to a picture so that I could understand what they meant. The style of illustration was really interesting to me. I loved the use of teal textures in the character's pants, gallos, water in the fish tank, and many other places. The mix of these real textures along with drawings made the images very fin to look at.
Other Info-
What has this book led you to think about?
This book made me think about how different cultures are in different countries. As someone who has never traveled outside of the United States, I can only imagine how different it is. It made me want to travel to and live in these places to experience all these new things. It also made me wonder if there were ever any communication barriers between these cousins or if they both know some Spanish and English.
Have you had any experiences similar to this? In what way?
I could relate to the writing letters part of this story. I remember learning to write letters in 2nd grade. I loved writing letters so much that I continued to write letters to my second-grade teacher all the way through middle school. I also remember being at summer camp and writing letters to my family because we didn’t have phones and I missed them. I loved when I recieved a letter from my family just like Charlie did in the story.
Would you use this book with your students? Why/Why not?
I would use this book with my students. If I have an ELL in my class, I think this book could be valuable to them. Just seeing words in Spanish that are familiar to them may help them feel more included and less overwhelmed. It will also help students to see other cultures and what is similar and different between them.
Reader response/Classroom Connection -
1) Before reading this book aloud, I would do a picture walk with my class. If I had Spanish ELs in my class, I would have them share what they see in Spanish since some of the words are written in Spanish. I would have my native English speakers as well as ELs that were confident enough to participate say what those same things are called in English. I would have both my Spanish speakers and English speakers say the word in each language a few times.
2)I could use this book to start a lesson on writing letters. After reading and discussing this book, we could talk about how to write a letter. Students would then have a chance to write a letter to anyone of their choosing. They could get ideas of what to write about in the letter from this book.
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April 25, 20151. Text-to-world connection: This story tells about two cousins who live in different countries and have different daily lives. One of them lives on a farm in Mexico and the other lives in a big city in the U.S. As I was reading this book I kept thinking that many students who live around here may not be familiar with either of these places. Even though one of the boys lives in the same country as our students their lives may be very different. This book would give them a look at 2 places they may not know very much about.
2. Does the book expose children to multiple perspectives and values?
This book gives many cultural references to Mexican families and Mexican American families. It shows daily life on a farm in Mexico (going to the mercado, an open air market, to buy food) and it shows life in American (going to the supermarket to buy food.) It also tells about holidays and celebrations that are common in Mexico, Dia de los Muertos and going to December posadas (parties) with pinatas. It gives a good overview about what it may be like living in rural Mexico. It also tells about what daily life could be like for a Mexican American family. Even though the 2 boys share the same family heritage their everyday lives are very different.
3. Write six discussion questions using all six stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy
-Remembering: Name 2 holidays that each boy talks about celebrating.
-Understanding: Describe a typical day for one of the main characters.
-Applying: Compare Carlito's after-school activities with your after-school activities.
-Analyzing: How are Carlitos' and Charlie's lives similar? How are they different?
-Evaluating; If you could choose to visit one of these places which would you choose? Why?
-Creating: What do you think would happen if these boys visited each others homes?
2. Does the book expose children to multiple perspectives and values?
This book gives many cultural references to Mexican families and Mexican American families. It shows daily life on a farm in Mexico (going to the mercado, an open air market, to buy food) and it shows life in American (going to the supermarket to buy food.) It also tells about holidays and celebrations that are common in Mexico, Dia de los Muertos and going to December posadas (parties) with pinatas. It gives a good overview about what it may be like living in rural Mexico. It also tells about what daily life could be like for a Mexican American family. Even though the 2 boys share the same family heritage their everyday lives are very different.
3. Write six discussion questions using all six stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy
-Remembering: Name 2 holidays that each boy talks about celebrating.
-Understanding: Describe a typical day for one of the main characters.
-Applying: Compare Carlito's after-school activities with your after-school activities.
-Analyzing: How are Carlitos' and Charlie's lives similar? How are they different?
-Evaluating; If you could choose to visit one of these places which would you choose? Why?
-Creating: What do you think would happen if these boys visited each others homes?
April 9, 2018
Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin by Duncan Tonatiuh tells the story of a letter sent between two cousins. Carlitos lives in rural Mexico, while Charlie lives in urban America. The two boys share their daily lives, showing the differences but also the similarities between them. For example Carlitos rides his bike to school while Charlie rides the subway to school. The book ends when the two come to a mutual decision showing just how similar they are.
I found the art style of this book very interesting. It takes on characteristics of traditional Aztec folkart. It is very simple in order to not distract from the message of the story. Since this book is targeted towards the multicultural literacy movement this style also helps to show a different style of art that some children have never been exposed to.
Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the addition of marginal Spanish words. They are used next to the object to clarify what the spanish word means. For example on the page about the town’s fiestas they include the words “cohetes” next to the fireworks and “mariachis” next to the band. This may have been done to help students learn the spanish words through association without needing to explicitly state the english equivalent.
I found the art style of this book very interesting. It takes on characteristics of traditional Aztec folkart. It is very simple in order to not distract from the message of the story. Since this book is targeted towards the multicultural literacy movement this style also helps to show a different style of art that some children have never been exposed to.
Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the addition of marginal Spanish words. They are used next to the object to clarify what the spanish word means. For example on the page about the town’s fiestas they include the words “cohetes” next to the fireworks and “mariachis” next to the band. This may have been done to help students learn the spanish words through association without needing to explicitly state the english equivalent.
November 19, 2012
When I was growing up I spent the majority of my time playing and hanging out with my cousins. I, for one, could not imagine what my childhood would have been like if my cousins lived in a different city, let alone a different country. The very thing I could not handle Carlito and Charlie deal with on the daily basis, Carlito lives in Mexico and Charlie lives in America. Due to the fact that they live miles from each other and do not always have access to phones, they are constantly writing each other letters about their lives and their countries cultures. What is interesting about this book is that even though they are each writing letters to each other, it seems as though they are having a conversation throughout the book, not as if we are literally reading a letter. The author does this by having each statement by Carlito respond to one of Charlie’s previous statements or vice versa.
When I first got this book I thought it would be a dull story about two boys who are forced to write letters to each other by their parents so that they can remain “good cousins”. So you can imagine how surprised I was when I opened the book and saw the diverse illustrations and stories the author puts together to discuss a few of the differences between American culture and Mexican culture. The illustrations throughout the book help you to see what the boys are talking about in their letters to one another and it allows us to see the world through a younger set of eyes. I would definitely recommend this book for any teacher or literacy coach who is interested in making their students aware of the different world cultures and how they compare to one another. This book allows students to compare various cultures or aspects of the same culture, without deeming one better than another. Though this book specifically talks about American and Mexican culture I believe it opens the door for conversations about the many cultures your classroom may be composed of and can allow students to express and teach their cultural values to one another. Not only has this book taught me to appreciate the fact that I lived in the same city and country as my cousins, but it also taught me to appreciate the different cultures that are prevalent in America and in the world as a whole!
When I first got this book I thought it would be a dull story about two boys who are forced to write letters to each other by their parents so that they can remain “good cousins”. So you can imagine how surprised I was when I opened the book and saw the diverse illustrations and stories the author puts together to discuss a few of the differences between American culture and Mexican culture. The illustrations throughout the book help you to see what the boys are talking about in their letters to one another and it allows us to see the world through a younger set of eyes. I would definitely recommend this book for any teacher or literacy coach who is interested in making their students aware of the different world cultures and how they compare to one another. This book allows students to compare various cultures or aspects of the same culture, without deeming one better than another. Though this book specifically talks about American and Mexican culture I believe it opens the door for conversations about the many cultures your classroom may be composed of and can allow students to express and teach their cultural values to one another. Not only has this book taught me to appreciate the fact that I lived in the same city and country as my cousins, but it also taught me to appreciate the different cultures that are prevalent in America and in the world as a whole!
December 5, 2018
Genre: Realistic Fiction Recommended grade level: 3-5 Format: Picture book
Major Awards: 2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book
Summary: Two young boys, cousins, act as pen pals. They write back and forth about their daily lives; one from Mexico, and the other living in the United States. The boys learn that although they are living in different countries, their lives are not all that different from one another.
PERSONAL RESPONSE: I love how this book incorporates mirroring aspects of two different societies. It is amazing to see how different yet similar the characters are, even though they are living thousands of miles apart. The integration of Spanish words was cleverly written, as each word was not explained explicitly, but rather through the use of illustrations. The author did a great job at addressing more complex words and ideas for young students.
ILLUSTRATIONS: The illustrations of this book are very typical of the illustrator. The author/illustrator notes that the illustrations were hand drawn and then colored digitally. I feel that this brings great texture to the book.
READER RESPONSE/CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS:
It would be amazing to pair this reading with pen pals from different countries or areas. The students would have a basic understanding of the types of things that pen pals talk about; their everyday life. Many students will likely relate to the characters of the story, as they may live very different lives from some of their extended family members. Creating a discussion around tradition and culture would be great!
Major Awards: 2011 Pura Belpré Honor Book
Summary: Two young boys, cousins, act as pen pals. They write back and forth about their daily lives; one from Mexico, and the other living in the United States. The boys learn that although they are living in different countries, their lives are not all that different from one another.
PERSONAL RESPONSE: I love how this book incorporates mirroring aspects of two different societies. It is amazing to see how different yet similar the characters are, even though they are living thousands of miles apart. The integration of Spanish words was cleverly written, as each word was not explained explicitly, but rather through the use of illustrations. The author did a great job at addressing more complex words and ideas for young students.
ILLUSTRATIONS: The illustrations of this book are very typical of the illustrator. The author/illustrator notes that the illustrations were hand drawn and then colored digitally. I feel that this brings great texture to the book.
READER RESPONSE/CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS:
It would be amazing to pair this reading with pen pals from different countries or areas. The students would have a basic understanding of the types of things that pen pals talk about; their everyday life. Many students will likely relate to the characters of the story, as they may live very different lives from some of their extended family members. Creating a discussion around tradition and culture would be great!
April 26, 2010
One cousin in America and one cousin in Mexico write letters back and forth describing their lives. Carlitos lives on a farm in Mexico with all sorts of animals. Charlie lives in a city filled with skyscrapers and lights. The lives of the two boys are contrasted with one another from food and games to shopping and celebrations. Underlying the differences though are the similarities between the boys with their energy and strong communities. Tonatiuh’s art strengthens this tie between the boys, making this book a cohesive whole.
Students learning Spanish will find the words peppering Carlitos’ part of the story interesting and useful. They serve to add more than flavor to the text, strengthening the text and tying it more closely to Mexico. Tonatiuh’s text is simple and interesting, allowing for a glimpse of two different lives. It is his art that will really get this book off the shelves. He combines a primitive feel in the characters faces and bodies with a modern collage technique that uses digital components. The juxtaposition of the two makes for dynamic art that show both boys living with tradition and modern components to their lives.
A successful book about cousins who have plenty of differences but also lots in common, this book will be useful for young students learning Spanish. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Students learning Spanish will find the words peppering Carlitos’ part of the story interesting and useful. They serve to add more than flavor to the text, strengthening the text and tying it more closely to Mexico. Tonatiuh’s text is simple and interesting, allowing for a glimpse of two different lives. It is his art that will really get this book off the shelves. He combines a primitive feel in the characters faces and bodies with a modern collage technique that uses digital components. The juxtaposition of the two makes for dynamic art that show both boys living with tradition and modern components to their lives.
A successful book about cousins who have plenty of differences but also lots in common, this book will be useful for young students learning Spanish. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
September 29, 2015
This book is about two cousins that are pen pals between Mexico and the U.S. While this book does feature life in Mexico and life in the U.S., I was a little disappointed with it. I thought the illustrations were cute in their Picasso-like weird sort of way and the bold lines. I originally liked it but after reading it to my class, I realized that there were so many pieces of the cousin from the U.S. that my students could not relate to because it took place in a city. The pieces of the Mexico cousin were also not very identifiable for my students. In a way, it was a learning experience for them about parts of Mexico that they have not seen before and for parts of the city that they have not seen before. They did identify with some parts of both sides, but not as much as I had hoped they would. As my students are native Spanish speaking kindergarten students of Mexican decent, I was hoping they could identify with almost all of the book and see both sides of the book in themselves. However, this seemed to backfire and I would not recommend this book very highly unless it was to teach about Hispanic culture to a class that does not have any Hispanic students, or teach about city life versus rural life. Maybe it could be used as a compare and contrast about what elements of these cousins are in our own lives and which are not.
June 5, 2018
Living in two different countries, two cousins Carlitos and Charlie, discover their lives are very similar. Through letters, the two cousins share what each of their daily lives are like. Carlitos lives in Mexico and Charlie lives in New York. The images do a great job of showing the visual differences between the two cities and how the boys live. Although their environments and cultures are different, the two cousins seem to share very similar experiences.
Through this story Tonatiuh has opened multiple doors for his readers. His inclusion of Spanish words accompanied by objects allows some of his readers to touch on another language they may not be familiar with. Also, many young students reading this book may not know much about New York or Mexico so it lets them see two new parts of their world through an easy to follow picture book. I think it is important for children to be introduced to other cultures and opportunities at a young age and this story does a great job of expanding kids horizons.
Through this story Tonatiuh has opened multiple doors for his readers. His inclusion of Spanish words accompanied by objects allows some of his readers to touch on another language they may not be familiar with. Also, many young students reading this book may not know much about New York or Mexico so it lets them see two new parts of their world through an easy to follow picture book. I think it is important for children to be introduced to other cultures and opportunities at a young age and this story does a great job of expanding kids horizons.
April 27, 2015
Dear, Primo A Letter to My Cousin explores the differences between two cultures.The boys who write letters to each other are cousins one lives in Mexico and the other one in the United States. In each letter the boys describe how their live is and what they do.When I was reading this book it reminded me of my cousin and I because I also use to write letters to her describing how life is different in the United States than my home country. That is the main reason why I enjoy reading this I was able to picture myself once writings those letters to my best cousin.I can use this book in my class to introduces the students to see the differences between an American culture and Mexican.Through this book students can explore the traditional food,parades and music of two different cultures.
October 7, 2013
Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin/ Duncan Tonatiuh/ 2010
Genre: fiction
Format: picture book
Plot Summary: Two cousins, one in Mexico and one in New York City, write to each other and learn that even though their daily lives differ, at heart the boys are very similar.
Considerations: no red flags,
Review Citation: Medlar, Andrew. Booklist, Feb 2, 2010. 106:11, 48.
Selection Source: Bibliography from Celebrating Diverse Latino Cultures, Literature, and Literacy Everyday ALSC Institute – 2010
Recommended age: 4-8
Genre: fiction
Format: picture book
Plot Summary: Two cousins, one in Mexico and one in New York City, write to each other and learn that even though their daily lives differ, at heart the boys are very similar.
Considerations: no red flags,
Review Citation: Medlar, Andrew. Booklist, Feb 2, 2010. 106:11, 48.
Selection Source: Bibliography from Celebrating Diverse Latino Cultures, Literature, and Literacy Everyday ALSC Institute – 2010
Recommended age: 4-8
March 5, 2016
I used Dear Primo as a read in small groups with my ESOL students in first grade. We talked about the cultural differences and geography. The students really enjoyed the story. It is a true culturally responsive book to bring into the classroom.
September 10, 2017
Dear Primo is a beautiful celebration of cultures and a reminder to us all that our differences are just an opportunity to learn from each other.
June 23, 2018
neat little book where cousins in 2 different countries write each other letters. comparing and contrasting the differences between the places.
February 19, 2019
The book Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin is 2010 children book written by Duncan Tonatiuh and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh.
This book is based on two cousins, Charlie and Carlitos, who exchange letters with each other. Charlie lives in the United States; his primo Carlitos lives in Mexico. They both write about familiar things they know, like friends, games, foods, and holidays. They both wish to meet each other someday. The illustrations are gorgeous, the color that are used are bright and vibrant. The culture that is represented in this book is Mexican.
I would recommend this book to educators because it has a great story line. As a future educator, I would us this book in my future classroom as a literacy activity where I will have centers or small group. The students will practice their reading sentences by choosing the correct vocabulary word to complete the sentence. In another center, students read sentence cards with similes and find the two things compared and write the meaning for each simile on a sheet. Finally, students would have a sequence graphic organizer to write the beginning, middle, and end of a story to review their skills.
This book is based on two cousins, Charlie and Carlitos, who exchange letters with each other. Charlie lives in the United States; his primo Carlitos lives in Mexico. They both write about familiar things they know, like friends, games, foods, and holidays. They both wish to meet each other someday. The illustrations are gorgeous, the color that are used are bright and vibrant. The culture that is represented in this book is Mexican.
I would recommend this book to educators because it has a great story line. As a future educator, I would us this book in my future classroom as a literacy activity where I will have centers or small group. The students will practice their reading sentences by choosing the correct vocabulary word to complete the sentence. In another center, students read sentence cards with similes and find the two things compared and write the meaning for each simile on a sheet. Finally, students would have a sequence graphic organizer to write the beginning, middle, and end of a story to review their skills.
September 30, 2025
•The key themes of this and topics of this book include family relationships, cultural comparison, and daily life.
•Audience: K-3 years old
•I chose this book because it shows building relationships no matter how close or far. I like this book for its bilingual format. It promotes language learning. This book highlights the connection between two cousins which shows young children different kinds of family connections and how love can spread over distances.
•I will use this book in my future classroom to develop basic knowledge of family dynamics, and relationships and geographical awareness.
•Audience: K-3 years old
•I chose this book because it shows building relationships no matter how close or far. I like this book for its bilingual format. It promotes language learning. This book highlights the connection between two cousins which shows young children different kinds of family connections and how love can spread over distances.
•I will use this book in my future classroom to develop basic knowledge of family dynamics, and relationships and geographical awareness.
May 11, 2020
Charlie lives in America and Carlito lives in rural Mexico. Two cousins that write to each other and share their day in their country. Even though they live in different countries their lives are quite similar. Spanish words can be found in the letters Carlitos sent.
Pura Belpre Honor for illustrations 2011
I found this story on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZESp...
Pura Belpre Honor for illustrations 2011
I found this story on youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZESp...
August 27, 2022
This book follows two young cousins through their everyday lives. One of the boys lives in America and the other lives in Mexico. I loved how on one page the story talked about an activity that one cousin did then compared it to what the other cousin would do. I enjoyed this book because it showed the differences and similarities between different cultures and it included both English and Spanish words. If I were to use this book in the classroom, I would use it as a read aloud then possibly a reference book for later. I might have students complete an activity where they fill out a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the cousin's lives after reading the book. This would also be a good book to help bilingual or multilingual students make connections between different words and activities throughout the story.
December 18, 2019
4 🌟
A nice children book depicting everyday life of two loving cousins, one living in Mexico while the other in America showing how different they are and in the end each of them dreaming of meeting each other.
A nice children book depicting everyday life of two loving cousins, one living in Mexico while the other in America showing how different they are and in the end each of them dreaming of meeting each other.
October 10, 2020
I thought this book was very informative about both, American and Mexican cultures. It discussed things such as foods, celebrations, sports, etc. I really liked that the author and illustrator made the pages to where it was almost divided by the two characters. For example, on pages 9 and 10 the child from Mexico is on the top part of the pages and the child from America is on the bottom. Different forms of this separation continued throughout the book. This made it easier to read and follow along for me. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
June 16, 2021
Through these two cousins your able to learn more about traditions and culture in Mexico! There is also many great visuals that go great with the text.
March 2, 2020
I located this book by using the list of Pura Belpré Award and Honor books available on the Association for Library Service to Children website (ala.org/alsc). Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin was a Pura Belpré Honor Book in 2011.
Cousins Charlie and Carlitos write letters back and forth telling each other about their lives. Charlie lives in a city in America, and Carlitos lives on a farm in Mexico. In their letters, they tell about where they live, what they like to do, and their different traditions and celebrations. The book ends with the boys having the same idea: that their cousin should come visit them. The illustrations are inspired by the art of the Mixtecs and use a variety of textures and bold colors. The color palettes for the American and Mexican pages are different, but they are unified by the same distinct art style. The book aims to show how Charlie and Carlitos are connected despite their different homes and that family and community go beyond where you live. While the theme is meaningful, the story feels somewhat contrived to make the point. For example, Carlitos explains what quesadillas and pinatas are, but Charlie, being of Mexican heritage, would very likely already know this.
The book contains several Spanish words, and there is a glossary included at the end of the book. In the author's note, Duncan Tonatiuh writes about growing up in Mexico and attending high school and college in America. As both a Mexican and American citizen, he is an authentic voice for this story. The book is appropriate for grades K-3 and would pair well with informational text about rural/urban living. It could also work as a mentor text for letter writing.
Cousins Charlie and Carlitos write letters back and forth telling each other about their lives. Charlie lives in a city in America, and Carlitos lives on a farm in Mexico. In their letters, they tell about where they live, what they like to do, and their different traditions and celebrations. The book ends with the boys having the same idea: that their cousin should come visit them. The illustrations are inspired by the art of the Mixtecs and use a variety of textures and bold colors. The color palettes for the American and Mexican pages are different, but they are unified by the same distinct art style. The book aims to show how Charlie and Carlitos are connected despite their different homes and that family and community go beyond where you live. While the theme is meaningful, the story feels somewhat contrived to make the point. For example, Carlitos explains what quesadillas and pinatas are, but Charlie, being of Mexican heritage, would very likely already know this.
The book contains several Spanish words, and there is a glossary included at the end of the book. In the author's note, Duncan Tonatiuh writes about growing up in Mexico and attending high school and college in America. As both a Mexican and American citizen, he is an authentic voice for this story. The book is appropriate for grades K-3 and would pair well with informational text about rural/urban living. It could also work as a mentor text for letter writing.
November 21, 2019
Two cousins write back and forth to each other, discussing the many similarities and differences in each of their lives. The two cousins intermix Spanish and English together. The two cousins share the same name in different languages among interests, hobbies, and portions of everyday life, but the differences are hugely contrasting as one tells the story of life in a Mexican village and the other tells of life in a US urban city. The story concludes with both cousins wishing to visit the other and longing for one day to do so.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2019
This book was a interesting read that connected two cousins living in two different countries. I would have liked it to go into a deeper meaning but it displayed what the two cultures look like.
November 17, 2020
Published in 2010, realistic fiction. This book is about cousins who are exchanging experiences from their lives. They compare where the live and their school and what they do for fun, eventually deciding that they should visit each other. This I think would be a really great book to have in my class because some students may have families in a different country and they could connect to this book.
November 10, 2021
2010. This is a book about a child in the US writing to his cousin in Mexico. This goes in depth about the differences but in a positive way and informative way. Fiction
November 9, 2019
We see the beginning of Tonatiuh’s stylized art in the day to day details of 2 cousins’ lives shared via letters. The real meat of the book is the author’s note at the end.
November 1, 2019
Genre: Diverse Literature
Awards: Pura Belpre Award
Audience: 3rd through 8th grade
A. The culture in this book is Mexican culture, and compared to American culture.
B. Many events and customs are portrayed through this book. Some include how they live, how they get to school, what types of food they prepare, what they do on weekends and shopping days, mariachi bands, charros, Dia de los Muertos, and Posadas.
C. The culture is portrayed extremely positively. The book shows all the bright colors, events, and lively communities that Mexican children are a part of.
D. EVALUATE: "make a supporting argument about which boy should visit the other first." I believe the American boy should visit Mexico first because he will be able to meet his family and get to learn about a culture that is not American.
Awards: Pura Belpre Award
Audience: 3rd through 8th grade
A. The culture in this book is Mexican culture, and compared to American culture.
B. Many events and customs are portrayed through this book. Some include how they live, how they get to school, what types of food they prepare, what they do on weekends and shopping days, mariachi bands, charros, Dia de los Muertos, and Posadas.
C. The culture is portrayed extremely positively. The book shows all the bright colors, events, and lively communities that Mexican children are a part of.
D. EVALUATE: "make a supporting argument about which boy should visit the other first." I believe the American boy should visit Mexico first because he will be able to meet his family and get to learn about a culture that is not American.
March 15, 2013
Audience: This book is great for primary readers k-3rd grade and lower intermediate grades like 4th grade.
Appeal: I think this book would be great for a majority of boys k-4th grade because they can relate to the sports and activities that the boys are interested in and participate in.
Application: I think this would be a great book to use as a writing example for 3rd and 4th graders. I would plan ahead with a class in Mexico. I would then read the book and explain to the children that they will be matched up with a pen-pal from another country=Mexico. I would then have them write a letter similar to Dear Primo, explaining their hobbies, interests, and daily routines. After a few weeks of contact through mail I would love to surprise the class with a Skype meeting! Extra bonus learning different Spanish vocabulary, possibly have Spanish teacher interpret and or help write certain words.
Awards: Pura Belpre Award Nominee 2011
Copyright: 2010
Professional Review: School Library Journal
( March 01, 2010; 9780810938724 )
K-Gr 3-Tonatiuh compares and contrasts the daily lives of two cousins, or primos. Charlie is American, and Carlitos is Mexican. Charlie enjoys a slice of pizza after school, while Carlitos helps his mother make quesadillas. Charlie cools off in an open fire hydrant, while Carlitos jumps into a small rio. The writing is simple yet peppered with imagery that enhances it significantly: "Skyscrapers are buildings so tall they tickle the clouds" or "The subway is like a long metal snake and it travels through tunnels underground." Twenty-seven Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the text, easily understood from the context and explained in a glossary. Tonatiuh's hand-drawn, then digitally colored and collaged illustrations were influenced by the art of the Mixtecs, one of the major civilizations of Mesoamerica. While the pictures are attractive and carefully composed, one small problem might be that all the faces, young or old, male or female, are identical-only their hairstyles change, and at no time do any of the characters make eye contact. This accurately reflects Mixtec tradition, but may be a bit disconcerting for children unless put into context. Otherwise, this is an excellent tool for explaining how cultures connect.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
My opinion: I agree with the review from the School Library Journal. I think pointing out the interesting illustrations in the book and showing other traditional Mixtec artistry would help understand the illustrations of the people a little bit more.
Appeal: I think this book would be great for a majority of boys k-4th grade because they can relate to the sports and activities that the boys are interested in and participate in.
Application: I think this would be a great book to use as a writing example for 3rd and 4th graders. I would plan ahead with a class in Mexico. I would then read the book and explain to the children that they will be matched up with a pen-pal from another country=Mexico. I would then have them write a letter similar to Dear Primo, explaining their hobbies, interests, and daily routines. After a few weeks of contact through mail I would love to surprise the class with a Skype meeting! Extra bonus learning different Spanish vocabulary, possibly have Spanish teacher interpret and or help write certain words.
Awards: Pura Belpre Award Nominee 2011
Copyright: 2010
Professional Review: School Library Journal
( March 01, 2010; 9780810938724 )
K-Gr 3-Tonatiuh compares and contrasts the daily lives of two cousins, or primos. Charlie is American, and Carlitos is Mexican. Charlie enjoys a slice of pizza after school, while Carlitos helps his mother make quesadillas. Charlie cools off in an open fire hydrant, while Carlitos jumps into a small rio. The writing is simple yet peppered with imagery that enhances it significantly: "Skyscrapers are buildings so tall they tickle the clouds" or "The subway is like a long metal snake and it travels through tunnels underground." Twenty-seven Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the text, easily understood from the context and explained in a glossary. Tonatiuh's hand-drawn, then digitally colored and collaged illustrations were influenced by the art of the Mixtecs, one of the major civilizations of Mesoamerica. While the pictures are attractive and carefully composed, one small problem might be that all the faces, young or old, male or female, are identical-only their hairstyles change, and at no time do any of the characters make eye contact. This accurately reflects Mixtec tradition, but may be a bit disconcerting for children unless put into context. Otherwise, this is an excellent tool for explaining how cultures connect.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
My opinion: I agree with the review from the School Library Journal. I think pointing out the interesting illustrations in the book and showing other traditional Mixtec artistry would help understand the illustrations of the people a little bit more.
December 12, 2016
Plot Summary: This story starts off with a little boy, Charlie, who is very excited to have just received a letter from his cousin, Carlitos, whom he has never met and who lives in Mexico. Throughout the story, the two little boys tell each other about their lives and the differences between the two cultures. Carlitos tells Charlie that his family lives on a farm surrounded by mountains and trees where they grow and sell many things. Charlie explains to Carlitos that he lives in the city, surrounded by massive skyscrapers and cars zooming by. The two boys discuss the differences in their lifestyles, their transportation methods, different sports they play, the foods they eat, and the traditions they celebrate. The story ends with the two boys both having a brilliant idea at the same time: they should both go visit each other. This story captures the differences in two children’s lives, while highlighting how alike Charlie and Carlitos are at heart.
Literary Merit: I think the overall style of this book has a huge impact on the success of this story. The author uses bright colorful illustrations to capture the readers attention and they also aid in the understanding of the story. The author choose to include Spanish words throughout, which he carefully constructed his illustrations around in order to depict the Spanish words. The text is written in different formats and fonts, which gives the book a sort of exciting factor and does not take away from the ability to read it. Tonatiuh was inspired by the ancient art of mixtecs and other cultures of Mexico to create the illustrations, which the reader can clearly see.
Classroom Connection: Since this book offers a variety of Spanish words, I would break my students into groups and have them collect all the Spanish words from the story. I would encourage them to use the illustrations as a guide if they aren't sure what the words means, and if they still cannot figure it out, they can utilize other resources such as a dictionary or online. We could also write our own letters to a real or pretend cousin who lives in another area. (Preferably out of the country) The students can ask their cousins about their experiences and lifestyles and also inform them about their own. For example, they could ask what their cousins like to do for fun and explain that they like to ride their bike to the park for fun. I would have their letters coincide with the boys letters from the books so they would be explaining where they live/what it looks like, where/how they get to school, what they do in their free time, family recipes/food/traditions.
**Text Set: Immigration
Literary Merit: I think the overall style of this book has a huge impact on the success of this story. The author uses bright colorful illustrations to capture the readers attention and they also aid in the understanding of the story. The author choose to include Spanish words throughout, which he carefully constructed his illustrations around in order to depict the Spanish words. The text is written in different formats and fonts, which gives the book a sort of exciting factor and does not take away from the ability to read it. Tonatiuh was inspired by the ancient art of mixtecs and other cultures of Mexico to create the illustrations, which the reader can clearly see.
Classroom Connection: Since this book offers a variety of Spanish words, I would break my students into groups and have them collect all the Spanish words from the story. I would encourage them to use the illustrations as a guide if they aren't sure what the words means, and if they still cannot figure it out, they can utilize other resources such as a dictionary or online. We could also write our own letters to a real or pretend cousin who lives in another area. (Preferably out of the country) The students can ask their cousins about their experiences and lifestyles and also inform them about their own. For example, they could ask what their cousins like to do for fun and explain that they like to ride their bike to the park for fun. I would have their letters coincide with the boys letters from the books so they would be explaining where they live/what it looks like, where/how they get to school, what they do in their free time, family recipes/food/traditions.
**Text Set: Immigration
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