Author Pedro Martín tells us in his remarkable “Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir” (Dial 2023), that he is the seventh of nine kids in his
Mexican-American family and their apá decides to drive them all from California down to Pagueros, Mexico in a Winnebego and a truck, to pick up their abuelo which will make their already large family crowd into a house as an even dozen. Pedro is not happy about this.
The first five kids were born in Mexico, but Pedro and three others were born in the U.S. Pedro/Peter shows us his large family at dinnertime in 1977. Amá is cooking, Apá is reading the paper, two siblings sit at the table. The rest are on the floor or in overstuffed furniture, reading, drawing, watching TV, or punching each other. On the next spread they’re arguing. Sometimes they speak Spanish and sometimes English. It’s chaos.
Their grandfather is a legend, having lived through the Mexican Revolution which lasted from 1910 – 1920. He ran a mule train to deliver food between the two warring sides, who would each call a cease fire when Abuelo arrived. He’d get robbed on occasion and he always whupped the thieves. He was a super-hero. And this is attractive to Pedro.
Martín says his apá has Mariachi music (which he says sounds like “chun-ta-ta” to American ears) running through his blood. His big brother Leon’s blood is full of “Today’s Top 40 hits and R&B favorites.” Not only does he offer us a cultural comparison, but he gives a music lesson. There’s so much here. This is not your simple graphic novel. This is Newbery quality and in fact it won a Newbery Honor.
On the day they set out on their journey, you see the line up of the five big kids and the four little kids against a map of their route. We see the whole family sleeping amidst their luggage in the Winnebago. Each sibling has a distinct personality and really get to know them all. We get a transection of the vehicle and their supplies. The detail is remarkable. We see the chilaquiles they eat, the customs officers searching the Winnebago, the toys they play with, Apá’s emotions as he drives, the sides of the Mexican roads, the topography, the little flags waving across streets, the markets, and so much more.
And Pedro does such a good job with gross: slurping, flies, the diarrhea, poots, and more. One big sister delivers history and in this context we want to hear every word of it.
In Pagueros, they find their legendary grandfather and kiss his hand, “it’s what we do.” The whole family helps load a truck with bales of hay. The old man is stronger than any of them, throwing his bale up onto the top of the load while the others struggle to varying degrees.
Abuelo won’t leave long-dead Abuela behind, so they dig up her bones and take her with them. What a wonderful quest. Of course, Pedro loves his grandfather by the end.
Patricia Hruby Powell is the author of the award-winning books: Lift As You Climb; Josephine; Loving vs Virginia; and Struttin’ With Some Barbecue all signed and for sale at Jane Addams bookstore. Her forthcoming books are about women’s suffrage, Martha Graham, and Ella Fitzgerald. talesforallages.com
