Author Study: Duncan Tonatiuh

Duncan Tonatiuh was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Miguel de Allende. His father was American and his mother was Mexican. He attended art school in New York and began his career as an author and illustrator. Tonatiuh models his art after ancient Mexican art.

The style is called Mixtex.
. His goal in writing children's books is to have picture books that Latino children feel connected to. He has already received the Thomas Rivera Award. I am very excited to now have these books in our Media Center.


Book Reviews of Some of his Books:

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin. This book is written as letters between cousins. One cousin lives
in America and one cousin lives in Mexico. Throughout the book various common Spanish words are introduced. This book is a great introduction to the Spanish language and the differences between life here and life in Mexico. It would be the perfect read for a kindergarten or first grade Spanish class.

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours. This short book gives the background on Diego Rivera. It tells about his art education, his artwork, and what he might paint if he were alive today. The book encourages young artists to create their own murals. This book could be useful to discuss culture in a Spanish class or as an introduction to Diego Rivera in an art class. It is best fit for first through third grade students.

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote. This book tells about the difficulties Mexican workers face in Mexico
and the challenges they face on the journey to the United States for work. The story is told using animals and is easily understandable for elementary students. Because the content can be somewhat scary, I would recommend the book for grades 2 and up. The last two pages of the book give some information about the author and the journey many Mexican migrants face. This would be a great book to share with students, especially in a Spanish class or in a community with many Mexican immigrants.

Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and her Family's Fight for Desegregation. The book itself was written at a level that a 2nd or 3rd grade student would understand. I believe this story is an important story to tell. It is relevant to many students as the Hispanic population grows in Minnesota. I like that this is a story about Mexican Americans integrating the school system. We often hear about the African American students in the south, but rarely about the struggles other Americans went through. I like that this book also has more information, sources, and definitions in the back.