Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

I wasn’t familiar with Pedro Martin’s work but I was lured into Mexikid by the splendid cover design and intriguing description. The artwork was absolutely sublime, no space was wasted as there is so much detail on each page. You can, with some graphic novels, just glance at the designs but not with Martin’s work. I laughed at his tales of misadventures on his unconventional road trip and being a geeky sort, I shouted with him that they are not dolls but action figures! But when his memories take a turn for the melancholy, your heart aches for Martin & his family and the generations that strive to find their place in the world.

One of the many joys of being part of the NetGalley community is the opportunities to discover gems like this that you wouldn’t stumble over in my local bookshops in Scotland. Books contain the power to educate and entertain, and Mexikid triumphs at both.

I’ve now looked into his website and I can’t wait to read more of his online cartoons.

This book is about a kid with ‘two feet planted on the American side of the border while one heart belonging to both sides’ and how he came to truly appreciate it.

This mostly humorous tale of Pedro Martin’s life also took on extremely sensitive subjects with beauty and compassion. One particular scene sticks out in my mind which left me crying with a warmed heart. Martin very cleverly portrayed his experiences with the same childhood thoughts and feelings he had back then which, along with the humour of the book, will make it appealing to both kids and adults. Kids may just need some clarification on who the Fonz was - particularly with the brilliant aaaaaaaayy references!

A fun read accompanied by eye-appealing illustrations. It is full of action and makes the reader want to learn more about Mexican culture. Stunning.

Just how much love Pedro Martin has poured into his first graphic novel for children - titled Mexikid - is evident on every page of this magnum opus.

The panels are packed with content, and the closer look invariably reveals new and interesting details. The stories that he tells are delicious in the frank and hilarious sharing of them, and the art is terrific.

Born and raised in the USA by Mexican immigrants, Pedro has heard many stories of his legendary grandfather, Abuelito, whose personal history includes the Mexican revolution. But the boy is not entirely thrilled to hear that the grandfather is coming to live with them, because his jampacked family already consists of his parents and their nine children!

To make things even stranger, his father decides the entire family is going to pick up his grandfather from Mexico and bring him home to stay with them. This is the story of an epic road trip, which takes no prisoners in the telling - and from snot to coffins, nothing is off limits...

So buckle in and prepare for the ride of your life. This is a story about how a young boy comes to recognise his origins and realise who he is. And it's a story about family life - in all its wild and wonderful madness. Delightful.