Dear Primo: A Letter to my Cousin/ Pura Belpre

Plot Summary:

            This book does not follow a typical plot line; it is organized in a compare/ contrast manner. A boy from an urban part of the United States writes his cousin in rural Mexico. The boy tells about his life and surroundings such as riding a subway to school. His cousin rides his bicycle. The boy plays basketball, his cousin plays soccer. The boy goes to diners and eats pizza. His cousin eats quesadillas and tortillas. These comparisons go on throughout the book.

Personal Reaction:            

            This is a nice story; there are a lot of Spanish words with illustrations beside them so that they need no explanation. The illustrations are done in collage, which adds an interesting texture and allows for the comparison to continue beyond the text. Of course the illustrations are also used to reinforce text, which is often written in letter form. This book was very simple, but valuable in that I think many kids can identify with having a cousin that lives some distance away, and wonder about their lives. Therefore, it may have an intended audience of predominantly ELL and immigrant readers, but I do think this book is for any kid.

Tonatiuh, D. (2010). Dear Primo: a letter to my cousin. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers.