Dear primo (Dear Primo)

March 15, 2010
Carlitos lives in Mexico and his cousin Charlie lives in an American city. Though they have never met, they compare their daily routines through letters. “Every morning I ride my bicicleta
to school,” Carlitos writes. Charlie takes the subway, which he compares to “a long metal snake.” Tonatiuh draws from ancient Mexican art for his collages—always shown in profile, Carlitos and Charlie have oversize hands and feet and stylized facial features, almost like stone statues—while skyscrapers and graffiti provide modern flair. It's a subtly reflective story about friendship and commonalities. Ages 4–8.