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“Tales of strawberry fights and a malodorous outhouse (“Casa del Diablo”) will have readers in stitches, but the true heart of the story is the immigrant family working hard to make ends meet and provide better opportunities for the next generation. Martín highlights the intense labor of migrant farm workers, from families like his to undocumented workers who helped make ends meet for families back home in Mexico. Amid it all, Martín sneaks in entertaining lessons in history and cultural appreciation. The lively, lovingly detailed illustrations remain a delight. Mexikid is back, and he’s as hilarious and heartfelt as ever: more, please!”

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Martín candidly addresses the struggles of migrant workers, from low pay to the constant threat of la migra, but he never loses sight of his childhood perspective, in all its delightfully overconfident, well-meaning boldness. Clever visual storytelling with thoughtful color shifts and fantastic layouts carry beautifully expressive artwork that clearly communicates all the complicated feelings Pedro has about sharecropping and his future. There’s a lot here, but Martín balances it all beautifully in an accomplished, poignant, and compassionate family chronicle that’s enlivened with pitch-perfect kid-humor.

—Booklist, Starred Review

Mexikid Dreams: A Graphic Memoir

Written by Pedro Martín
Illustrated by Pedro Martín
Published by Dial Books

In this extraordinary graphic memoir companion to Newbery Honor winner Mexikid, hilarious family hijinks, immigration patrols, and musical daydreams shape a year of growth and change for a Mexican American boy and his family.

Pedro Martín is sick of strawberries. Since he was seven, he’s spent every weekend and summer picking berries with his family under the hot sun. Sometimes it’s not so bad-Pedro’s an ace at “strawberry wars” with his siblings, and when a good song comes on the radio, the fields can come alive with music. But mostly, Pedro wishes he could just stay home watching Saturday cartoons, head to the beach like other kids, and not worry about immigration patrols. When his older brother gets a job away from the farm, freedom suddenly seems within arm’s reach: Pedro just has to prove to his dad that he’s ready to follow a different path! Maybe he can be a trombone player, or a cartoonist-if that’s even a real job. But as Pedro learns more about his parents’ and abuelito’s past, and the choices they made in order to open up more choices for him, he starts to understand that freedom isn’t just about leaving the fields-it’s about knowing where you came from and having the courage to draw your own life.

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Primary ISBN: 9798217002481
Publication Date: September 2026
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Middle Grade, Graphic Memoir, Age 10 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (California)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation, Immigrant

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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