Sweet memoir - if feels true to life and full of love -- love for mexico, love for family, love for identity and heritage. I liked how much of the story wasn't translated, as it added to the experience of not being a native speaker and trying to figure out what was happening. Not a plot driven story, but very lovely. ( )

Christine (16) travels to visit their family in Mexico during the summer. Christine is self-conscious about their Spanish and their body (the family's shared body type tends toward pudgy, and several women in the family are diabetic). Christine's father is white, mother is Mexican-American.

The art is primarily in shades of blue and tan/orange/brown. Some dialogue is in English, some in Spanish. Christine's tiny, imaginary avatar sometimes offers commentary, encouragement, and translation of the words Christine knows (e.g. from a speech bubble on p. 55: "Y qué quieres hacer cuando te gradúes?" there are arrows from "quieres" to "want" and "cuando" to "when").

See also: Frizzy by Claribel Ortega, Twin Cities by Jose Pimienta

Quotes

It's strange being so loved by someone you can't even have a full conversation with. (91)

I miss talking.
I feel like just a body without a voice. (139) ( )

semi-autobiographical graphic fiction (based on two real-life trips to Mexico, condensed into one), by nonbinary queer author

teen/adult (might work for middlegrade and younger kids as well as there is no sex, only a little gaping at pretty women/naked models on magazine covers)

half white/half Mexican-American Cris travels to visit her grandparents Mama and Papa in Mexico, as well as her Tia Mary, after a long absence and (understandably, and very relatably) struggles with the Spanish, as well as body-image issues, queer thoughts, and general homesickness. Eventually her mom joins her but her other aunt lacks the right papers to be able to see her parents; the trip is full of memorable and lovely family experiences that the author continues to cherish.

Initially I was a little confused (Mom and Tia Paty look very alike and I didn't know they were two different people at first; note that Mom is taller than Cris and Paty is shorter--a pictorial family tree at the beginning of the book would have been welcome). However, I enjoyed this quite a bit, finishing it in one sitting. The having to laboriously translate Spanish in one's head is so relatable, and not quite knowing what was being said added to the experience of the book. Cris' experiences felt so genuine and I would love to read more from this author. ( )