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‘Mexikid’ author teaches connection through writing and illustrating at Lincoln Family Literacy Night

A young boy in a blue shirt holds a piece of folded white paper in the foreground, with a blurred classroom setting and a blue wall in the background.
‘Mexikid’ author teaches connection through writing and illustrating at Lincoln Family Literacy Night

Connection through literacy was the goal at Lincoln Elementary’s Family Literacy Night on September 11.
 

Author and illustrator Pedro Martín made a special visit to the event as part of Grand Island’s Welcoming Week, which is September 10-18. Martín is the author and illustrator of two graphic memoirs: “Mexikid” and “Mexikid: Dreams”. In his books, he tells stories of his family and growing up in a Mexican-American household. 
 

A man gestures while speaking to a group of students seated at desks in a classroom with a projection screen in the background.


At the Lincoln event, he showed families how to create their own “zine” or mini book. Families connected with one another as they interviewed each other for their mini books. Each “zine” was meant to be a mini memoir, complete with writing and drawings. 
 

“The whole idea is to give them the tools to do this little book that they can fill with these memories of their family, and then they can also share them with others or look back at them later,” Martín said. “It's a little way of being their own author,” he shared.
 

A woman and two young girls sit at a table writing and reading in a brightly lit classroom.


Joana Reyes, Family and Community Liaison at Lincoln Elementary, said she was happy to help coordinate the event. She said when a local bookstore owner reached out with the opportunity to have Martín visit, Reyes jumped at the chance.
 

“I was just excited that we had that opportunity. I saw how relevant that was going to be for our kids and families,” Reyes said.
 

A young girl in a purple shirt looks at a piece of paper at a table with books, while a person in an orange shirt stands blurred in the background.


Martín said the zine activity is unique because it encourages families to ask more questions about each other and connect. He said asking questions is how he found out interesting stories from his family, which then was included in his memoirs. 
 

“This little zine project tonight is just kind of like a little micro memoir of kids trying to, or I want them to kind of interview their parents or their family, so they can do a little a little tiny book about their family and their family's experience, and maybe even unlock some information that they didn't know,” Martín shared.
 

A young boy in a blue shirt holds a piece of folded white paper in the foreground, with a blurred classroom setting and a blue wall in the background.


Reyes said she can see Lincoln students expanding this activity at home.
 

“I can really see how our kids will use this to have more conversations. Oftentimes mom and dad are at home and go to work and cook dinner, and that's the extent of it,” Reyes said. “I'm really excited about what is going to come out of those conversations because I know those conversations were some of my favorites with my mom,” she shared.
 

What a great opportunity for our students to unlock curiosity and connect with each other!
 

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