Duncan Tonatiuh

Duncan Tonatiuh (born 1984)[1] is a Mexican-American author and illustrator of several award-winning children's books. The illustrations in his books are influenced by Pre-Columbian art. The themes in his stories relate to the Latino experience, with subjects that include social justice issues, art, history, and immigration. He is an advocate and activist for workers’ rights.[2]

Duncan Tonatiuh
Duncan Tonatiuh receives a 2018 Americas Award from the Library of Congress.
Born1984 (age 36–37)
Mexico City, Mexico
Occupation
  • Writer
  • illustrator
Language
  • English
  • Spanish
Nationality
  • Mexican
  • American
Alma materParsons School of Design (B.F.A.)
Eugene Lang College (B.A.)
GenreChildren's literature
Notable worksSeparate Is Never Equal (2014)
Years active2010–present
Website
duncantonatiuh.com

Early life

Tonatiuh was born in 1984 in Mexico City[1] to an American father and a Mexican mother and was raised in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.[2] He moved to the United States as a teenager and completed high school at Buxton School in Massachusetts.[3] As a child, he was inspired by comics and anime to write and illustrate his own superhero stories.[4] In high school, he became interested in painting, finding inspiration in the works of Vincent Van Gogh and Egon Schiele.[4]

Career

In 2008, Tonatiuh received his B.F.A. from Parsons School of Design in Manhattan and a B.A. from Eugene Lang College.[5] While in college, he became interested in Mixtec artwork, specifically Mixtec codex.[6] His senior thesis, Journey of a Mixteco, won best thesis and was published online.[7] Immediately after graduating, he was contracted by Abrams Books for Young Children, publishing his first book Dear Primo in 2010. He divides his time between Mexico and the U.S., visiting schools, libraries, and bookstores. He is a workers’ rights activist.

Books

Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin (2010) is about two cousins who live in the United States and Mexico and how their lives are similar yet different. The book shows how life is different for these two cousins, Charlie and Carlitos. It also talks about how their lives might be different but how they are both very similar people.

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours (May 2011) concerns the life of Diego Rivera. It is summarized for young people to read. It talks about his journey to being one of the most famous painters in the world. Tonatiuh also wants young readers to think about what Diego Rivera would be like today if he were alive.

Pancho Rabbit and Coyote (May 7, 2013) is about a young rabbit (Pancho) who is waiting for his Papa's return from working in the carrot and lettuce fields up north to earn money for his family. Pancho becomes impatient and sets out on a journey to find his father. He packs his Papa's favorite meal, mole, rice, beans, tortillas, and aguamiel. He eventually finds a coyote who is willing to travel with him in exchange for food. When the food is all gone, the coyote is still hungry and eats Pancho. This book helps shine a light on the struggles that many families go through to have a better life.

Separate Is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight (May 6, 2014): About ten years before Brown v. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez was denied the right to go to a "Whites only" school in California. She and her parents brought together the Hispanic community and filed a lawsuit that was in the federal district court. They eventually ended school segregation in California.

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras (2015) is about how the calaveras (skeletons), who performed everyday and festive activities, came to be. José Guadalupe Posada drew political cartoons because there was no freedom of speech. His calavera drawings are best known for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

In Salsa (2015), Jorge Argueta, Elisa Amando, and Duncan Tonatiuh bring together an easy and delicious recipe for salsa. The salsa includes tomatoes as bongos and kettledrums, onion, marca, garlic, cilantro and the trumpets, and the conductor.

The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes (2016): Princess Izta had many people who wanted to marry her. When Popoca, a warrior, came along and promised to love her and be true to her, she fell in love. In order for Princess Izta and Popoca to get married, the emperor told him that he needed to defeat their enemy, Jaguar Claw. His challenger sent a message to Princess Izta saying he was dead when he was still alive and about to defeat Jaguar Claw. Princess Izta then went into a very deep sleep and couldn't be woken by anyone. It is a story of how two volcanoes were formed, Iztaccíhuatl (who sleeps) and Popocatépetl (who tries to wake her by ash and smoke).

Awards

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale

Separate is Never equal: Sylvia Méndez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation

Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras

Salsa: Un poema para cocinar / A Cooking Poem

Esquivel: Space-Age Sound Artist

The Princess and the Warrior

Danza!: Amalia Hernández and el Ballet Folklórico de México

Undocumented: A Worker's Fight

Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War

Bibliography

Illustrator and author
  • Dear Primo: A Letter To My Cousin, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2010.
  • Diego Rivera: His World and Ours, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2011.
  • Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2013.
  • Separate is never equal: Sylvia Méndez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2014.
  • Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2015.
  • The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2016.
  • Soldier for Equality: José de la Luz Sáenz and the Great War, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, N.Y.) 2019.
  • Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist written by Susan Wood, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA) 2016.

Illustrator

References

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

  1. "Duncan Tonatiuh". Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  2. "Duncan Tonatiuh". In L. Kumar (Ed.), Something About the Author. 231 (pp. 180–181). 2012.
  3. "Duncan Tonatiuh Smith-Hernandez '03". Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  4. "Five questions for Duncan Tonatiuh — The Horn Book". www.hbook.com. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  5. "Profile-Detail | Parsons". www.newschool.edu. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  6. "Duncan Tonatiuh Wants Latino Children to See Themselves in Books – NBC News". Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  7. "Degree & Profession | Journey of a Mixteco | Duncan Smith". www.florence-expo.com. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
  8. "The Pura Belpré Award winners, 1996–present". ALSC, ALA. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  9. "Award Winners". Americas Award. CLASP. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  10. Schliesman, Megan. "Charlotte Zolotow Award Books". Cooperative Children's Book Center. Retrieved October 13, 2014.
  11. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "Books". Duncan Tonatiuh. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  12. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras". Abrams. Abrams. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  13. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes". Abrams. Abrams. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  14. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin". Abrams. Abrams. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  15. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "Diego Rivera: His World and Ours". Abrams. Abrams. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  16. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrants Tale". Abrams. Abrams. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  17. Tonatiuh, Duncan. "Separate in Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family's Fight for Desegregation". Abrams. Abrams. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
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