Reading Time: 4 minutes
Dozens of first-graders at Centennial Elementary School in central Fresno piled into the library for a special guest on a recent bright Monday morning.
Students waited in anticipation for Edward Ándres Dennis, a Mexican-American author and illustrator from Phoenix, Arizona.
Fresno Unified administrators invited the author as part of the district’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. Dennis recently published his latest book “The Boy from Mexico becomes a U.S. Citizen.” He visited Fresno Unified classrooms for a week to read to students and introduce them to the world of illustration.
The subject matter resonates deeply with Fresno Unified students and others across the San Joaquin Valley, which is home to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from around the world.
The book touches on topics like how immigrants secure green cards, studying for citizenship exams, the fears of deportation and chasing the American dream – all things that most children of immigrant families are familiar with, regardless of whether they’re Latino.
“We have a lot of different backgrounds, a lot of families from different countries, and a lot of different stories that come into the schools,” said Clare McGarvin, library services manager at FUSD. “Having Edward share his story and the perspective that he had from his family and his generational experience gives kids the ability to see that in themselves.”
During the first reading, young students shouted out questions, some of them less serious.
“Is your mustache real?”
“Did you actually draw all of these?”
“Why do you like bees?”
But later, the questions from a group of fifth graders quickly became more intense.
“Why did you decide to write this book?”
“How long did it take to publish?”
“What was your intention with this book?”
A former educator himself, Dennis tied all the questions back to the central themes of the book and gave meaningful responses to engage students.
The district received a grant to host Dennis and give students copies of the book, McGarvin said. More than 10,000 books had been distributed to Fresno Unified students.
Through the week, he visited 13 classes – meeting hundreds of students across all grade levels. Dennis also gave an illustration demonstration, teaching kids how to draw the main character of the book, whose name is Luz.
‘I want kids to be loud and proud’
Luz, a Mexican immigrant who travels to California, is in search of a new life in the book. The two other books in the series – “The Boy From Mexico: An Immigration Story” and “The Boy From Mexico Becomes a Farm Worker” – showcase the various obstacles immigrants face when they arrive in the United States.
Only 11% of children’s books in 2024 were written by Latino authors, according to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center. Even less, roughly 7%, are about the Latino experience.
Dennis pulls inspiration for the series from his family’s immigration story. Luz, the main character in the series, is based on Dennis’ grandfather and his time as a farmworker harvesting cherries in Fresno’s rich agricultural fields. Jorge Dennis-Flores lived in Fresno for many years, owning a beekeeping business and planting roots in the community.
One of those roots was Dennis’ mother, who grew up in Fresno and attended Roosevelt High School before the family moved to Ajo, Arizona. That’s why Dennis “made it a point to come to Fresno” to celebrate the publication of his books.
“I’m the first in my family to go to college, the first in my family to be an artist. I’m always happy to honor their sacrifices for me to be who I am, and Fresno is part of that,” he said.
During his week in the city, Dennis visited more than a dozen FUSD classrooms – in-person and virtually – and hosted events around Fresno. He spoke at San Pablo Park in south Fresno, and presented his family’s story at local bookstores, including Barnes and Noble, Judging by the Cover: A Bookstore, and Petunia’s Place.
“I think kids need to learn about the contributions that their family members make for this country, whether they’re here now or they’re long gone,” Dennis said. “Because there’s counter narratives out there telling them that they’re freeloaders, that they don’t do much. I want kids to be loud and proud of what their families do everyday.”
In a time of heightened immigration enforcement, Dennis believes books that celebrate Latino culture and the immigrant experience are paramount in maintaining hope for the future.
“I feel like my book is a good way for kids to just take a moment to see the beauty in immigration and the beauty in the American dream,” he said.
“The Boy from Mexico Becomes a U.S. Citizen” is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and local independent bookstores.
