My Two Border Towns by David Bowles

My Two Border Towns Reviews

• 
  Ms. B

  Bilingual story about a boy and his father who travel from one side to the other side of the United States Mexico border. Despite a message about immigration and refuges, the uplifting tone and joyful illustrations show the beauty of the two border towns.
• 
  Abby Johnson

  This is a striking picture book about a boy and his father traveling from the US to Mexico to a border town to make purchases and visit family. Most striking to me is the ending, in which they stop to share some of their purchases with a family living on the bridge between countries, refugees not accepted by either nation and waiting for a chance to immigrate. This is definitely a book to start conversations about borders, immigration, and being kind to others who live in our world.
• 
  Michele Knott

  An important story.
• 
  Edward Sullivan

  A boy prepares for a father-son ritual Saturday trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado, just down the street from his school and a twin of where he lives. To get there, his father drives their truck along the Rio Grande and over a bridge, where they're greeted by a giant statue of an eagle. Their outings always include a meal at their favorite restaurant, a visit with Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, a cold treat from the paletero, and a pharmacy pickup. On their final and most important stop, they check in with friends seeking asylum and drop off much-needed supplies. A vibrant depiction of life on the U.S./Mexico border.
• 
  Becky

  MY TWO BORDER TOWNS showcases authentic lives in border towns in South Texas.
  
  As a child who grew up in Mercedes, Texas, going across the border was a repeated activity for me. This story brings reminders of those visits via the eyes of a father and son who care for their community deeply.
• 
  Melissa Kahn

  Every other Saturday, a young boy and his father set out to prepare for their trip to the other side of the border. In the picture book, “My Two Border Towns” by David Bowles and illustrated by Erike Meza, is a historical fiction picture book aimed to provide young readers in grades 1-3 with an understanding about refugees and freedom. The young boy and his father have the freedom to go across borders by only paying a small fee and showing a card into Mexico. While on the other side of the border line in Mexico, they buy items for their friends who are stuck between borders, such as T-shirts, chanclas, and bottled water. The father tells his son “it’s unfair to make him wait, since our country has room for his family right now. But when they get their chance at last, we’ll welcome them with open arms” (Bowles, 2021, p. 28). This is a powerful message at the end of the book where readers learn about the daily struggles and the fluidity of living life in the U.S.-Mexican border. Through this simple read, the beautiful illustrations represent more than freedom, it represents community. The expressions on each character's faces exemplifies a tight knight community and close relationships within Mexican culture. We can sense that these people help each other no matter their citizen status.
  
  Teachers could use this book as an introduction to a Social Studies unit about immigration. This story also gives a small history note about the border. The author wrote, “Coahuiletecans once lived here, before all this was Mexico- both riverbanks” (Bowles, 2021, p. 5). I recommend pre teaching vocabulary words prior to reading this book, as there are many Spanish vocabulary words (i.e. chanclas, otro lado). If you don't know Spanish and you have Spanish speaking students in your class, you can have students teach the class how to pronounce the words. Even though there are Spanish words, I recommend reading this book aloud to your class because the illustrations are phenomenal. I also recommend reading the author’s note at the end of the story because the author explains how he was inspired to write this story after his childhood where he would regularly cross the Texas border with his father to visit family. I think this will encourage students to understand how authors draw on their own experiences to inspire their stories. I found this book on the Wakelet website and it was also recommended to me by my school librarian.
• 
  Lannie

  A gem of a book. Extra special if you also speak/read Spanish, and a learning opportunity if you don’t.
  
  My volunteer background is in refugee resettlement and more recently advocating for and aiding migrants with donations as they wait in long lines with little to no shelter. This book brings those images to life in a real but child-level understanding, with an even, factual tone. To an outsider like me (A Spanish-ish speaking Vietnamese-American), the book seemed muy auténtico, with terms of endearment, and shop names that bring life to the town illustrated on the page. Mostly it highlighted the love the people have for their own.
  
  The journey through the story is adventurous and exciting from the child’s view, even before the reader understands the full meaning of their trip. The story goes through each process of crossing boarders, increasing understanding for young readers of the challenges without creating fear, and showing support and aid to those who need it without creating pity. It sang, this book. Right into my soft spot. That made this book magical for me. I hope it does for others too and encourages others to join in volunteerism and advocacy as well. Highly recommend.
• 
  Alissa Tsaparikos

  I liked the concept and the illustrations of this picture book a lot. However I feel it could have used more context to support the story. I felt a little lost throughout pages until it came to the end where they give the items they bought to refugees. I was disappointed that there was neither a glossary or an author's note at the end to lend to this.
• 
  Barbara

  This picture book with its interesting illustrations, created with gouache, watercolor, pencil, and digitally, is a 3.5 for me. It prompts reflection about border crossings and the similarities and differences between the two sides of the land between Mexico and the United States as well as some thoughts about activism and advocacy. Each Saturday a father and his son cross that border to visit family members and friends and shop. It's clear that this is a place where they feel right at home since they have favorite dining spots and know several of the individuals they encounter. The boy recognizes that "This town is the twin of the one where I live, / with Spanish spoken everywhere just the same, / but English mostly missing till it pops up / like grains of sugar on a chili pepper" (unpaged). Before they cross the bridge into the United States, the boy visits Elder, a boy whose family is living on the side of the bridge, along with others, hoping to enter the U.S. but unable to do so for various reasons, forgotten by both countries. When he questions why these refugees can't cross over, the boy's father explains that it seems unfair since the U.S. has plenty of room for them but that when the time finally comes for them to do so, they will be welcomed warmly. While I appreciate the sentiment and the frustration of all those refugees seeking shelter, the issue is a bit more complicated than it is portrayed here. This picture book should prompt some discussion about the borders between countries and how much responsibility neighboring nations have for their adjoining countries' citizens or others seeking refuge.
• 
  Emilie Ross

  This book takes place in two places, America and Mexico. The father and son travel back and forth to run errands, take care of the family in Mexico, and buy groceries. Before they leave, they take care of the people who are "stuck in the middle". They give them medicine, food and water. This book will teach students to find the beauty in every place. The young boy finds things he loves in each town and enjoys being in both places. This can be something they can find out about being at school and being and home.
• 
  Lynn

  Very nice story about a boy and his dad who travel from their border town in the United States to the border town in Mexico. They have family and friends on both sides of the border and enjoy bringing and buying products across the border. In the middle are stateless people that the US and Mexico are refusing to accept as refugees. Great picture book about life on the border of a country and of course US and Mexico.
• 
  Erin

  An incredibly elegant picture book depiction of a point on the U.S./Mexico border.
  
  Includes a boy and his father doing perfectly ordinary errands during their daytrip to Mexico. At the same time this manages to address that the border has not always been in the same place, and also specifically highlights the difficulties of the people who are unable to fully cross into either country and who essentially live at the border.
  
  A solid sprinkling of Spanish words throughout. No end notes.
• 
  Sandy

  A touching and timely story about immigration. Told through a child's eyes, this tale has a message of empathy and shows the plight of refugees, without going into too much detail. My child was left with many questions, but the book was a good conversation starter.
• 
  Adam

  Good book and definitely has it's place. It'll help build empathy.
• 
  Christy

  A good look at kids between two cultures and refugees that are stuck “in between” places.
• 
  Mary Lee

  Pairs well with VAMOS! LET'S CROSS THE BRIDGE and BRIGHT STAR for compare/contrast. This one has social action and empathy mixed in.
• 
  Steph

  Picture books have depth and simplicity at the same time. What isn't communicated with words offer discussion from the illustrations. In this picture book, the illustrations are gorgeous.
• 
  Jillian Heise

  My Two Border Towns is an absolutely beautiful story...in sentiment, prose, & art. A must-have picture book to talk about family, community, kindness, empathy, helping others, & yes, policies, using a lens of humanity to see what's really happening with immigration in border towns from the perspective of a child with community on both sides of the map line. Teachers & Librarians: Pre-order this now!
• 
  Autumn

  Super solid mirror/window text about life in a Texas border town and its sister city across the border. Emphasizes sharing, kindness, and friendship, but also clearly defines passports. Very accessible vision of a complex topic, (or at least adults make it complex). A natural match to Last Stop on Market Street. Superb.
  
  Oh, and 500 stars for including the guy who gets around on a wheeled board in the market scene in Mexico.
• 
  Sandy Brehl

  A look at life at the border from the view of a single boy and his dad, but one that encompasses the reality that we are ll more alike than we are different, and the things that separate us are not physical bridges or uniformed guards, but political decisions, like visas and passports.
  This is handled very deftly and the bilingual elements are readily supported by context and by visual cues.
• 
  Peacegal

  Wow! Vibrantly illustrated book sparkles with life and culture, and lots of Spanish vocabulary, too. TOWNS relates the reality of people living on both sides of the US-Mexico border.
• 
  Stephanie Flint

  I located this book using our professor’s Waklet designed for awards, blogs, and digital resources for diverse racial, ethnic, and specific populations in children’s and young adult books. The Texas State College of Education website (education.txst.edu) shares the list of Tomás Rivera Book Award winners. Texas State University College of Education created the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award in 1995 to honor authors and illustrators who create literature that depicts the Mexican American experience. In addition to the Tomas Rivera Book Award, “My Two Border Towns” has also earned the Americas Award in 2022, was a gold medalist in 2022 for the Best Spanish Language Picture Book Award and has been features on the New York Public Library Best Books list, the School Library Best Books list, the Kirkus Reviews Best Books list as well as the Center for the Study of Multicultural Literature Best Books list for 2021.
  
  Every other Saturday morning, a boy and his father prepare for a trip to “The Other Side/El Otro Lado”. The boy and his family live right by the U.S. – Mexico border. This story follows the bi-weekly routine of the boy and his father as they cross the border to pick up and deliver things that they need. The city they visit is the twin to theirs in Mexico and their outings always include lunch at their favorite “restorán”, a visit with Tío Mateo and his primos, and a pharmacy pick up. The boy and his father make one last important stop before crossing back into Mexico at a refugee camp for families “stuck between two countries” as the boy’s dad shares.
  
  This realistic-fiction picture book is told from the young boy’s inside perspective in this beautifully written and illustrated story demonstrating conflict between a character and society. The boy and his family are portrayed multidimensionally. The author, David Bowles, and illustrator, Erika Meza, both maintain an insider’s point of view and portray it authentically throughout the entire story. The plot moved slowly at the beginning but had a great impact toward the end when the boy and his dad visit the refugee camp. This story demonstrates community care while giving acknowledgement to the complexity of life on the U.S. – Mexico border.
  
  I would recommend this book to elementary ages students learning about diversity, immigration, and/or during Hispanic Heritage month to help raise awareness of what life is like on the boarder and for those trying to migrate into the United States. This book could also be used for teaching similes and/or used as a mentor text for writing narrative stories.
  
• 
  Victoria

  To begin, I loved Meza's illustrations -- they carried me across and through the border town of the story, and ever so beautifully capture the cultural color -- and differences -- of the border city on the other side. Soft watercolored landscapes (of the Rio Grande/ Río Bravo?) show us a wide divide between the US and Mexico, but within the city, all is warm and lively. The city's details are captivating and I am reminded of my many visits to Tijuana and beyond with family and friends.
  
  But I cannot say enough about Bowles story. The narrative is a simple journey: a truck ride across the border, a hot cocoa, a visit with Tío and los primos sweetened by popsicles, a stop at la farmacia, and then a delivery to a family that is living...waiting...on the bridge. Then home. The trip from door to door is enough to engage any child and as already mentioned, the illustrations mirror the details of the text well.
  
  But sprinkled within the story, Bowles presents the reader (and parents and teachers) with much to explore. Who are the Coahuiltecas? Is there a difference between the border guards? What does the boy mean when he says, "No one searches through my bag this time." How can the boy have family on both sides of the border? And most importantly, why is that family living at the bridge and why do they need medicine and things for the children? Most of these question arise from subtle word choice and asides but towards the end, Bowles addresses refugees and the humanitarian crisis at the border directly. Then Bowles shifts tone again and ends with a gentle but pointed reminder that friends in need are left in the cold when we refuse to open the door -- so why don't we invite them in. HIGHLY recommend.
• 
  Michelle Boyer

  The young narrator in this book talks about what he and his father do on the weekends. The adventure begins on one side of the US/Mexico border – there is food, friendly banter, the father always purchases a newspaper, etc. Every weekend, the father tells the story of the Coahuiltecans–the original inhabitants of all of this land. However, the duo then crosses (and pays to cross) the border to enter the US side. In this small Texas town, Spanish is still spoken and it looks very similar to Mexico. The young boy also sees lots of refugees who are stuck between countries.
  
  How to Use This Book: I would use this book as an example of social justice issues, pointing specifically to issues surrounding immigration policies that keep families separated. However, this book can also show how people/communities/towns are eerily similar and how that is not something to be scared about. In many ways this book suggests that the border separates people, but the people have no real reason to be separated–we’re all very similar. We all have families. We all love the same.
  
  Personal Response: I enjoyed that while this book has undertones of political injustices, it still is very appealing to a younger audience that can enjoy the story whether or not they fully comprehend that immigration policies being discussed. The story is a travel narrative, and one that highlights the role of families when they are divided, and focuses on Hispanic/Latinx communities. Great illustrations and vivid colors make the book appealing as well.
• 
  Abbie McKinley

  This book was about a young boy and his father who lives in the US but travels to Mexico every weekend or so since they live close to the border. The story shows the trip of all the stops the boy and his father make while in Mexico for the day, they stop at their favorite restaurant, they visit family, visit vendors, grocery shops, and the pharmacy - based on the list Mom sent them with. On their way home, back to the US, they stop on the border to visit friends. These friends are called refugees. The book explains that refugees are people who are stuck between 2 countries. How it is unfair that these people are stuck between when our country has room for them. It even explains the term passports. I loved how bright and lively all the illustrations were in this book, I think it really added to the story and made it more interesting.
  I would definitely read this book to my students and have it in my classroom. I think it makes a great point about the concept of refugees and what it means. This book uses a lot of great new vocabulary, like refugees, passport, and even some words and phrases shared in Spanish. It’s important these topics are brought up to children so they are aware of what is going on in the world.