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My Two Border Towns

David Bowles author Erika Meza illustrator

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Penguin Young Readers

Published:24th Aug '21

Should be back in stock very soon

My Two Border Towns cover

Early one Saturday morning, a boy prepares for a trip to The Other Side/El Otro Lado. It’s close - just down the street from his school - and it’s 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 favourite 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.

2022 Américas Award Winner
2022 Tomás Rivera Book Award Winner

2022 Premio, Mejor Libro Infantil/Best Spanish Language Picture Book Award Gold Medalist
2021 New York Public Library Best Books

2021 School Library Journal Best Books
2021 Kirkus Reviews Best Books
2021 Center for the Study of Multicultural Literature Best Books
2023-24 Land of Enchantment Book Award Nominee
An ALSC 2022 Notable Children’s Book
2022 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books List


★ "Characters’ friendly greetings, the vibrant illustrations, and the thoughtful actions of this father and son come together to create a feeling of warmth and hope, while also bringing to the forefront the plight of so many like Élder and his family. An excellent addition to Spanish picture-book collections."
Booklist, starred review

★ "Bowle’s picture-book debut weaves weightier realities into a story of ordinary border town life, and does so with a gentle hand."
The Horn Book, starred review

★ "Meza (Balloons for Papa) pours artistry into mixed-media images of the towns, which mirror each other across the river… the father and son look forward—with warmth and care—to a 'wonderful day,' when passage between the border towns isn’t limited."
Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Beautiful, honest, complex."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

ISBN: 9780593111048

Dimensions: 236mm x 287mm x 9mm

Weight: 461g

40 pages