Julie Kwon – illustratör

BEST OF THE YEAR: KIRKUS, BANK STREET, NERDY BOOK CLUBPedro and Daniel are Mexican American brothers growing up in 1970s Ohio. Their mom doesn't like that Pedro is a spitting image of their darker-skinned father, that Daniel plays with dolls, that neither of the boys love sports like the other kids in their neighborhood. Life at home can be rough - but the boys have an unshakable bond that will last their entire lives.Pedro & Daniel is a sweeping and deeply personal novel - illustrated with beautiful linework throughout by Julie Kwon - that spans from childhood to teenage years to adulthood, all the while tracing the lives of two brothers who are there for each other when no one else is. Together the brothers manage an abusive home life, school, coming out, first loves, first jobs, and the AIDS epidemic, in a coming-of-age story unlike any other.P R A I S E★ "Pedro and Daniel's journey, whether together or apart, is an unforgettable one of resilience and, most of all, love. Stunning."-Kirkus Reviews(starred)★ "Luminous. Riveting. Uplifting and heart-wrenching."-Publishers Weekly (starred)★ "Devastatingly beautiful."-Shelf-Awareness (starred)"A powerful coming-of-age story that is unforgettable."-Booklist"Artistically ambitious and unflinchingly personal. . .shines with the depiction of connection, love, and overcoming adversity."-BCCB"A multi-layered and nuanced story."-School Library Connection