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Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned
CCBC Review:
Judd Winick was struggling to make a living as a cartoonist when he was offered the opportunity to join MTV's The Real World 3, San Francisco. As soon as he had he accepted the offer, he learned that his roommate on the series would be Pedro Zamora, a young gay man who was HIV positive. The experience forced Judd to confront many of his own fears and stereotypes. Although Judd and Pedro had completely different upbringings and, on the outside, didn't seem to have much in common, the two hit it off and became close friends. Judd was at Pedro's side a few years later when died, and he has continued Pedro's work by speaking to teenagers as an AIDS educator. The warm, funny, and engaging story of this friendship is presented as a series of cartoons in a paperback, graphic novel format, making it easily accessible to a wide range of young readers. The facts Judd provides about AIDS transmission and prevention are straightforward and in this context may reach teens who might otherwise tune them out. ©2000 Cooperative Children’s Book CenterIllustrated by Judd Winnick
CCBC Age Recommendation: Age 12 and older
Age Range:
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Grades 9-12 (Age 14 and older)
Format:
Graphic Novel
Subjects:
Cubans and Cuban Americans
Empathy and Compassion
Friendship
Gays
HIV/AIDS
LGBTQ+ Persons
Diversity subject:
Latine
LGBTQ Character/Topic
Physical Disability/Condition
Publisher:
Henry Holt
Publish Year: 2000
Pages: 187
ISBN: 0805064036
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 741.5 Winnick