52. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote, by Duncan Tonatiuh

 

52. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote, by Duncan Tonatiuh


Tonatiuh, D. (2013). Pancho Rabbit and the coyote. NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers.

A young rabbit named Pancho eagerly awaits his papa’s return. Papa Rabbit left two years ago to travel far away north to find work in the great carrot and lettuce fields to earn money for his family. When Papa does not return home on the designated day, Pancho sets out to find him. He packs Papa’s favorite meal—mole, rice and beans, a heap of still-warm tortillas, and a jug full of fresh aguamiel—and heads north. He soon meets a coyote, who offers to help Pancho in exchange for some of Papa’s favorite foods. They travel together until the food is gone and the coyote decides he is still hungry, so he tries to eat Pancho.  Luckily, Papa Rabbit heard Pancho and he, Senor Rooster and Senor Ram ran coyote off and saved Pancho. 

I love the illustrations in this book.  They have a Mayan look to them that is very appealing and fitting to the story.  This is an allegorical picture book about the hardships and struggles of immigration.  I would use this book when teaching about migrant farm workers and Cesar Chavez, or during Hispanic Heritage Month.  I found an educator’s guide that has a lesson plan that uses the book to teach fables.  It has a section about teaching allegory, which is also in the book.  It touches on teaching about immigration and migrant worker as well

http://laii.unm.edu/info/k-12-educators/assets/documents/literature-guides/pancho-rabbit-educators-guide.pdf

 

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