Title: Pedro and Me: Friendship Loss and What I Learned
Author & Illustrator: Judd Winnick
Author's Website: www.frumpy.com
ISBN: 978-0-8050-064032
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Copyright Date: 2000
Genre: Non-fiction & Graphic Novel
Reading Level/Interest Age: 15-18
Awards: Notable/Best Books (A.L.A.), 2001. Robert F. Sibert Award Honor, 2001.
Plot Summary: This very real, very poignant story is sure to make every reader stop and think about what they know about AIDs (or think they know). Winick shares this story from his point of view, including a biography of Pedro’s life, and how the two men came to be such close friends. In addition to sharing Pedro’s life story, and Judd’s personal friendship with Pedro, it makes several several important points: You can’t tell someone is gay or has AIDs just by looking at them, and not everyone that has AIDs is gay. It also provides important educational facts about AIDs in such a subtle way that readers won’t even realize that they’ve learned something until the story ends. This is because Winick does such a great job of captivating the reader.
Critical Evaluation: These black and white, comic book style illustrations are humorous, serious, realistic and touching. One noteworthy illustration shows Judd walking down the street carrying large suitcases (baggage) with the words Stereotypes written across them. I thought this was such a brilliant way to illustrate how uneducated he felt when it came to HIV before he moved into the Real World house and met Pedro. Reader's Annotation: The story of Pedro Zamora – AIDs sufferer and Real World cast member.
Booktalking Ideas: AIDs, Stereotypes, Homosexuality
Challenge issues if any: I would anticipate this story being a challenged book because of how openly it talks about sex. There is a scene where readers watch as Pedro gives a lecture about safe sex, and how to perform oral sex on a girl using Saran Wrap. However, those challenging this book would be the same that are anti-sex education in classrooms. Ironically, the point this book is making is that this happened to Pedro because he wasn’t informed. And he clearly felt that if he would have been educated about AIDs and how you can contract it and how safe sex could have prevented it – then he wouldn’t have been dying…er…living, with AIDs. And if this book could save just one young reader’s life because they read Pedro’s story, then his death wouldn’t have been in vain.
Challenge issues if any: I would anticipate this story being a challenged book because of how openly it talks about sex. There is a scene where readers watch as Pedro gives a lecture about safe sex, and how to perform oral sex on a girl using Saran Wrap. However, those challenging this book would be the same that are anti-sex education in classrooms. Ironically, the point this book is making is that this happened to Pedro because he wasn’t informed. And he clearly felt that if he would have been educated about AIDs and how you can contract it and how safe sex could have prevented it – then he wouldn’t have been dying…er…living, with AIDs. And if this book could save just one young reader’s life because they read Pedro’s story, then his death wouldn’t have been in vain.
Why did you include this book: Not only does this book succeed at expelling negative stereotypes and falsehoods surrounding AIDs, it can help to build tolerance and understanding for those suffering.
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