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A review by wrentheblurry
Pedro and Me: Friendship, Loss, and What I Learned by Judd Winick
4.0
GENRE: Nonfiction: Graphical biography.
SUBJECT/THEMES: Mtv’s The Real World, AIDS, friendship, loss, activism.
SUMMARY: Through a graphic novel format, Judd Winick relates how met Pedro Zamora on a popular reality television show, how their friendship grew, and what Pedro meant to him and the world. Judd describes both his and Pedro’s childhoods, how they each came to be cast members for The Real World, and what it felt like to have cameras in your face all the time. Pedro contracted AIDS at the age of 17, and died from complications when he was 22. During those years, Pedro strove to educate as many people as possible as to how AIDS is acquired, passed on, and how to protect yourself from it.
EVALUATION: This is a wonderfully moving tribute to a boy that died too young, and how much he taught his friends, and so many others. I teared up at several points throughout the book; I think the graphic novel format really helps Judd to deliver his message of friendship and loss.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: I watched that season of The Real World when Pedro and Judd were on it, and enjoyed their ‘characters’ way back when. This book helps make things more real, and gives the reader a stronger connection with them and their relationships. It’s also a good resource on basic AIDS information, as well as a inspiring story for homosexuals, those struck with the disease, or both.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• Maus I and II, by Art Spiegelman.
SUBJECT/THEMES: Mtv’s The Real World, AIDS, friendship, loss, activism.
SUMMARY: Through a graphic novel format, Judd Winick relates how met Pedro Zamora on a popular reality television show, how their friendship grew, and what Pedro meant to him and the world. Judd describes both his and Pedro’s childhoods, how they each came to be cast members for The Real World, and what it felt like to have cameras in your face all the time. Pedro contracted AIDS at the age of 17, and died from complications when he was 22. During those years, Pedro strove to educate as many people as possible as to how AIDS is acquired, passed on, and how to protect yourself from it.
EVALUATION: This is a wonderfully moving tribute to a boy that died too young, and how much he taught his friends, and so many others. I teared up at several points throughout the book; I think the graphic novel format really helps Judd to deliver his message of friendship and loss.
WHY I WOULD INCLUDE IT: I watched that season of The Real World when Pedro and Judd were on it, and enjoyed their ‘characters’ way back when. This book helps make things more real, and gives the reader a stronger connection with them and their relationships. It’s also a good resource on basic AIDS information, as well as a inspiring story for homosexuals, those struck with the disease, or both.
ITEMS WITH SIMILAR APPEAL:
• Maus I and II, by Art Spiegelman.