Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale

Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale is a clever book that on the surface seems to be about a young rabbit making a journey to find his father. Because there was no rain, his dad had left the family to go to another land and work the fields. When his dad doesn't return as scheduled, Pancho sets out to find him and meets a coyote along the way who is supposed to help him. After Coyote has gone through all of the food that Pancho brought for his dad, Coyote decides he's going to cook and eat Pancho. But Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale is more than just a book about a bunny and a coyote. The coyote character in this book also represents the coyotes that many Mexicans and South Americans encounter on the way to the show more U.S. These types of coyotes, much like Coyote in the story, are people who agree to help the immigrants make it to their destination and many times take advantage of them. I really liked the author's use of double meaning here to write a book with a deeper meaning that also has a story line and characters that would appeal to young children. show less

I loved how Tonatiuh combined immigration issues with a folktale. Coyote tricks Pancho Rabbit by having him think he was finding his father who went North for work. Coyote, in Spanish, is also someone who helps people get across the border, so this animal choice has a double meaning. Aside from the folktale lesson about trusting strangers, this story shoes the sacrifice families face in order to provide for their families as Papa Rabbit travels North and leaves his family.

Opinion: I really enjoyed "Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote" by Duncan Tonatiuh. My first impression was of the characters, because I think using animals or the like to represent people is effective. It is more easily digestible for children, but it can be taken seriously as a cogent story by an older student. The characters also all have Spanish names, such as "Papa Rabbit, Senor Rooster, Senor Ram" which was a good touch to integrate some international vocabulary (Tonatiuh 2). With regard to the vocabulary, Tonatiuh writes in an encrypted fashion that disguises the tale of an immigrant family to that of migrating animals who are seeking a better life. The big idea in this story is to be accepting of those who are new to "your land," as it show more is more than likely that they have risked everything to make it there. Embrace them as if they are your family.. show less

I love Pancho Rabbit. This modern fantasy picture book has so many great things about it. The language in this book uses both English and Spanish words (as well as Spanish slang) in a very natural way. For example, Coyote is the one that promises to take Pancho to find his father in the North. "Coyote" is the term used for people that smuggle immigrants across borders, however most of the time they are untrustworthy, just like Coyote in this story. Another reason that I really like this book is the illustrations. By portraying the characters as animals instead of humans, the book negates race and therefore does not promote stereotypes. The "big idea" of this story is to provide for your family in the best way that you can.

This is a great picture book to help younger children understand the reasons and risk of immigration to the US. In this book, father rabbit (and other "papas" of the community) make a decision to head north to work on the carrot and lettuce fields. He had hoped to work and save money for his family. Years pass, and finally it is time for Papa Rabbit to come home, the family plans a large fiesta for his homecoming, but he never shows up. Pancho Rabbit sets out on a mission to find his father, with the help of Senor Coyote, they make it to the United States. When Pancho Rabbit and Coyote run out of food, the Coyote decides he will eat Pancho Rabbit. When Pancho Rabbit cries out, Papa Rabbit hears his call and comes to rescue him. Pancho show more Rabbit is able to lead Papa Rabbit (and the other workers) back home safely where they all celebrated with a fiesta.

The illustrations in this book use classic Aztec shapes, patterns, and character expressions giving this fable a timeless feel and furthermore relating the Mexican culture. This book is great for elementary classrooms with an engaging story using animals and can help students gain insight into immigration and a new culture. Great book! show less

I thought this book would be a great way to teach young students about immigration. The book uses animals and simple pictures which would be easier for young children to understand and make connections with. It promotes multiculturalism because it is about immigration and the journey and sacrifices that immigrant parents make when they cross over the border.

This book would be good for primary grades. This is a story about Pancho rabbit who goes out to find his father after he doesn't come home on time. Pancho runs into a coyote who helps him under the guise of just wanting some of his food, but when Pancho rabbit runs out of food the coyote turns on him and his father comes to the rescue. This book could be used in the classroom to start a conversation about immigration and the dangers involved, but I wouldn't necessarily have this one in my classroom as there are other stories that can do a better job of describing and illustrating the nature of immigration and other related and connected experiences.