Edward Dennis, a Mexican-American freelance illustrator and special education teacher who currently divides his time between Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix, Arizona, is getting ready for the official publication of his graphic book “The Boy from Mexico,” a story with which the artist hopes to inspire a dialogue between parents and children on immigration issues.

Told through the eyes of Luz, a boy determined to reach the United States, "The Boy from Mexico" presents the difficult obstacles that this child must face daily in his struggle to reach a new country, such as the inclemencies of the weather and long days of marching, as well as the geographical and cultural shock he must face, all this while missing his family and while wondering if he should return.

“The U.S.-Mexico border has millions of crossings each year. Luz’s journey is just one of those millions of stories. This book is a great way to introduce the concept of immigration to children, empowering them to make their own opinion on the topic. It is a story of hope, determination and finding one’s place in the world,” said Dennis, noting that he hopes this story can teach children about empathy and Latino culture.

Dennis was inspired by his great-grandparents, who came to the U.S. in the early 20th century, to tell the story of Luz, whose name alludes to the word “light” in Spanish, signaling that he wanted to bring light to such a dark subject.

The artist underlined:

When creating this bilingual book I wanted to convey a sense of hope, no matter what your situation is.

The book, released by Mango publishing, will be available for sale on November 2022. It can already be ordered in advance through the following platforms.

• Amazon
• Target
• Walmart
• Barnes & Nobles
• Booktopia

“The Boy from Mexico fills a much-needed void. As an immigration lawyer who has assisted thousands of families, it’s great to finally see a book where children can begin a discussion about one of the most important issues facing our society,” said Ray A. Ybarra Maldonado, from Ybarra Maldonado Law Group.

About Edward Dennis

Edward Dennis is a visual storyteller who has worked with brands including Toyota USA, Yakima racks, Disney, Giant/Liv Cycling, Sesame Street, Shimano, Epic Rides, Corel, Anheuser-Busch, Western Union, and Giordana Cycling.

He has been featured in publications such as Mountain flyer: The mountain bike journal, Backcountry magazine, Outside business journal, Pure Nintendo, and Nintendo force. He has also worked on various video games, such as Super Ubie Island, Up Up Ubie, and currently Super Ubie Island 2.