“Some of us slip and slide between an American-style name and a Mexican one.”

In a literal sense, Pedro’s opening introductions of his family describe why most of the siblings have both a Mexican name and an American name. At a deeper level, the diction “slip and slide” indicates the fluidity and insecurity inherent in living with dual identities that sometimes feel in conflict with one another.

“Why not wait until…Alex runs away or something? You know, to the circus or the zoo.”

Here Pedro’s narrative voice reflects both his ironic sense of humor and his jealousy over his mother’s perceived preference for Alex. In Pedro’s view, Alex, (as their mother’s favorite) is unlikely to run away at all, let alone to join the circus or be put into a zoo. Pedro feels safe making this joke to his mother, knowing he can be critical of Alex without upsetting her.

“Legend has it that all dads have this one superpower. A whistle only their kids can hear.”

Pedro’s hyperbole, calling his dad’s whistle a “superpower,” reflects his characteristic desire to see the men in his life as superheroes. He frequently compares his father and grandfather to Han Solo and the Jedi heroes of Star Wars, but as he matures, he is better able to appreciate them as complex humans who demonstrate acts of quiet heroism such as