Duncan Tonatiuh was born in Mexico City and grew up in San Miguel de Allende, in the historical state of Guanajuato, Mexico. Duncan Tonatiuh studied writing and illustration at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. His illustrations are inspired by the ancient Mixtec art. Duncan's first book, Dear Primo: A Letter to my Cousin , won a Pura Belpre´ Illustration Honor; Diego Rivera: His World and Ours won the Pura Belpre´ Illustration Award and the Toma´s Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award; Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale was featured on the front cover of USA Today, received a Pura Belpre´ Illustration Honor for illustration and narrative and the Toma´s Rivera Mexican American Children Book Award; Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and her Family's Fight for Desegregation , received a Pura Belpre´ Illustration Honor, a Robert F. Sibert honor for best informational book, and the Toma´s Rivera Mexican American Children Book Award; Funny Bones: Posada and His Day of the Dead Calaveras was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Book, won the Robert F. Sibert award for best informational book, earned a Pura Belpre Illustration Honor, and the Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children Book Award. The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes received a 2017 Pura Belpre´ Illustrator Honor. Duncan currently lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, with his wife and children.