VIVA FRIDA written by Yuyi Morales and illustrated by Tim O’Meara

Review by Christi De Leon

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Morales, Yuyi. Viva Frida. Ill. by Tim O’Meara. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2014. ISBN 1596436034

PLOT SUMMARY

This book celebrates the life of Frida Kahlo, a famous Mexican painter whose life was impacted by love, laughter, and tragedy. Her experiences influenced her paintings, in which she also embraced Mexican culture. Her art is reflected in this story.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This bilingual story is written in concise, two or three word sentences. The English words and Spanish words are written somewhat overlapped, soaring across the page in unison. The verbs seem to share Kahlo’s journey in the simplest of ways: “see,” “play,” “dream,” “realize,” “feel,” “understand,” “create,” and “live.” Although this book is remarkable the way it is, it may not be easily understood on its own since it does not provide any details about Friday Kahlo’s life throughout the book. The biographical information following the story is helpful for an adult reader, but may not be suitable for a young learner. In many instances, this book may be best interpreted when paired with another book or resource about Frida Kahlo.

The short text leads readers to focus their eyes on the illustrations, which are key to this story. The illustrations consist of stop-motion puppets created with steel, polymer clay, and wool. These are combined with acrylic paints, photography, and digital manipulation to create dioramas. Beginning with the colorful and stunning cover, Viva Frida portrays the essence of Frida Kahlo by displaying art at its finest. The illustrations are a true depiction of Kahlo, as evident by her unibrow, jewelry, attire, and more. Overall, this book beautifully captures the passionate Frida Kahlo as she embraced life. This one of a kind book definitely has the potential to inspire others. It is a great book to read to a group of English and Spanish speakers, especially since it also invites readers to reflect.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

A 2015 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2015 Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award

From Booklist: “Morales artistically distills the essence of the remarkable Frida Kahlo in this esoteric, multigenre picture book.”

From Publishers Weekly: “Frida is presented less as a historical figure than as an icon who represents the life Morales holds sacred; Frida lives because she loves and creates.”

From The Horn Book: “There have been several books for young readers about Frida Kahlo, but none has come close to the emotional aesthetic Morales brings to her subjects…an ingenious tour de force.” 

CONNECTIONS

Gather other Yuyi Morales books to read such as:

Niño Wrestles the World. ISBN 1250062705

Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. ISBN 0811864839

Gather other Pura Belpré Author Award winning books such as:

Engle, Margarita. Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir!  Ill. by Edel Rodriguez. ISBN 148143523X

Possible activities:

Read another book about Frida Kahlo for further understanding.

 Allow each student to create a self-portrait.