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Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos
The fascinating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her dramatic self-portrait paintings featuring bold and vibrant colors. Her artwork brought attention to Mexican and indigenous culture with images renowned in celebrating the female form.
Brown's story recounts Frida's beloved pets—two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn—and playfully considers how Frida embodied the many wonderful characteristics of each animal.
Brown's story recounts Frida's beloved pets—two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn—and playfully considers how Frida embodied the many wonderful characteristics of each animal.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 5, 2017
8 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
Monica Brown
85 books119 followersMonica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of awardwinning bilingual books for children, including My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz (Luna Rising), a recipient of the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second picture book, My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: La vida de Gabriela Mistral (Luna Rising) shares the story of the first Latina to win a Nobel Prize.
Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"
Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).
Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.
To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.
Monica's books are inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and desire to share Latino/a stories with children. "I write from a place of deep passion, joy, and commitment to producing the highest possible quality of literature for children. In my biographies, the lives of my subjects are so interesting and transformational that I am simply giving them voice for a young audience. I don't think it is ever too early to introduce children to the concepts of magical realism, social justice, and dreaming big!"
Her other books include Chavela and the Magic Bubble (Clarion), Pelé, King of Soccer/Pelé, el rey del fútbol (Rayo/HarperCollins), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Márquez/Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel Garcia Márquez (Luna Rising), and the forthcoming Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez/Lado a lado, La Historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins).
Monica Brown is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She also writes and publishes scholarly work with a Latino/a focus, including Gang Nation: Delinquent Citizenship in Puerto Rican and Chicano and Chicana Literature; and numerous scholarly articles and chapters on Latino/a literature and cultural studies. She is a recipient of the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacies from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Flagstaff, Arizona.
To hear Monica Brown on Arizona NPR radio, click here or here. Find out what Monica Brown has to say about children's books and literacy here and here.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
September 24, 2017
This is a children's book about the life of Frida Kahlo.
The book tells the story of Frida, a Mexican artist well known for her self-portraits as well as her marriage to Mexican painter Diego Rivera. It also makes emphasis on the large number of pets she had and loved.
The book contains beautiful illustrations and at the end of it there's a short biography of her life targeted to a more adult audience.
The main story is kept very light but discussing all the pain and difficulties she faced throughout her life might not be too kid-friendly. Overall I liked the book.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.
The book tells the story of Frida, a Mexican artist well known for her self-portraits as well as her marriage to Mexican painter Diego Rivera. It also makes emphasis on the large number of pets she had and loved.
The book contains beautiful illustrations and at the end of it there's a short biography of her life targeted to a more adult audience.
The main story is kept very light but discussing all the pain and difficulties she faced throughout her life might not be too kid-friendly. Overall I liked the book.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this publication in exchange for an honest review.
February 15, 2018
The Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos is a wonderful children's story book that not only young readers will got to enjoy, but adults also will appreciate this.
I'm not quite familiar with Frida's biography, although I knew some of her famous paintings such as the The Two Fridas, The Wounded Deer, and The Broken Column. If ever this would be available in local bookstores here in my country, I'll definitely purchase copies of this charming book to give to my niece and godchildren.
I'm not quite familiar with Frida's biography, although I knew some of her famous paintings such as the The Two Fridas, The Wounded Deer, and The Broken Column. If ever this would be available in local bookstores here in my country, I'll definitely purchase copies of this charming book to give to my niece and godchildren.
June 12, 2023
Frida Kahlo is perhaps the latest artist to fall prey to the commercialisation of her image. Whereas there are a plethora of images of water lilies by the impressionist Claude Monet on astonishingly irrelevant items, from aprons to umbrellas, and William Morris’s decorative wallpaper patterns proliferate in an equally absurd fashion, on anything from shower curtains to dog beds, it is the recurring image of Frida Kahlo herself which is sold as an attractive design feature.
The reason is simple. Not only did she paint many dozens of self-portraits, but they are in a bold, bright and accessible style. What’s more, Frida Kahlo has been mythologised. It has been said that she “has been embraced as a poster child for every possible politically correct cause”. The truth of her life and Art is of course, far more complex and arguably flawed than the airbrushed version the populist image presents … but this is not the place to discuss it.
Along with the huge number of artefacts using (or abusing) reproductions of her oil paintings, there also quite a lot of books about Frida Kahlo, including picture books for children. This is the best one I have seen. It is marketed as suitable for ages 4 - 8, but as it has quite a few Mexican words in it, I would suggest it is more appropriate for the top end of the scale than for younger ones. What makes this stand out head and shoulders above the rest is partly that the author Monica Brown has hit upon an irresistible idea for children - exotic animals - and built her biography round that. This has a ring of authenticity. Because for most of her short life (she died at the age of 47) Frida Kahlo was in severe pain and bedridden, she saw few people or friends. Her friends were her pet animals, including two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn, and these feature in her paintings as well as the many images of herself.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos begins with the little girl Frida who likes to draw pictures of her unusual pets.
“She liked to wear bold shades that celebrate indigenous Mexico and her own heritage. She lived in a house the color of a parrots bright-blue feather - La Casa Azul - where she grew up with her mom, dad and sisters.”
We read about Frida helping her dad collect bugs to look at under a microscope, and paint the finishing touches on his photographs. Her pet fawn Granizo went along with her. But Frida became very sick when she was 6 years old (she had polio). She used to breathe on the window next to her bed and draw a door in the mist.
When she got better, one leg was shorter than the other, but it didn’t stop Frida from skating, riding her bike and rowing in the lakes of Chapultepe park. She wore overalls and boxed and wrestled. And she always had lots of pets: her black cat and two spider monkeys, Fulang Chang and Caimito del Guayabal, as well as an eagle called Gertrudis.
By the time Frida was fifteen she was at a school called the Prepatoria, and had friends there who worked hard but were as mischievous as she was. Once they all rode donkeys through the school, and set off firecrackers. But when she was 18 she had a terrible accident and had to be in bed for many months. Her mother hung a mirror on a canopy over her bed, and put an easel on her bed so she could paint:
“ Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?”
(This was the beginning of her lifelong habit, as Frida was in continual pain from these injuries all her life, but this book concentrates on her “animalitos”.)
We see Frida with her two turkeys and three dogs: Senot Xolotl, Senorita Capulina, and Senora Kosti. These are Xolo dogs: what we call Mexican hairless dogs, and Frida was very proud of their ancestry. Frida got a lot of comfort from her animalitos. Her parrot Bonito would snuggle in the bed with her, and do tricks at meal times.
Later her husband Diego Rivero (the painter) built a pyramid for the animalitos to play on, in the courtyard at the blue house on on Londres Street. As well as her pets, Frida painted other animals such as butterflies and caterpillars:
“Fridas’s animals were her children, her friends and her inspiration … Frida painted when she was sick and hurting, and Frida painted when she was happy. She also painted when Diego was gone, and she was sad. But Frida was never really alone at La Caza Azul, the bright-blue house on Londres Street. She had her animalitos and herself, and she painted both.”
The book finishes with a double spread picture of “La Casa Azul” in Coyoacán, just outside Mexico. Over the gateway is a sign: “Museo Frida Kahlo”. Many people are queuing up, with animals wandering around. Over the wall we see trees, and learn that the pyramid is still there too.
Monica Brown has written an attractive account of this artist’s life to interest little ones, and the illustrations by John Parra are well matched. He captures the sense of her dramatic works featuring bold and vibrant colours. John Parra restricts his palettes to just a few, with rusts, blues and olive greens dominating, and works - as Frida Kahlo herself did - using flat fields or blocks of colour, with no shading. There is a strong feel of the Mexican indigenous culture.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos is an excellent large picture book, based on the life of one of the world’s most influential painters, Frida Kahlo, and the animals that inspired her art and life.
The reason is simple. Not only did she paint many dozens of self-portraits, but they are in a bold, bright and accessible style. What’s more, Frida Kahlo has been mythologised. It has been said that she “has been embraced as a poster child for every possible politically correct cause”. The truth of her life and Art is of course, far more complex and arguably flawed than the airbrushed version the populist image presents … but this is not the place to discuss it.
Along with the huge number of artefacts using (or abusing) reproductions of her oil paintings, there also quite a lot of books about Frida Kahlo, including picture books for children. This is the best one I have seen. It is marketed as suitable for ages 4 - 8, but as it has quite a few Mexican words in it, I would suggest it is more appropriate for the top end of the scale than for younger ones. What makes this stand out head and shoulders above the rest is partly that the author Monica Brown has hit upon an irresistible idea for children - exotic animals - and built her biography round that. This has a ring of authenticity. Because for most of her short life (she died at the age of 47) Frida Kahlo was in severe pain and bedridden, she saw few people or friends. Her friends were her pet animals, including two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn, and these feature in her paintings as well as the many images of herself.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos begins with the little girl Frida who likes to draw pictures of her unusual pets.
“She liked to wear bold shades that celebrate indigenous Mexico and her own heritage. She lived in a house the color of a parrots bright-blue feather - La Casa Azul - where she grew up with her mom, dad and sisters.”
We read about Frida helping her dad collect bugs to look at under a microscope, and paint the finishing touches on his photographs. Her pet fawn Granizo went along with her. But Frida became very sick when she was 6 years old (she had polio). She used to breathe on the window next to her bed and draw a door in the mist.
When she got better, one leg was shorter than the other, but it didn’t stop Frida from skating, riding her bike and rowing in the lakes of Chapultepe park. She wore overalls and boxed and wrestled. And she always had lots of pets: her black cat and two spider monkeys, Fulang Chang and Caimito del Guayabal, as well as an eagle called Gertrudis.
By the time Frida was fifteen she was at a school called the Prepatoria, and had friends there who worked hard but were as mischievous as she was. Once they all rode donkeys through the school, and set off firecrackers. But when she was 18 she had a terrible accident and had to be in bed for many months. Her mother hung a mirror on a canopy over her bed, and put an easel on her bed so she could paint:
“ Feet, what do I need you for when I have wings to fly?”
(This was the beginning of her lifelong habit, as Frida was in continual pain from these injuries all her life, but this book concentrates on her “animalitos”.)
We see Frida with her two turkeys and three dogs: Senot Xolotl, Senorita Capulina, and Senora Kosti. These are Xolo dogs: what we call Mexican hairless dogs, and Frida was very proud of their ancestry. Frida got a lot of comfort from her animalitos. Her parrot Bonito would snuggle in the bed with her, and do tricks at meal times.
Later her husband Diego Rivero (the painter) built a pyramid for the animalitos to play on, in the courtyard at the blue house on on Londres Street. As well as her pets, Frida painted other animals such as butterflies and caterpillars:
“Fridas’s animals were her children, her friends and her inspiration … Frida painted when she was sick and hurting, and Frida painted when she was happy. She also painted when Diego was gone, and she was sad. But Frida was never really alone at La Caza Azul, the bright-blue house on Londres Street. She had her animalitos and herself, and she painted both.”
The book finishes with a double spread picture of “La Casa Azul” in Coyoacán, just outside Mexico. Over the gateway is a sign: “Museo Frida Kahlo”. Many people are queuing up, with animals wandering around. Over the wall we see trees, and learn that the pyramid is still there too.
Monica Brown has written an attractive account of this artist’s life to interest little ones, and the illustrations by John Parra are well matched. He captures the sense of her dramatic works featuring bold and vibrant colours. John Parra restricts his palettes to just a few, with rusts, blues and olive greens dominating, and works - as Frida Kahlo herself did - using flat fields or blocks of colour, with no shading. There is a strong feel of the Mexican indigenous culture.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos is an excellent large picture book, based on the life of one of the world’s most influential painters, Frida Kahlo, and the animals that inspired her art and life.
March 19, 2018
A picture book biography of artist Kahlo with a focus on the menagerie of animals she owned and less on her as artist. Or, it's an angle that helps humanize her as artist. That's one strength of this volume but the other clearly is the great illustration of John Parra, which helps to create the time and the colorful house she and Diego Rivera lived in.
What pets, you ask? Sorry: Two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn! Diego built a pyramid for them to play on outside in their yard.
I liked it maybe 3.7.
What pets, you ask? Sorry: Two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn! Diego built a pyramid for them to play on outside in their yard.
I liked it maybe 3.7.
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September 30, 2017
This was a really awesome way to show kids how Frida Khalos life was.
It’s so cute and the drawings are so gorgeous!
Definitely recommend this.
It’s so cute and the drawings are so gorgeous!
Definitely recommend this.
May 11, 2023
AWE..I just loved this and all of her little pets. Short little read about young Frida Kahlo and her love for animals. I enjoyed the illustrations of her pets, using bold and bright colors like she used in her own artwork. We see two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat (my favorite of course), and a fawn. (second favorite)-Turkeys are believed to have been sacred in ancient Mexican cultures. They are were viewed as "jewelled birds".
A quote from the book, "They (turkeys) are intelligent and sensitive animals that are highly social. Turkeys create lasting social bonds with each other and are very affectionate ; rather similar to dogs. " I know this to be true!
I did not know much of this about Frida and I would recommend it to everyone, but especially to parents and children. I think it should be made available in elementary school libraries. All the stars. I want a physical copy to share with students. I think any fan of the artist would love to add this to their collection. Its beautiful, heartwarming and inspiring.
Thank you NetGalley, North South Books, and Monica Brown for a digital copy to read in exchange for a review. I adored this. I will buy a copy for my classroom. It's available as a read now on NG. Grab it. :-)
A quote from the book, "They (turkeys) are intelligent and sensitive animals that are highly social. Turkeys create lasting social bonds with each other and are very affectionate ; rather similar to dogs. " I know this to be true!
I did not know much of this about Frida and I would recommend it to everyone, but especially to parents and children. I think it should be made available in elementary school libraries. All the stars. I want a physical copy to share with students. I think any fan of the artist would love to add this to their collection. Its beautiful, heartwarming and inspiring.
Thank you NetGalley, North South Books, and Monica Brown for a digital copy to read in exchange for a review. I adored this. I will buy a copy for my classroom. It's available as a read now on NG. Grab it. :-)
August 1, 2017
3.5 stars.
A pretty semi-biography of Frida Kahlo, specifically focusing on her pets and other animal friends and how they inspired much of her work. The paintings throughout are very lovely, and I loved the use of bold colors that conveys some of Kahlo’s color choices.
The actual biography of Kahlo herself was a bit weak, as there were many specific facts left out in the story; however, there is a brief page at the end of the book that does provide some more facts about her life, but still not in detail. And while Khalo is shown painting throughout the book, there isn’t any gallery of her works at the end. Of course many of her works may not be exactly “kid-friendly,” but many of the ones with animals are appropriate for a young audience (Self-Portrait with Monkey and Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace & Hummingbird are referenced in the story and incorporate some of the animal friends mentioned).
This would be a fun addition to any art curriculum that has a unit or lesson on Kahlo’s work. My love for her work was spurred because of the yearly grade school art lessons focusing on a few of her works (the Thorn Necklace one was the one I remember learning the most about), and by framing her life through the animals she lived with, it provides an excellent segue into discussing some of her works.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
A pretty semi-biography of Frida Kahlo, specifically focusing on her pets and other animal friends and how they inspired much of her work. The paintings throughout are very lovely, and I loved the use of bold colors that conveys some of Kahlo’s color choices.
The actual biography of Kahlo herself was a bit weak, as there were many specific facts left out in the story; however, there is a brief page at the end of the book that does provide some more facts about her life, but still not in detail. And while Khalo is shown painting throughout the book, there isn’t any gallery of her works at the end. Of course many of her works may not be exactly “kid-friendly,” but many of the ones with animals are appropriate for a young audience (Self-Portrait with Monkey and Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace & Hummingbird are referenced in the story and incorporate some of the animal friends mentioned).
This would be a fun addition to any art curriculum that has a unit or lesson on Kahlo’s work. My love for her work was spurred because of the yearly grade school art lessons focusing on a few of her works (the Thorn Necklace one was the one I remember learning the most about), and by framing her life through the animals she lived with, it provides an excellent segue into discussing some of her works.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy to review!
(Cross posted on my blog.)
March 3, 2018
Good classroom book - Frida Kahlo's bio for kids, told by recounting the names and types of pets that she kept through the years.
Want to read
November 25, 2017This is a gorgeously illustrated, inspiring children's book on the life of Frida Kahlo. I am familiar with her art work and knew she loved animals, but I did not know about her illnesses and how much her animals inspired her. When Frida had an illness, she took that time to be creative and create art, even as a child. This book is an excellent way to expose children to a creative and famous artist. Fabulous book!
Thank you to Monica Brown, the publisher, and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read and review this wondrous book.
Thank you to Monica Brown, the publisher, and Netgalley, for the opportunity to read and review this wondrous book.
December 15, 2017
Frida was an amazing woman and I loved this little book! The artwork was beautiful and vibrant enough to keep any child’s attention. I loved how her personality was described through comparisons to her pets. It was also nice that there was a more mature synopsis of her life at the end of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and NorthSouth Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and NorthSouth Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this honest review!
August 13, 2017
This book is a short biographical insight into the life and works of Frida Kahlo. I love Kahlo's work and when I saw this book on Netgalley, I had no alternative but to read it.
Kahlo (1907-1954) was a Mexican artist, famous for her paintings using bold vibrant colours. Kahlo in her teens had a very serious accident that left her with multiple fractures of the spine, collarbone and ribs, a shattered pelvis, broken foot and a dislocated shoulder. This accident resulted in her having to undergo approx 30 operations. Many of her paintings showed the emotional and physical pain that she had to endure, for example 'The Broken Column', a painting that I personally love. Of her 200 works (paintings, sketches and drawings) 55 are self portraits.
Brown's book focuses on Kahlo's relationship with her animals. These animals feature in many of Kahlo's paintings and from those paintings it is very evident that Kahlo loved all her animals. Kahlo had a very turbulent life, especially during the years when she was married to fellow artist Diego Rivera.
Brown's biography of Kahlo is accompanied by lovely illustrations from John Parra. This is a short book, therefore only gives a brief insight into Kahlo's life. The author does provide an addendum giving more information about Kahlo. Brown's text and Parra's illustrations produce an excellent book, especially for the younger budding artist who wants to start to learn about art history. A lovely book to read.
More information on Frida Kahlo can be found here: www.fridakahlo.org
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
Kahlo (1907-1954) was a Mexican artist, famous for her paintings using bold vibrant colours. Kahlo in her teens had a very serious accident that left her with multiple fractures of the spine, collarbone and ribs, a shattered pelvis, broken foot and a dislocated shoulder. This accident resulted in her having to undergo approx 30 operations. Many of her paintings showed the emotional and physical pain that she had to endure, for example 'The Broken Column', a painting that I personally love. Of her 200 works (paintings, sketches and drawings) 55 are self portraits.
Brown's book focuses on Kahlo's relationship with her animals. These animals feature in many of Kahlo's paintings and from those paintings it is very evident that Kahlo loved all her animals. Kahlo had a very turbulent life, especially during the years when she was married to fellow artist Diego Rivera.
Brown's biography of Kahlo is accompanied by lovely illustrations from John Parra. This is a short book, therefore only gives a brief insight into Kahlo's life. The author does provide an addendum giving more information about Kahlo. Brown's text and Parra's illustrations produce an excellent book, especially for the younger budding artist who wants to start to learn about art history. A lovely book to read.
More information on Frida Kahlo can be found here: www.fridakahlo.org
Many thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
July 31, 2017
This is a lovely book, I loved the historical nature and how it told the story of this remarkable lady. The images were great and they really helped tell the story - definitely one I'd recommend - 5 stars!
November 13, 2017
I received an ebook copy of this via Netgalley.
This is a beautifully illustrated book, which feels fitting for a children's picture book about an artist.
I was hoping this would be a good storytime book, but it is a bit too wordy to be used for the really young kids who attend our storytime. It would probably work well as a read aloud for Hispanic Heritage month for school age children.
It is very pretty and careful to be a bit spare with some of the harder details of Frida's life. There is a biographical section at the end of the book that you could use with older children.
Overall I felt this was a very pretty book. I didn't enjoy the text quite as much as I enjoyed the pictures. The text is a bit longer than necessary and somewhat repetitive. However, that thought may stem from me wishing it was a less wordy book in the first place.
This is a beautifully illustrated book, which feels fitting for a children's picture book about an artist.
I was hoping this would be a good storytime book, but it is a bit too wordy to be used for the really young kids who attend our storytime. It would probably work well as a read aloud for Hispanic Heritage month for school age children.
It is very pretty and careful to be a bit spare with some of the harder details of Frida's life. There is a biographical section at the end of the book that you could use with older children.
Overall I felt this was a very pretty book. I didn't enjoy the text quite as much as I enjoyed the pictures. The text is a bit longer than necessary and somewhat repetitive. However, that thought may stem from me wishing it was a less wordy book in the first place.
August 2, 2017
I particularly like the idea of a book purely centred on well-known influential artist Frida Kahlo, and her beloved pets. It follows her rise from a creative youngster with a wonderful imagination to the influential artist that she became. The perspective of this book really suits young readers, as rather than focusing on her life story on the whole, the inclusion of her animals and how they fit into her life is perhaps more interesting to young ones. The illustrations are lovely, and very much in the style of Frida's work. The only downside is the text is in places difficult to read due to its placement on blocks of colour and small size.
August 14, 2017
If I just wanted to introduce children to the idea of Frida Kahlo, this might be a good way to do this. I would never have though of focusing on her animals, but whatever works.
However, there are no examples of her actual paintings anywhere in the book, although there is a brief, more detailed bio at the end of the book.
Without the images of the paintings, it makes me wonder if a child, reading this book, would understand how important this artist was, or what she went through in her life, or anything special, such as how she promoted indigenous art and dress.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
However, there are no examples of her actual paintings anywhere in the book, although there is a brief, more detailed bio at the end of the book.
Without the images of the paintings, it makes me wonder if a child, reading this book, would understand how important this artist was, or what she went through in her life, or anything special, such as how she promoted indigenous art and dress.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
June 11, 2018
By coincidence I had just learned a little about Kahlo's animals and her incorporation of them into her art, so it was very interesting to read this and learn more about the relationships and what they meant to her.
An obvious benefit of the book is that it is a good introduction to the artwork of Kahlo. Beyond that, there is also inspiration about using your imagination while dealing with illness, working hard and bravely to recover from illness, and courage and creativity in general. Also good for animal lovers.
An obvious benefit of the book is that it is a good introduction to the artwork of Kahlo. Beyond that, there is also inspiration about using your imagination while dealing with illness, working hard and bravely to recover from illness, and courage and creativity in general. Also good for animal lovers.
March 12, 2018
Frida embraced being different and never let anyone get her down. Her animals were always by her side even through the toughest of times. She is an inspiration to women/girls everywhere.
This was a cute and unique way to teach kids about Frida. Even adults will fall in love with this beautiful book. The story is just as breathtaking as the illustrations.
This was a cute and unique way to teach kids about Frida. Even adults will fall in love with this beautiful book. The story is just as breathtaking as the illustrations.
August 9, 2017
The author presents a glimpse into the life of Mexico's most well-known female painter. The narrative is framed by the animals Kahlo had as pets and their influence--and presence--in her artwork.
August 3, 2017
I'm not a fan of Frida Kahlo. I have nothing against her, but I get annoyed at the fascination first-world women have with her. I guess I should live and let live, but I'm judgemental like that. I cannot help it.
Having said that, I came across this book on NetGalley and found it beautiful. It is a biography of Frida with a strong emphasis on her relationship with her animals. There are monkeys, parrots, dogs and others. They're useful vehicles, skillfully used to guide you through Frida's life.
The story hits that sweet spot where children can be entertained and learn, while adults get some education as well. This is a difficult balance that children's books addressing adult bios almost always fail to even aim for. Monica Brown does it nicely here. I personally learned a lot of details about Kahlo.
The illustrations are colorful and detailed, highly artistic, with every line of the text addressed somehow. There are a lot of elements on each drawing, each one of them driving the story. Yet, John Parra, the illustrator, manages to keep them uncluttered.
I'd like to see less Mexicans with sombreros. The scene of the modern Casa Azul is unlikely to occur in today's Mexico City. People would be dressed in a more modern fashion, not in a Frida-esque way. I do understand this could be an artistic choice to fit the theme, though.
Coyoacan is not outside of Mexico City, but a borough (called delegacion) of it. It is in the core of the city. Check this map out and find it right in the middle. http://www.mapasparacolorear.com/mexi...
Also, I would have called the high school Frida attended by its full name "Escuela Nacional Preparatoria" or "Nacional Preparatoria". Preparatoria is too generic, like saying high school, and doesn't transmit the sense of a specific school. I know because that happened to me.
Finally, Diego Rivera suddenly appears as the husband. I don't expect or want the author to make this book about Rivera (please, no!) and even less about the nature of Frida's relationship with him, but maybe some sort of introduction to the man would have been a good addition. This is done at the author's note at the end, but not in the body of the book.
All in all, great book.
Having said that, I came across this book on NetGalley and found it beautiful. It is a biography of Frida with a strong emphasis on her relationship with her animals. There are monkeys, parrots, dogs and others. They're useful vehicles, skillfully used to guide you through Frida's life.
The story hits that sweet spot where children can be entertained and learn, while adults get some education as well. This is a difficult balance that children's books addressing adult bios almost always fail to even aim for. Monica Brown does it nicely here. I personally learned a lot of details about Kahlo.
The illustrations are colorful and detailed, highly artistic, with every line of the text addressed somehow. There are a lot of elements on each drawing, each one of them driving the story. Yet, John Parra, the illustrator, manages to keep them uncluttered.
I'd like to see less Mexicans with sombreros. The scene of the modern Casa Azul is unlikely to occur in today's Mexico City. People would be dressed in a more modern fashion, not in a Frida-esque way. I do understand this could be an artistic choice to fit the theme, though.
Coyoacan is not outside of Mexico City, but a borough (called delegacion) of it. It is in the core of the city. Check this map out and find it right in the middle. http://www.mapasparacolorear.com/mexi...
Also, I would have called the high school Frida attended by its full name "Escuela Nacional Preparatoria" or "Nacional Preparatoria". Preparatoria is too generic, like saying high school, and doesn't transmit the sense of a specific school. I know because that happened to me.
Finally, Diego Rivera suddenly appears as the husband. I don't expect or want the author to make this book about Rivera (please, no!) and even less about the nature of Frida's relationship with him, but maybe some sort of introduction to the man would have been a good addition. This is done at the author's note at the end, but not in the body of the book.
All in all, great book.
July 5, 2017
This book sent me into research mode: Xolo dogs, Kahlo's marriage to Diego, her physical ailments, and her upbringing.
Describing the characteristics of her pets and her personal qualities brings the biography to younger readers.
I found several of her numerous paintings on Wikipedia and http://www.fridakahlo.org/, but only "Self-Portrait with Monkey" is one I'd show to young students. Although not mentioned in the main text, the US Postage stamp of her would also be appropriate.
This presentation of her life could be used to show students how to overcome physical adversity, but they'll be curious as to the details of her infirmaries.
Describing the characteristics of her pets and her personal qualities brings the biography to younger readers.
I found several of her numerous paintings on Wikipedia and http://www.fridakahlo.org/, but only "Self-Portrait with Monkey" is one I'd show to young students. Although not mentioned in the main text, the US Postage stamp of her would also be appropriate.
This presentation of her life could be used to show students how to overcome physical adversity, but they'll be curious as to the details of her infirmaries.
August 11, 2017
I like how the author is telling a very condensed biography of Frida Kahlo through the pets she had throughout her life; it shows a great deal of originality which is in a way very artistic. The story is engaging and the pictures are colorful and that makes this book’s presentation very appealing to elementary teachers that are interested on bringing art into the classroom. I can see how this book could really inspire kids to try out their hand at drawing and painting because it focuses on Frida’s pets and kids love their own pets because they feel a connection with them. I hope this book gets printed as a hardcover big picture book; it deserves it.
September 22, 2018
Did you know that the animals in Frida's famous paintings weren't symbolic, or at least not only symbolic, but were her own pets? This book relates the life of Frida Kahlo (in a manner suitable for children) with delightful drawings in colors as vivid as Frida's.
Sabe que los animales en las pinturas de Frida Kahlo no eran síbolos, o además no solamente símbolos, pero eran sus propias mascotas? Este libro cuenta la vida de Frida (en una manera que niños pueden entender) con dibujos preciosos en colores tan brillantes como los de Frida.
Sabe que los animales en las pinturas de Frida Kahlo no eran síbolos, o además no solamente símbolos, pero eran sus propias mascotas? Este libro cuenta la vida de Frida (en una manera que niños pueden entender) con dibujos preciosos en colores tan brillantes como los de Frida.
August 19, 2017
This captivating real-life children's story chronicles Frida Kahlo's momentous journey with vibrant images to highlight her imaginative work that we continue to cherish for future generations!
December 28, 2017
An outstanding and interesting biography of artist Frida Kahlo and her love for animals.
December 23, 2017
Winter break bookaday #10. My students love Frida, the animal focus will add to this book’s appeal.
October 24, 2018
Wonderfully illustrated and captivating story of Frida and her animals, a really great story to read about her.
November 15, 2018
Prekrasna dječja knjiga o poznatoj slikarici Fridi uz zanimljive ilustracije. Odlično!!
June 7, 2019
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos is a children's picture book written by Monica Brown and illustrated by John Parra. It recounts Frida's beloved and unusual pets two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn.
June, at least in my part of the world is LGBT Pride Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Frida Kahlo de Rivera (born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón) was a Mexican artist who painted many portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post-colonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society.
Brown's text is rather simplistic and straightforward. Through pets and animals in Frida Kahlo’s life, the narrative emphasizes aspects of her personality as she develops into an artist. Parra's warm, weathered illustrations are done in a flattened, folk-art style that vividly evokes the Mexican environment.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Brown uses the pets and animals in Frida Kahlo's life to emphasize aspects of her personality as she developed into an artist. Along with highlighting Kahlo's tender interactions with the animals, the narrative shows how art buoyed her during difficult times, including a bus accident at eighteen that left her with persistent health problems.
All in all, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos is a wonderful, colorful, and cursory biography of Frida Kahlo – not so much her art, but the person behind them.
June, at least in my part of the world is LGBT Pride Month, which I plan to read one children's book, particularly a biography, which pertains to the subject everyday this month. Therefore, I thought that this book would be apropos for today.
Frida Kahlo de Rivera (born Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón) was a Mexican artist who painted many portraits, self-portraits and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, post-colonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society.
Brown's text is rather simplistic and straightforward. Through pets and animals in Frida Kahlo’s life, the narrative emphasizes aspects of her personality as she develops into an artist. Parra's warm, weathered illustrations are done in a flattened, folk-art style that vividly evokes the Mexican environment.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. Brown uses the pets and animals in Frida Kahlo's life to emphasize aspects of her personality as she developed into an artist. Along with highlighting Kahlo's tender interactions with the animals, the narrative shows how art buoyed her during difficult times, including a bus accident at eighteen that left her with persistent health problems.
All in all, Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos is a wonderful, colorful, and cursory biography of Frida Kahlo – not so much her art, but the person behind them.
July 31, 2017
Let it be known that I love animals, especially dogs. I knew of Frida Kahlo's love of dogs, but not necessarily of all the animals she owned during her lifetime. Brown's unique storytelling technique of portraying Kahlo's life and personality, as well as her art, through her animals was something that brought a unique perspective to this picture book. The way this picture book showed animals helping her through her pain and her illnesses was also a message I thought positive, and important for children.
Within this picture book, the illustration doesn't feel perfect and polished, and makes it feel like it lies somewhere between painting and the illustration you see today. As some picture books feel a little bit too neat in their art, while in this one the illustrations are scratched at and smudged, which gives this picture book a bit of a more authentic feel. Although it doesn't exactly try to imitate Kahlo's own art, by separating the two with bits that are collaged within this book.
One complaint I do have is that various things in Frida Kahlo's life are mentioned without giving any explanation or context to them, as Kahlo's partner Diego Rivera is mentioned without mentioning who he is to the audience, which might confuse some children or it might just float right over their heads.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review!
Within this picture book, the illustration doesn't feel perfect and polished, and makes it feel like it lies somewhere between painting and the illustration you see today. As some picture books feel a little bit too neat in their art, while in this one the illustrations are scratched at and smudged, which gives this picture book a bit of a more authentic feel. Although it doesn't exactly try to imitate Kahlo's own art, by separating the two with bits that are collaged within this book.
One complaint I do have is that various things in Frida Kahlo's life are mentioned without giving any explanation or context to them, as Kahlo's partner Diego Rivera is mentioned without mentioning who he is to the audience, which might confuse some children or it might just float right over their heads.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy in return for an honest review!
September 25, 2018
Two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, a fawn, and a very special girl. Follow the story of Frida Kahlo, as she was inspired by her many pets and the world around her. With each pet comes a trait that, without which, she would not be the celebrated Frida Kahlo that we know today. In this book, we watch Frida grow from a little girl with watchful eyes (like her fawn), to an independent young girl (like her cat), to a mischievous teenager (like her spider monkeys), into a world renowned artist inspired by all her animals.
The beautiful imagery of this book, combined with the informative yet easy to understand text is a must read; though, teachers be warned, this book should be read aloud prior to any lessons for pronunciation and clarification of terms. Early readers will love hearing about the types of animals Frida had and teachers will appreciate the incorporation of Aztec culture and an inspiring Kahlo quote. This story transitions easily into Kahlo’s self portraits and could easily open a lesson looking into the students’ selves, their pets, and their histories as well as that of Kahlo. A 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor, 2018 ALA Notable Children's Book, and the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2017, Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos tells a story of history, inspiration and triumph.
The beautiful imagery of this book, combined with the informative yet easy to understand text is a must read; though, teachers be warned, this book should be read aloud prior to any lessons for pronunciation and clarification of terms. Early readers will love hearing about the types of animals Frida had and teachers will appreciate the incorporation of Aztec culture and an inspiring Kahlo quote. This story transitions easily into Kahlo’s self portraits and could easily open a lesson looking into the students’ selves, their pets, and their histories as well as that of Kahlo. A 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor, 2018 ALA Notable Children's Book, and the New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2017, Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos tells a story of history, inspiration and triumph.
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