A picture book tribute to the iconic Mexican artist reveals how the animals in her life and her personal struggles inspired many of her works of art and how her achievements raised awareness about her indigenous culture and the female form. - (Baker & Taylor)

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor 2018

ALA Notable Children's Book 2018

New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2017

Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017

Smithsonian Top Ten Best Children's Book of 2017

2018 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown and illustrated by John Parra, is 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 fascinating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her self-portraits, her dramatic works featuring bold and vibrant colors. Her work brought attention to Mexican and indigenous culture and she is also renowned for her works 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 many wonderful characteristics of each animal. - (Simon and Schuster)

 

Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor 2018

ALA Notable Children's Book 2018

New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book of 2017

Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017

Smithsonian Top Ten Best Children's Book of 2017

2018 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown and illustrated by John Parra, is 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 fascinating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her self-portraits, her dramatic works featuring bold and vibrant colors. Her work brought attention to Mexican and indigenous culture and she is also renowned for her works 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 many wonderful characteristics of each animal. - (Simon and Schuster)

Monica Brown, Ph.D., is the award-winning author of Waiting for the Biblioburro/Esperando al Biblioburro, Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/no combina, and the Lola Levine chapter book series, including Lola Levine is Not Mean, Lola Levine, Drama Queen, and Lola Levine and the Ballet Scheme. Her books have garnered starred reviews, the Américas Award, two Pura Belpré Author Honors, and the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacy. She lives in Arizona with her family and teaches at Northern Arizona University. Find out more at www.monicabrown.net.

John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, designer, teacher, and fine art painter. His children's books have earned many awards including, the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, ALA's Pura Belpré Honors, The Christopher's Award, the International Latino Book Award, and many more. In 2015 John was invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to present a special event about his work and career in art and illustration and in 2017 John's art will be seen on six new Forever Postal Stamps from USPS titled: Delicioso. He currently lives with his wife Maria in Queens, New York.  John graduated from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Visit him on the web http://www.johnparraart.com/home.htm, or follow him on twitter @johnparraart - (Simon and Schuster)

Monica Brown, PhD, is the award- winning author of Waiting for the Biblioburro/ Esperando el Biblioburro, Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/no combina, and the Lola Levine chapter book series, including Lola Levine Is Not Mean; Lola Levine, Drama Queen; and Lola Levine and the Ballet Scheme. She lives in Arizona with her family and teaches at Northern Arizona University. Find out more at www.monicabrown.net.

John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, designer, teacher, and fine art painter. His children’s books have earned many awards, including the SCBWI Golden Kite Award, ALA’s Pura Belpré Honors, the Christopher Award, the International Latino Book Award, and many more. In 2015 John was invited by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to present a special event about his work and career in art and illustration; and in 2017 John’s art appeared on six Forever postal stamps from the USPS titled “Delicioso.” He lives with his wife, Maria, in Queens, New York. Find out more at: www.johnparraart.com - (Simon and Schuster)

Booklist Reviews

Featuring charming visuals and lively, often lyrical prose, this picture book introduces Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, interweaving biographical details while highlighting her special relationships with pets. From early efforts at painting, to a childhood illness, to school escapades, Brown takes us into Kahlo's adulthood—her developing passion for creating art, her marriage to Diego Rivera, and, finally, her animals. She kept company with spider monkeys, parrots, dogs, turkeys, and much more, and Brown describes each as possessing personalities that reflect Kahlo's own characteristics: "Like her eagle, Frida's imagination could fly high." Rich-hued, folk art–style illustrations incorporate evocative touches, fanciful details, and collagelike compositions. Both the accessible art and text convey a sense of how some of Frida's experiences—and animals—impacted and informed her life and art. Although examples of her actual artwork aren't included, an author's note lists some titles that feature her animals, and provides further biographical information. Copyright 2017 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

Spanish-language edition translated by F. Isabel Campoy. In this lovely biographical portrait of the legendary Mexican painter, feminist icon, and artistic genius, Brown introduces and connects each of Kahlo's many pets (who comforted her and served as subjects for her paintings) with the artist. Brown uses the comparison to illuminate Kahlo's illness-and-accident-compromised life. Parra's illustrations support the upbeat tone of Brown's accessible text with exquisitely neat compositions in a muted palette. Also available in Spanish. Copyright 2018 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

Mexican painter, feminist icon, artistic genius—to these descriptors for Frida Kahlo we should add "animal lover." That's the takeaway from this lovely biographical portrait (simultaneously published in a Spanish-language edition), in which the legendary artist is depicted first as a child working on a drawing of monkeys and dogs and then interacting with animals throughout her too-short life. It's always an act of daring to illustrate a book about a visual artist, and Parra succeeds not by imitating Kahlo's style but by supporting the upbeat tone of Brown's accessible text with exquisitely neat compositions in a muted palette. As Brown introduces each of Kahlo's many pets, taking some liberties with the pet chronology, she connects each one with the artist ("Frida had a cat with black, shiny fur, the same color as her long dark hair") and uses the comparison to illuminate Kahlo's illness-and-accident-compromised life ("Like a cat, Frida was playful. But as a child, Frida couldn't always play"). In addition to providing her with much-needed comfort, Kahlo's pets served as subjects for her paintings. In an author's note, Brown mentions that Kahlo couldn't have children, which adds another level of interest to the artist's inclusion of animals in her famous self-portraits: might these paintings also be family portraits? nell beram Copyright 2018 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

Frida Kahlo's strong affection for and identification with animals form the lens through which readers view her life and work in this picture-book biography. Each two-page spread introduces one or more of her pets, comparing her characteristics to theirs and adding biographical details. Confusingly for young readers, the beginning pages reference pets she owned as an adult, yet the illustrations and events referred to come from earlier in her life. Bonito the parrot perches in a tree overlooking young Frida and her family in her childhood home and pops up again later, just before the first mention of Diego Rivera. Granizo, the fawn, another pet from her adult years, is pictured beside a young Frida and her father along with a description of "her life as a little girl." The author's note adds important details about Kahlo's life and her significance as an artist, as well as recommending specific paintings that feature her beloved animals. Expressive acrylic paintings expertly evoke Kahlo's style and color palette. While young animal lovers will identify with her attachment to her pets and may enjoy learning about the Aztec origins of her Xolo dogs and the meaning of turkeys in ancient Mexico, the book may be of most interest to those who already have an interest in Kahlo's life. A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist. (Picture book/biography. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus 2017 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Brown uses the pets and animals in Frida Kahlo's life—spider monkeys, a parrot, and a fawn, among others—to emphasize aspects of her personality as she developed into an artist: "Frida's turkeys were intelligent and sensitive, just like her. And, like Frida, her dogs were warm and loving." Along with highlighting Kahlo's tender interactions with the animals, Brown shows how art buoyed her during difficult times, including a bus accident at age 18 that left her with persistent health problems. Parra's warm, weathered paintings are done in a flattened, folk-art style that vividly evokes the Mexican environment and "heritage of which she was very proud." Even if readers don't get much of a sense of the work Kahlo created, they'll finish the book feeling like they know the artist. Ages 4–8. Agent: Stefanie Von Borstel, Full Circle Literary. (Sept.)

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 1–4—Two well-known children's book creators present the life of iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo through the kid-friendly lens of her animal friends. Kahlo's life as a young girl at La Casa Azul was marked by the support of her family, illness, and her "animalitos," or the many pets and creatures that she loved. Each spread introduces a new animal, from Bonito the parrot to her spider monkeys Fulang Chang and Caimito de Guayabal. The text often makes comparisons between the featured critters and the independent, free-spirited girl and budding artist. Throughout, Brown makes references to Kahlo's love of and inspiration by her Aztec culture, which was often seen in her art and evidenced by her pets' names. The picture book biography touches only briefly upon some of the artist's life-changing events, such as the accident she experienced in her teens or her marriage to Diego Rivera, but instead emphasizes the companionship of the animals with which she surrounded herself. Parra's lively acrylic paintings pay tribute to the vibrant hues of Kahlo's paintings, and her ties to her Mexican and Aztec heritage are apparent. A detailed author's note about the subject's life, art, and influence concludes the book and lists the many works in which her animalitos appear. VERDICT This unique and gorgeous take on the famous figure's work will give children an accessible entry point to an important artist. A good choice for picture book biography shelves.—Shelley M. Diaz, School Library Journal