Morales, Yuyi. Viva Frida. Yuyi Morales, Illus. Pic. Bk. Roaring Brook, 2014. [32]p. $17.99. 978-1-59643-603-9.
OUTSTANDING. GRADES PRE-3.
Lush visuals created by stop-motion puppets, acrylic paints, and digital manipulation transport the reader into the lyrical life of the iconic artist Frida Kahlo. We see Kahlo playing with a marionette, having a dream, and painting a self-portrait. Each page has only one phrase, in both English and Spanish. The
Spanish words are printed in a faded text that can be difficult to see from faraway. At the end, Morales provides a brief biographical sketch titled “My Frida Kahlo,” but the text is small and not appropriate for the intended audience. Viva Frida is visually stunning and peppered with poetic text, making an unforgettable combination.
Yesica Hurd, San Francisco PL