Frida (Spanish Language Edition) [Hardcover]

Jonah Winter (Author), Ana Juan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

When he mother was worn out from caring for her five sisters, her father gave her lessons in brushwork and color. When polio kept her bedridden for nine months, drawing saved her from boredom. When a bus accident left her in unimaginable agony, her paintings expressed her pain and depression ­ and eventually, her joys and triumphs. Again and again, Frida Kahlo turned the challenges of her life into art. Now Jonah Winter and Ana Juan have drawn on both the art and the life to create an insightful, playful tribute to one of the twentieth century¹s most influential artists. This is the Spanish language version of this book.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-This picture-book biography of the Mexican-born artist captures the essence of her difficult life and her triumph as a painter. Written in present tense, the story has immediacy, and the magnificent full-page acrylic illustrations cry out with emotion, as is befitting the work of a passionate artist. Kahlo, often lonely, had an active fantasy life, fueled by her creation of an imaginary friend and her exposure to the work of her artist father. Stricken with polio at age seven, she turned to drawing as her solace; years later when a bus accident nearly claimed her life, art again distracted her. While the simply told yet poignant story is inspiring, the true strength of this book lies in Juan's incredible illustrations. Their brilliant colors and expressionistic style convey the sense of daring and the excitement that Kahlo demonstrated both in her zest for life and in her splendid work. Figures familiar to the artist from Mexican folklore abound and their playfulness as they dance from page to page underscores the woman's artistic spirit. Her story is sure to be an inspiration, particularly to youngsters who see life differently from their peers and who dare to express these differences in artistic ways. A bold, successful attempt at incorporating the feel of the artist's own style into an explanation of her life.
Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Jonah Winter spent most of his Texas childhood painting pictures, playing musical instruments, and writing poems. His many picture-book biographies include Frida, illustrated by Ana Juan, winner of an Américas Honor Award, and Dizzy, illustrated by Sean Qualls, which was named a Child Best Book of 2006. Most recently, he collaborated with his illustrator mother Jeanette Winter on The Secret World of Hildegard. Winter lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information about Jonah Winter, visit: scholastic.com/tradebooks --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic; Spanish edition (January 2002)
• Language: Spanish
• ISBN-10: 0439373085
• ISBN-13: 978-0439373081
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,025,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opening the eyes of young children, December 23, 2008

By 

Viv "Viv" (San Juan, PR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Frida (Spanish Language Edition) (Paperback)

My son and I went to a restaurant that it is full of Frida's paintings. He did not like Frida's face expressions in the paintings and said: "that woman is very angry". This book helped my son to understand how artists paint their own reality and in Frida's case, she showed her physical pain in her paintings (it was easy to understand for him how he also chooses specific colors when he paints, and those colors represent his emotional stage). It was a good conversation starter for my son and me (he is seven) about how life can be very hard for some people, but still they can get the best out of it - including such colorful paintings as a result of a difficult life and physical pain. I recommend it to all parents that want to show to their young children the strength of women, the art of women, and the importance of expressing yourself in art forms. I

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spanish Version, January 18, 2007

By 

B. Buddenhagen "nature & nurture" (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Frida (Spanish Language Edition) (Hardcover)

I own the Spanish version of this book, and I love it. So do all my students - I teach Preschool Spanish (ages 3-6). My 5 year old daughter is an artist and she loves the vivid colors and imaginative characters that follow Frida through her life. The children I teach do not know Spanish, but they are able to look at the pictures and understand the story. They regularly request this book and enjoy looking for the 'spooky' characters.

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, touching story and intriguing artwork, November 30, 2011

By 

lmorasax (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Frida (Spanish Language Edition) (Paperback)

I purchased this book for my 8 year old niece who is learning Spanish. I just received the book and I think it is going to be just perfect. The story depicts the life of Frida and how she finds refuge from her solitude and, later, her pain, in her art. The art in the book is absolutely beautiful. I am sure parents reading it to their children will also thoroughly enjoy it. The level of Spanish is easy enough for early learners (yet there are several sentences on some pages, to help make it challenging, as well), yet the book is sophisticated enough not to bore slightly older children.

My niece is really into fairies, and I think the magic/mystical nature of the images and their slight darkness will really capture her attention. The story is also a nice lesson in sympathy for the sick and disabled. In general, a great book for Spanish learners. The book may not be as suitable for younger, native Spanish-speaking children, as the art is a tad dark, even though they would understand the language aspect at an earlier age. (It certainly isn't at all disturbing, though. I personally find it very intriguing.) I think this would be a great book for children around 5 years of age and older.