School Library Journal Review
PreS-G 2-Frida Kahlo is known for her unique art and self-portraiture, and she held a deep love for her pets, animalitos as unique as Frida. John Parra's beautiful illustrations are energized with soft music that follows Frida through her childhood and her life with her pets and family. The support Frida's animalitos-a parrot, fawn, spider monkeys, dogs, and more-provide accompanies her as she grows, with a gentle score that helps relate Frida's hardships and the strength it takes to overcome them. An illustrated author's note about Frida's life from Monica Brown is a bonus. © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
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.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
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. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
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 Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
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.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2017 Booklist
