Common Sense Note
Parents should know that this reissued biography tells the simplified but true story of Diego Rivera's childhood. They should be prepared to talk about the fact that Diego's twin brother dies as an infant and, when he becomes ill, the young Diego is sent away to live in the mountains with an Indian healer. Kids will also see the world through this muralist's eyes, as he depicts some of the hardships and violence experienced by the common people through paintings of soldiers shooting workers and revolutionaries blowing up a train. For that reason, this beautifully illustrated and told story isn't for every preschooler and kindergartner.
Families can talk about murals and what makes them different from museum art. Where can they be found? Parents and kids can look for murals that have been painted in their city or town, some of which may have been painted by Diego Rivera. They might also discuss the reasons Diego decided to become a muralist. When his parents gave him chalk and he drew on the walls, do you think it was a good idea? Why is the driveway or the sidewalk perhaps a better place to express yourself? Do you like the way he uses color and how he paints the things he saw around him? Families should find Mexico on a map and locate Guanajato where Diego was born. How do his paintings show his love of Mexico and its people?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Patricia Tauzer
DIEGO is a bilingual mural of words and illustrations that presents a simple, honest but eloquent introduction to the art of one of the world's most influential muralists, Diego Rivera. The story is straightforwardly told in both English and Spanish, and the richly colorful mini-murals that accompany the text are a perfect complement.
Everything in Diego Rivera's life and murals is not for kids, and without watering down the facts, Jonah Winter has done a wonderful job of choosing pertinent material. His text is clear, varied, and to the point; even the more uncomfortable facts have been put together in a way that will interest kids, yet not overwhelm them.
Kids will also love the colorful, expressive illustrations, which add a heartbeat of richness and passion to the text. Each painting by Jeanette Winter is masterful. Her colors vibrate on the page, and, though small, each framed acrylic design is saturated with the beauty of Mexican folk art and shows an appreciation of the murals that Diego Rivera painted, some of which form the background in the later pages.
In 1991, Diego won the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award. And, because it's bilingual and written simply in both languages, it can offer a valuable vehicle for practicing reading in English or Spanish.
From The Book
He loved everything that was colorful. He loved to go to church just to see the little paintings on the wall.
Le gustaba todo lo pintoresco. Le gustaba ir a la iglesia solo para ver los cuadritos en las paredes.
Plot Summary:
To convalesce as a child, Diego is sent to the mountains, where he absorbs the magical beauty of the jungle and learns a love of the common people of Mexico. Back home again, he begins drawing, painting, and using color, but when he is sent to a local art school he is bored. He wants to paint the reality of life around him, and so he does.
Diego goes on to study art in Paris, but misses Mexico. He loves the frescos he sees in the cathedrals of Italy, and decides to go back home where he spends his life developing murals that depict the lives of working-class Mexicans.
Related Books:
Other Books by Jonah Winter:
Frida
Dizzy
Other books by Jeanette Winter:
My Name Is Georgia
Josefina
The Librarian of Basra
Follow the Drinking Gourd
Other Books on Mexican Artists:
The Pot That Juan Built by Nancy Andrews-Goebel
Dream Carver by Diana Cohn
Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself by Margaret Frith
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ViolenceA mention of Diego's twin brother dying as an infant. Diego was influenced by the violence he saw and some of this is depicted. One illustration shows soldiers shooting down striking workers; in another, armed revolutionaries are blowing up a train. |
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Social BehaviorDiego's paintings honor everyday people, especially those of Mexico. |
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