Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

Viva Frida is a picture book about Frida Kahlo for readers between the ages of 4 and 8. Readers will notice Spanish words with their English counterparts like "Veo" and "I see" or "Juego" and "I play" lightly spread throughout the book. According to the author Yuyi Morales, the story is a homage to Frida's life, and Morales uses animals and people from Frida's life. For instance, a deer that had been represented in some of her famous paintings is portrayed. Similarly, representations of Frida's dog and monkey in the form of dolls are used; even Diego Rivera makes a brief appearance. The book's first part is a festival of enjoyment for Frida and her animals, while the second part is a dramatic rescue of a deer. Regardless of being a book for children, adults who are familiar with Frida will enjoy the "amount of thought intelligence, and intuition Yuyi Morales exhibits here." (Robinson, 2014)

Critical Analysis

Viva Frida is a picture book that can open the world of art to young children with its surreal visuals. Tim O'Meara's photographs are "visually radiant" with characters and scenes that look straight out of a stop motion film. ("This luminescent homage," 2014) The backdrop, dolls, and colors create a world that looks like a fantastical dream when combined with the alternating angles of the photography.

The characters authentically represent Frida's and Diego's distinct appearances. Equally, the setting represents Kahlo's type of Latinx art and, when combined with O'Meara's photography, creates a unique experience. Cultural details regarding dress, art, and physical attributes like the dolls' skin tones and illustrations accurately represent Latino culture. Viva Frida won the 2015 Caldecott Honor Book and the 2015 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award.

The strength of Viva Frida is that it creates a unique artistic experience of Frida Kahlo's works. Its weakness is that readers may be confused by the overly artistic style of the book. Readers who enjoy picture books with Latinx cultural details may enjoy Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo, a story about a boy who visits his grandmother in the city.

References

Morales, Y. (2014). Viva Frida. (T. O'Meara, Photog.) Roaring Brook Press.

Robinson, L. (2014, October 16). Calling Caldecott: Viva frida. The Horn Book. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.hbook.com/story/viva-frida

"This luminescent homage". (2014, September 23). Viva Frida. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/yuyi-morales/viva-frida/