Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos

August 7, 2017
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.

Lively animal sounds and the soothing voice of narrator Adriana Sananes make this a joyful listen for kids. Episodes in the life of iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo show her happy times as a young girl and her difficult time after the bus accident that left her permanently injured. Through it all, Frida's many pets and creatures, such as Bonito the parrot and her spider monkeys, named Fulang Chang and Caimito de Guayabal, were a source of inspiration and comfort. Instead of focusing heavily on the depressing aspects of the artist's life, the author uses her ANIMALITOS to highlight Frida's spirit, curiosity, and imagination. An author's note explains Kahlo's artistic influence and lists the works in which her ANIMALITOS appear, so parents can pair this audiobook with images of Kahlo's paintings. S.C. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine