From: Ginny Moore Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 05:54:20 -0500

Last week Barbara Tobin wrote about discovering "...a picture book about Juan Quezada, the premier potter in Mexico..." Barbara pointed out that The Pot That Juan Built [Lee & Low, 2002] is "Nancy Andrews-Goebel's first book (with gorgeous illustrations by David Diaz)" and said that
"it is told from dual perspectives: on the left page, a simple accumulative 'house that Jack built' style rhyme, and on the right page a biography of the artist that details his pottery making process. This is supplemented by a detailed afterword with photographs."

I agree. The Pot That Juan Built is much more than what one expects from the title, though the title will probably attract children, which after all - is the point. It's an entertaining, ingenious melding of story, biography, and photo documentary celebrating creativity at a level completely understandable to young children.

And so does the picture book Frida written by Jonah Winter and illustrated by artist Ana Juan (Arthur A. Levine Books / Scholastic Press). Winters's inspired approach to Frida Kahlo's childhood and Ana Juan's incredibly fresh images intrigue young children. What a handsome book!

Peace, Ginny
 


Ginny Moore Kruse gmkruse at education.wisc.edu
Received on Tue 15 Oct 2002 05:54:20 AM CDT