My Papa Diego and Me: Memories of My Father and His Art

Through bilingual commentaries on 13 of Rivera's paintings, the artist's daughter provides an anecdotal portrait of her childhood with her father. All of the works feature children and will give readers a sense of Rivera's range as an artist. Several are portraits of the author, and they frequently depict domestic scenarios and Mexican traditions. One novel inclusion is Rivera's cover illustration for the book Fermín (“The story of Fermín was very important to my father. He wanted to show that all children, even those who grow up with very little, can become leaders”); another is a mural he created for the Secretariat of Public Education in Mexico, which portrays conditions that presaged the Mexican Revolution. The visual showstopper, however, is the detail from Rivera's sprawling mural, “Sueño de una tarde dominical en la Alameda,” on the endpapers, a surreal vision of city life that features a cameo by the artist as a boy, a frog and snake peeking out from his pockets. The personalities of father and daughter alike, as well as the vibrancy of Mexican culture, shine brightly in this personal, insightful book. Ages 6–up. (Sept.)