Diego: Bigger Than Life

Grand, C. T., & Diaz, D. (2009). Diego: bigger than life. New York: Marshall Cavendish Children.

http://www.carmenberniergrand.com/

 

Literary Awards:

Pura Belpre Honor Book 2010

Annotation:

The life of Diego Rivera from birth till his death, told in snippets of poetry.

Booktalk:

Through poetry and art, Grand and Diaz have created a biography that will wet your whistle for more information.  This biography starts at the very beginning of Diego Rivera's life and goes through his death in 1957.  It chronicles his struggles in life; the deaths of siblings and wives, and his passion for art.  The book includes an index with the titles of each poem.  There is also an epilogue and many notes from the author at the end.  Grand comments that Rivera was a very good storyteller making it hard at times to know what was true and what was an embellishment.  Grand's notes at the end of the book cover all of these things followed by a glossary, a chronology of Rivera's life, and sources.  

The poetry in Diego: Bigger Than Life is fluid and the pictures are reminiscent of Mexican folk-art   A great read for anyone interested in artists or just a good biographical story.  The struggles Diego goes through, especially at the beginning of his life, will intrigue a teen audience for sure.  A good supporting book for research.