Friday Frida Favs: Frida Book Review & GIVEAWAY

“Frida” by Jonah Winter and illustrated by Ana Juan was the first Frida Kahlo book I purchased. I got it to use it as a guest book for my Frida themed birthday party when I turned 31. When it arrived in the mail, I decided not to use it as a guest book. I couldn’t bare having the beautiful illustrations ruined by people’s writing. This book is not in Lily’s growing library. She does good with paperback books but sometimes she accidentally rips the pages. “Sorry, Sweetie! Not this one.”

Reading time after our morning walk/run. Lily loves Frida too!

My copy of “Frida” is in Spanish but also comes in English. The book begins with the birth of Frida. It mentions factual aspects of Frida’s life, her blue house, Coyoacan, Mexico (her birth place), the trolley accident, and much more. But most importantly it tells the reader how painting played a major role in her life. Diego is not mentioned in the story until the end, where a biography of Frida is included. 

The illustrations are handpainted with a mixture of color pencil, from what I can see. In the illustrations you’ll find very playful almost whimsical “imaginary” characters - a little red devil, a tiger like character, and one with an almost ghost like face, to describe a few. These characters interact with Frida’s real life environment and express the different emotions based on what is happening in Frida’s life. 

Lily counting how many Fridas she sees. 

Some of the illustrations are influenced by Frida’s actual work. There is one illustration of two little girls holding hands in the sky and they are both Frida. The illustration reminds me of Frida’s painting, “The Two Fridas.” In another, Frida, this time older after the trolley accident, is depicted wrapped in the branches of a tree. That one reminds me of her painting “The Dream” and “Roots/Raices.” The book’s text is placed in the open spaces among the illustrations or on banners, which is often seen in Frida’s paintings. On one page, a bird holds the banner in its mouth. 

What makes this book one of my favorites, other than the beautiful, sometimes very vibrant illustrations, is that it emphasizes on how art shaved Frida’s life. It helped her deal with all the pain and loneliness she so often felt. One of my favorite lines in the book is 

“Dibujar es como tener una amiga imaginaria. Esta presente cada vez que ella quiere. Le hace compania y le da fuerzas para no perder la esperanza.” 

Let me translate:
“Painting is like having an imaginary friend. She is present every time she needs her. She gives her company and the strength to not lose hope.”

I love this quote! What makes me realize how important it is is two reasons: One, in the beginning of the book before the quote above it given it says, “Frida has an imaginary friend named Frida” in Spanish of course. I have no idea if it is actually true. Two, my brain recalls one of Frida’s quotes: 

“I am my own muse. I am the subject I know best. The subject I want to know better.”

That’s when I had an aha moment. When Frida was lonely she painted herself, the subject she knew best. She painted her imaginary friend, Frida. A friend whom could related to her, someone who knew her pain and suffering, and she could bring her to life just with a stroke of a brush. 

It is difficult not to love Frida. In a situation were many would give up and lose hope, she found a way to fight through it, to make something positive out of it and share it with the world. On that note, I would like to share/give a copy of this amazing book, “Frida” to one lucky winner. It will be a Spanish version, like my own.

Giveaway Rules
Leave a comment below about this book review or anything about Frida Kahlo.
For extra entries share this giveaway on your social media accounts and leave the link/s in the comments below. 
Contest ends next Friday, June 17. 
Winner will be announced Saturday, June 18. 
Good Luck!

Also, don't forget to check out The Morose Bee to see what she has going on for Friday Frida Favs.

Friday Frida Favs: “Counting with - Contando con Frida” Book Review

“Counting with - Contando con Frida” by Patty Rodriguez and Ariana Stein is the perfect first Frida Kahlo themed book for any child. It's a board book, making it durable without worrying about your child tearing the pages out. It's illustrations are simple and well designed without overwhelming your little reader. Better yet, your child is learning two languages, words and numbers, while unknowingly learning about Frida Kahlo. This book embodies what we love in our household, Frida, reading, and teaching Lily Spanish.

“Counting with - Contando con Frida” is actually one of my favorite Frida Kahlo themed books. If I didn’t have Lily I would have probably purchased it for myself. What I love about this book is the objects used to represent the numbers are related to Frida’s life. For example, for the number 5, there is five framed portraits of Frida which are based off of her paintings. Frida is well known for painting self-portraits of herself. Frida’s paintings “Self-Portrait with Loose Hair”, “The Two Fridas”, “Frieda and Diego Rivera”, “Self-Portrait as a Tehuana”, and “The Wounded Deer” inspired the ones illustrated to help represent the number five.

“Counting with - Contando con Frida” is published by Lil’ Libros (which means little books in Spanish), a company which publishes other amazing bilingual books with Mexican themes and educational concepts. Other great titles they sell are “La Llorona” which teaches counting down numbers, “Loteria” teaches first words based on the Mexican game Loteria, “Lucha Libre” (Mexican wrestling) teaches anatomy, “Zapata” teaches colors based on Emiliano Zapata’s life, and “Guadalupe” teaches more first words based on the Virgin Mary’s life. Lil’ Libros is currently in the works to release two more books, “Cuauhtemoc” and “Un Elefante!” We are looking forward to adding them to our Lil' Libros bilingual book collection.

We were introduced to Lil’ Libros books last year, when Lily received “Counting with - Contando con Frida” and “Loteria” from my friend Maria. We have been hooked to Lil’ Libros books since then. I got Lily “Guadalupe” for her Easter basket this year and purchased other titles for my nephews for Christmas. You can purchase Lil’ Libros books and prints on their website, here and on Etsy, here. You can follow them on Instagram, here. They usually have sales during the holidays and you can get their discount code if you follow them on Instagram. I have seen “Counting with - Contando con Frida” books in Target stores, but not on Target online.

I’ve always loved reading. I was in a bookclub called, “The Bookies” for a few years. I started reading to Lily from day one and I’ve seen how rewarding it is for both of us. She has books everywhere. She has a basket with books in our bedroom and in the living room and a bookshelf in her bedroom. Lily will choose a book over watching cartoons anytime. She knows how to say book in English and Spanish. “Counting with - Contando con Frida” book has helped her learn how to count to two.

Sign ups are still open for Viva La Frida Craft Swap. If you haven’t signed up, there is still time. If you get paired up with someone with a little one, Lily and I highly recommend buying “Counting with - Contando con Frida” for them. It will be a gift both child and parent will enjoy, promise! Also, don't forget to swing on by The Morose Bee blog to see what Emily as posted for Friday Frida Favs.

Happy FRIDAy everyone! 

Book Review: "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

I heard so many good things about “the Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins, from my employees at work that I had to read it to see if it was true. I borrowed the book from one of my employees and read it in a few days. I couldn’t put it down. They were right the book is good!

I just finished reading it today and I’m ready to dive into second book, “Catching Fire.” “The Hunger Games” is well written and an easy read. In what use to be North America sits the nation of Panem, where every year the government known as the Capitol forces one girl and one boy, ages 12-18, from the Capitol's 12 districts to fight to the death in the Hunger Games as their survival is broadcasted on live TV. The Hunger Games is a scary reminded that the Capitol controls people’s lives. I fell in love with the main characters, Katniss and Peeta, and some of the other tributes (contestants) in the arena.

As you read the book you’ll start thinking if you have the skills, if any, to survive in the arena and if you could survive at all. Who will you be rooting for in the Hunger Games?

If you have already read “The Hunger Games” and liked it, I highly recommend “Delirium” by Lauren Oliver. In “Delirium” the government uses another method to control people’s lives. You’ll see lots of similarities between both books.

I’m happy to say that this is the first book I have read outside of my book club, for this year. I’m gradually, accomplishing my New Year resolutions!

Book Review: "Memoirs Of A Geisha" by Arthur Golden

November’s book club book was “Memories Of A Geisha” by Arthur Golden. Our dinner theme was Chinese food; one of my favorite foods, and our creative project was to decorate a fan. I dressed up as geisha minus the kimono for the book club and added a –san to everyone’s name, “Hello, Christi-san.” 

 

“Memoirs Of A Geisha” is an intriguing book from beginning to end. The beginning of the novel immediately sucks you in as Sayuri, a retired Japanese geisha, now living in New York, decides to tell her life story to a writer with the conditions that it doesn’t get published until she and the men mentioned in her biography are deceased. Which begs the questions, “Is she ashamed?” “Is she trying to hide something,” etc. Throughout the novel, Sayuri finds herself in numerous conflicts. I couldn’t put the book down, wanting to find out what happened next. “Memoirs Of A Geisha” will teach you about the kind of life a geisha lead during the Depression in the 1930’s and 1940’s in Japan. What I enjoyed the most about reading the book, other than learning some history, is that Sayuri was a very poetic character. She used lots of metaphors and similes. For example, “They just melt away like snowflakes” (page 141) as Sayuri refers not being able to retain information. Is the book based on true events or is it fiction? Read the book first; the author’s acknowledgment page at the end will relieve the answer.

As some of you may know, “Memoirs Of A Geisha” is also a movie. I watched the movie when it first came out in theaters so I vaguely remember it but it did help add a few faces to the characters in the novel. I didn’t want to watch the movie again until I finished the book. Plus, people always say the book is always better. I plan to borrow the movie from a friend soon and I can’t wait see the differences and similarities between the book and the movie.

Overall, I give “Memories Of A Geisha” by Arthur Golden four stars. I highly recommend book!

Book Review: “A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard

I just finished reading “A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard. The book is a true story, a memoir, of Jaycee Dugard, who was taken at age eleven in 1991 and was raped, manipulated, and bore two children of her abductor. After eighteen years she was reunited with her family in 2009. I give the book three stars. It’s a difficult read in the beginning as Jaycee goes into detail on how her abductor, Phillip Garrido, rapes her. Obviously, we know that Jaycee returns home and that’s what motivated me to continue reading, waiting for the moment when she is finally free. Though, I felt she rushed describing the part when she was free from her abductors and I had to read that section twice. I did get upset with Jaycee as I read the book because I saw many opportunities when she could have escaped, but then again I had to remember that she was young when she was taken and manipulated by a sick man. This book left me feeling grateful for the freedom I have in my life. I will always think of Jaycee Dugard when I see a pinecone.

The Bookies’ October Meeting

Yesterday, my book club, “The Bookies” had our monthly book club meeting. The book chosen by October’s host Regina was “The Witch’s Daughter” by Paula Brackston. I gave the book three stars for being an okay book. The book goes back and forth from present time to the past as Elizabeth, a 384 year-old witch, tells a neighborhood girl, Tegan, who she befriends about a evil sorcerer she keeps hiding from throughout her life. I enjoyed reading the stories of Elizabeth’s past than her present life, especially when the author places Elizabeth during the time of Jack the Ripper. The other book club members weren’t very fond of the book either.

Regina, the hostess, wanted us to dress up as our favorite witch at the meeting since we were reading a book on witches and she also gave us a wooden witch mask to paint. I didn’t get a chance to paint my witch mask but I did dress up as a witch. By default I won the best witch costume because I was the only one who dressed up except for Regina. Can you guess whom I dress up as? The green face and the monkey should be an easy give away.

Like always, the food was delicious and above are the fun and tasty desserts we had.

Remember to brush your teeth and have a safe and happy Halloween!