When most people think of my father, Diego Rivera, they think of him as a famous painter. And they’re right, he did grow up to be a famous painter… His hard work, dedication, and talent taught me that if you work hard at your passion, you can achieve your dreams. –Guadalupe Rivera Marín
Guadalupe Rivera Marín had a very unusual childhood, growing up in Mexico among world famous artwork. Her papá, Diego Rivera, was a larger-than-life figure who created unforgettable images of working people, of life in Mexico, of industrial machines and flowers. But Diego Rivera also loved to paint children — children just like you — and you’ll find them inside the pages of this book, along with the lessons and wisdom he passed along to his eldest daughter.
Guadalupe Rivera Marín shares some of her childhood memories of the world-renowned artist who also happened to be her papá. Her recollections are tender, humorous, and unexpected. This intimate artistic portrait will delight readers, from the youngest art lovers to Diego Rivera’s biggest fans.
Guadalupe Rivera Marín is the daughter of Diego Rivera and Guadalupe Marín. Her early childhood was spent in rural Mexico, while her father created government-sponsored murals for the Secretaria de Educación Pública. An accomplished author and lecturer, Dr. Rivera Marín lives in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
Diego Rivera was one of Mexico’s most famous and influential painters. Born in 1886 in Guanajuato, Mexico, he began studying art as a child and went on to create paintings and murals that can be seen in public spaces and museums around the world. Diego Rivera was also a passionate advocate for working men and women, and he featured them in much of his artwork. He died in 1957.
- Winner, International Latino Book Award (Bilingual Picture Book Category)
- Américas Award Honorable Mention
- Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books of 2009
- 2010 CCBC Choices (Cooperative Children's Book Center)
"A wonderfully unexpected and delightfully accessible personal appreciation of a famous, larger-than-life man, artist and loving father as told by the daughter who now safeguards his works and legacy. Especially notable for its feel of precious family oral history, the author's simple responses to each of Rivera's works are recounted with pleasing, slice-of life warmth and affecting familiarity. While this might not suffice for those who seek simple, by-the-numbers biography, these considered pairings of Rivera's striking, powerful work with his daughter's childlike voice and memories are a potent combination. Daughter Guadalupe succeeds in pointing out the perfect, child-pleasing details of each painting and delicately limns an ordinary/extraordinary childhood, as Papa Diego was a prodigious artist with powerful impact both within his native Mexico and among social realist painters worldwide. This book serves as a superior introduction to that work and career. The helpful and involving backmatter is particularly well constructed and informed, and family photo add intimacy and intensity. Handsome, engaging and deeply affecting." —Starred Review, Kirkus
"The personalities of father and daughter alike, as well as the vibrancy of Mexican culture shine brightly in this personal, insightful book." —Publishers Weekly
"Marín's concise yet complete explanations delivered with a light touch, will give readers an appreciation of the traditions that shaped the author and her artist father, and also the elegance with which they have preserved the Mexico they loved." —Shelf Awareness
"In this beautiful bilingual picture book, Diego Rivera’s daughter has brought together 14 of her father’s original works with a focus on those depicting children ... The author also weaves in her own memories and those of her father, making the book personal yet accessible." —School Library Journal
“This bilingual tribute written by Diego Rivera’s daughter portrays the almost mythical figure in a new light ... Rivera’s stunning yet earthy art seems made for young viewers, and its accessibility is heightened by the striking design.” —The Horn Book
“This collection is an exceptional introduction to the work of Diego Rivera and various aspects of Mexican history” —REFORMA Newletter
"Daughter of artist Diego Rivera, Guadalupe Rivera Marín uses her father's paintings as the springboard for providing glimpses of her childhood and information about her father's life and the culture of Mexico. Thirteen of Rivera's paintings are discussed by Rivera Marín in a warm, inviting bilingual (English/Spanish) narrative." ---CCBC Choices 2010
"This is an excellent way to introduce children to the work of a world-famous artist" —Reading Matters
