The Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is a surprisingly popular subject for young people. This engaging essay is written as if it were a school report by a girl named Frieda and illustrated not only with reproductions of Kahlo's own paintings but with scenes from her life imagined by the inimitable dePaola. He uses borders and backgrounds in Kahlo's colors to intensify the text to good effect. Kahlo's poor health, her self-absorption, her marriage to the muralist Diego Rivera are all reported as a child might actually research them, and the student's voice is sharp and clear. Frith's straightforward presentation of Kahlo's passionate and unusual way of seeing the whole world in her self-portraits is commendable. If only some sort of bibliography or notes were included to aid Frieda's fellow researchers. (Picture book/biography. 6-9) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 3-5-This picture-book biography is a good way to introduce youngsters to this avant-garde Mexican painter. Told from the viewpoint of a girl who is doing a report on the famous artist, Kahlo's story is clear, concise, and accessible. All of the basic facts are here, along with many personal details that enliven the narrative. Frith does a particularly good job of explaining artistic terms within the text, and she also focuses on qualities that make Kahlo's work unique. The book concludes with three questions that the student would ask the artist if she could-a great technique for prompting children to do more research on this fascinating painter. The well-written prose is beautifully complemented both by photos of Kahlo and of some of her best-known paintings and by dePaola's splendid trademark illustrations, all set against vividly colored backgrounds. Many of the colors used are those found in Kahlo's own works. The tone of dePaola's paintings varies from humorous to realistic, showcasing his ability to reveal both the light and more serious sides of his subject. His use of color and patterned "frames" gives each illustration a vivacity that underscores Kahlo's own zest for life. Written for a slightly older audience than Jonah Winter's Frida (Scholastic, 2002), this is a fine choice for all libraries.-Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(Primary, Intermediate) As in the previous Smart about Art biographies, the text is presented as a school report, this time by a fictional student drawn to Mexico's iconic painter because of their shared first name. The report includes kidlike observations (""I think she was so brave to do that"") and a concession that Kahlo's work (reproduced throughout), while captivating, may be beyond a child's powers of interpretation. Frith has wisely emphasized aspects of Kahlo's life that will resonate with the book's intended audience: the schoolyard teasing she endured because of her disfigured right leg, the two years she spent in bed recovering from an accident and discovering her artistic gift, her flamboyant style of dress and love of animals. There's nothing here on her controversial politics or the notorious volatility of her marriage to muralist Diego Rivera; a black-and-white photo of Kahlo smoking in bed, above the caption ""I wish that Frida wasn't smoking!"" is as dark as it gets. DePaola, working against vibrant, solid-color backdrops, seems in his element: he supplies the illustrations of Kahlo, complete with festive, Mexican-flavored borders and motifs, ostensibly created by her fictional young biographer. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.