Diego [Spanish/English bilingual] by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Jeanette Winter Grades 1-3 64 pages Greenwillow April 2006 Hardcover     This small children’s book relates the story of Diego Rivera, a famous Mexican artist who loved his work and the people of his country. Diego spent his whole life painting, drawn to the colors and rituals of his native land and the troubles of the Mexican people. Diego was born with a twin brother, Carlos, who died before he was two years of age. Worried that their other son would become ill and die as well, Diego’s parents gave him into the care of a nurse, an Indian healer named Antonia. Antonia lived in the mountains, where there were fresh air and healing herbs, her cozy hut filled with candles and little dolls. Diego grew strong with Antonia in the mountains and soon returned home a healthy boy. Back with his parents, Diego began to draw, which pleased his father very much; he made his son a studio where the boy drew murals that covered the walls of the room. Diego had difficulty concentrating in school because all he could think about were the pictures in his head, the things he wanted to paint. He went to art school, but even that was hard for Diego. An artist who couldn’t paint the same as everyone else, Diego wanted to create his own images, the colorful fiestas, the celebration of The Day of the Dead, even the terrible scenes of soldiers shooting the workers asking for better conditions. The stories of the people came alive in Diego’s murals, their struggles and pain, their happiness, the love of family, all in the vivid colors of a passionate country. The murals in the churches Diego saw when he visited Italy inspired the artist to create similar paintings when he returned to Mexico, telling the history of his people for all to see, giant scenes of fiestas, laborers, folklore and the beauty of the countryside. This famous artist is revered by Mexico today, his images as popular now as when he first painted them. Surely this little boy brought a wonderful gift to his country, a gift for all.     web reviews   Luan Gaines/2007 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)