(3) PS Illustrated by David Diaz. On a walk through the fields, a young boy shows his mother a grasshopper on a leaf. This sets off a series of animal babies all calling out "Mama, look"; grasshoppers spy ants, who spy butterflies, and so on. With a simple text and Diaz's brightly colored, pattern-rich art in a preschool-friendly cartoon style, this picture book encourages parent-child conversations and observation.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Translated by Adriana Domínguez. Illustrated by David Diaz. When Maya Morales is little, her grandmother makes her a blanket, a "special manta" that morphs into different (progressively smaller) things as Maya grows up. Based on the Yiddish folk song "I Had a Little Coat" (and inspired by her Jewish and Latina heritage), Brown creates a contemporary story, in English and Spanish, with a timeless-folktale feel. Diaz's mixed-media illustrations are warm and joyful. Glos.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by David Diaz. Free-verse narrative poems offer a personal look at the diverse lives of Latino children; essays giving readers cultural and historical context follow each. Common themes such as immigration are explored, but this book's greatest strength is its respectful treatment of oft-ignored cultures such as Sephardic Jews and Zapotec peoples. Diaz's compelling hand-cut black-and-white illustrations lend a folk-art feel. Reading list. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. A mother and son travel through a luminous American landscape as the words of the poem celebrating President Obama's first inauguration reverberate throughout the book. There are no explanations here for the reader, just strong images and strong words: "On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp, / praise song for walking forward in that light."

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) YA Illustrated by David Diaz. Free verse poems chronicle the dramatic life of modern art's pinnacle figure. Rather than glossing over Picasso's flaws--his womanizing, his self-absorption, etc.--they are Bernier-Grand's intriguing focus. The poetry is powerful but challenging, though extensive back matter clarifies biographical details. Diaz's acrylic, charcoal, and varnish illustrations are commanding; some reproductions of Picasso's most famous works are also included. Timeline. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. Martín de Porres (1579–1639), a beloved Peruvian Dominican monk, was canonized in 1962 as the patron saint of universal brotherhood. Schmidt's graceful account of his life focuses mostly on Martín's impoverished youth among Lima's slaves and Indians. Diaz's visualization of this story is magnificent: rich in Latin American hues, the mixed-media art extends the text on each lovely spread.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012

(3) PS Illustrated by David Diaz. In lilting, evocative text, a mother enumerates the riches of the life she had before her baby was born ("Before you came, I had a garden of blue morning glories..."). She then explains that all of those elements are now better because they are shared with her child. Warm, flowing illustrations keep pace with the impressionistic text.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by David Diaz. This jubilant compilation celebrates the seasons with classic and contemporary verse. Brief quotes (e.g., Longfellow's "Spring in the world! / And all things are made new!") herald each new section, setting the tone for the poems that follow. Hues are vivid and varied, and the bold, lively spreads feature glowing figures in Diaz's signature silhouette style. Ind.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. In 1930, Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, left Mexico for San Francisco. Novesky describes Frida's loneliness and restlessness; not yet an established artist, she created a painting of herself small alongside Rivera, large and important looking. Diaz's textured and color-saturated acrylic, charcoal, and varnish paintings pay atmospheric homage to the artists. An author's note is appended.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(2) YA Illustrated by David Diaz. In free verse, Bernier-Grand (Frida: ¡Viva la Vida! / Long Live Life!, César) chronicles the childhood of Mexican painter Diego Rivera, before highlighting the passions (art, women, politics) of his adult life. These vignettes are appropriately accompanied by Diaz's vibrantly colored mixed-media silhouettes and occasionally--and to great effect--Rivera's own paintings. An author's note and quotes by Rivera are appended. Timeline. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2009

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. This exploration of life in the barrio culminates in a quinceañera celebration. Chocolate's prose includes sensory images ("rain-washed murals," "silver-streaked tenements"). Diaz's distinctive mixed-media illustrations use a bold color palette to bring the neighborhood to vibrant life. The book as a whole gives a tangible sense of community united through joyous traditions.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. Paddling along the seacoast, a parka-clad mother and child bid goodnight to various animals as they are bedding down for the evening. Otters and walruses, dolphins and whales, puffins and albatrosses glow in Diaz's soft-focus, swirling paintings, which represent tenderness and comfort. The text alternates repetition with variation--just the right atmosphere for a soothing bedtime story.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. Written in 1955, the inspirational song here appeals to both religious and secular audiences by offering alternative lyrics ("With God as our Father / With Earth as our Mother..."). Swirling computer-drawn illustrations feature international peace symbols including a Tibetan doe and Scandinavian mistletoe, with explanations of each in the end matter. A CD with twelve feel-good songs by Jackson and Miller and their daughter is included.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) PS De colores, a sixteenth-century Spanish folk song, is presented here in both Spanish and English. As can happen with translations, the English version is not completely faithful to the Spanish-language lyrics. Lush acrylic, pencil, and colored-pencil pictures illustrate the text--though it is ironic that in a song about bright colors the artist used muted, dusty tones. Music is included.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by David Diaz. The story begins with a mysterious rider dropping a pouch adorned with the royal seal; peasant children Pia and Enzio must decide what to do with it. With precise language and recurring motifs echoed by Diaz's chapter-opening illustrations, Creech weaves her characters into a delicate tapestry. The book's prettiness and Creech's always-evocative writing make it a pleasant foray into a fairy-tale world.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2007

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. Krull uses the relatively few known facts about the Powhatan princess to trace her life from age eleven through adulthood, touching on her volatile relationship with John Smith and marriage to John Rolfe. Krull rounds out the story with background information about Jamestown. The narrative is smooth and readable, and Diaz's lush digitally colored cut-paper illustrations feature bright borders around the text. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) PS Illustrated by David Diaz. A child can't sleep for the sound of the clock ticking and tap dripping, so he counts sheep--in English and Spanish--from one to ten. The text is simple and suitably repetitive: "Una oveja blanca. / One white sheep. / ¡Adiós, oveja blanca! / Good-bye, white sheep!" Diaz's dreamy acrylic and pencil paintings create a gentle mood.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) PS Illustrated by David Diaz. In this bilingual book, Orozco's lively lyrics are combined with Diaz's bold illustrations. The nonsensical verses are difficult to translate, so the Spanish and English texts are completely different (a more literal translation is included at the end). Music for the song is appended.

Reviewer: Tim Wadham

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by David Diaz. A series of nineteen free-verse poems depict César Chávez's life and legacy, focusing on his legendary fight against injustice toward farm workers. Some Spanish words and sentences appearing within the poems add authenticity but may disturb the flow for readers who must look up their meaning in the book's glossary. Diaz's rather bland digital art frames key images in yellow. Timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. A cumulative rhyme deftly reveals the technique of master Mexican potter Juan Quezada, who revived traditional methods to create "beautiful pot[s]." The rhyme on the left page of each spread is supplemented by a short prose explanation on the right page, and an afterword offers more information. Bright reds and oranges in the stylized, digitally generated illustrations-some perhaps a bit overdone-augment the text appropriately.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian