Bernier-Grand, Carmen T. Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life. Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2007. (Paintings done by Friday Kahlo)
Students can explore the life of Friday Kahlo from birth to death through these biographical poems by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. Telling the story of her life through short lines, simple language, and with Mexican words peppered throughout, Bernier-Grand explores Frida's happiness and tragedies. Accompanied by paintings done by and photos taken of Frida Kahlo, the words themselves seem to paint the images of Frida's joys and sufferings. After all, words are the poets' paintbrush, right? Throughout her life, whether confined to bed or enjoying life with her friends and family, Kahlo's motto was ¡Viva la Vida! or Long Live Life! Through the poems and paintings in this powerful book, children and adults can view the zest for life she had even to the time of her death.
This book would be a wonderful addition to any Spanish class while studying culture. In fact, I am using this book during our culture section on Mexico. The poem of her bus tragedy is an excellent way to introduce the poet herself before pictures are shown. Many times, students find it funny that she has a uni-brow and had more masculine features in many of her paintings. It would be nice to read them the poem and have them imagine what if would feel like if they were in a debilitating car wreck due to one misstep in their lives. Have them reflect on their feelings should such an awful thing would be a wonderful way to have them step in to someone else's shoes. After that, many of the other poems would be great accompaniment to studying her life as well.
Excerpt from The Accident
If only I hadn't lost my little toy parasol!
I jump off a running bus to find it.
No luck. I guy a balero, a cup-and-ball toy.
jump onto a brightly painted bus,
sit in back on a bench along the side
near a painter with a toolbox
that holds powdered gold paint.
In front of the San Juan market,
a trolley car plows into our bus!
I bounce forward.
The bus bends, bends, bends.
Hits a wall.
Bursts into pieces!
The balero is jolted from my hand.
Where does it go?
A handrail
P
I
E
R
C
E
S
my hipbone.
Students can explore the life of Friday Kahlo from birth to death through these biographical poems by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. Telling the story of her life through short lines, simple language, and with Mexican words peppered throughout, Bernier-Grand explores Frida's happiness and tragedies. Accompanied by paintings done by and photos taken of Frida Kahlo, the words themselves seem to paint the images of Frida's joys and sufferings. After all, words are the poets' paintbrush, right? Throughout her life, whether confined to bed or enjoying life with her friends and family, Kahlo's motto was ¡Viva la Vida! or Long Live Life! Through the poems and paintings in this powerful book, children and adults can view the zest for life she had even to the time of her death.
This book would be a wonderful addition to any Spanish class while studying culture. In fact, I am using this book during our culture section on Mexico. The poem of her bus tragedy is an excellent way to introduce the poet herself before pictures are shown. Many times, students find it funny that she has a uni-brow and had more masculine features in many of her paintings. It would be nice to read them the poem and have them imagine what if would feel like if they were in a debilitating car wreck due to one misstep in their lives. Have them reflect on their feelings should such an awful thing would be a wonderful way to have them step in to someone else's shoes. After that, many of the other poems would be great accompaniment to studying her life as well.
Excerpt from The Accident
If only I hadn't lost my little toy parasol!
I jump off a running bus to find it.
No luck. I guy a balero, a cup-and-ball toy.
jump onto a brightly painted bus,
sit in back on a bench along the side
near a painter with a toolbox
that holds powdered gold paint.
In front of the San Juan market,
a trolley car plows into our bus!
I bounce forward.
The bus bends, bends, bends.
Hits a wall.
Bursts into pieces!
The balero is jolted from my hand.
Where does it go?
A handrail
P
I
E
R
C
E
S
my hipbone.
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