Frida Kahlo and her Animalitos by Monica Brown (Grades 4-6)

One of the most influential artists of the 20th Century, Frida Kahlo is famous for painting images of Mexican culture and the female experience in bold self portraits and vibrant colours. In this charming retelling of Kahlo's life, Monica Brown recounts the stories of the artist's animal companions – two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn. Brown playfully considers how Kahlo expressed the fun and quirky qualities of each of her pets.

Monica Brown, PhD, is an award winning Peruvian-American author. She is best known for her books Waiting for the Biblioburro, Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match, and the Lola Levine chapter book series. Frida and Her Animalitos was the winner of the New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year 2017, Barnes & Noble Best Book 2017, and the Smithsonian Top Ten Best Children’s Books 2017.