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Book cover of Josefina
Children - Learning Basic Concepts, Children - Fiction & Literature, Fiction Subjects

Josefina

by Jeanette Winter
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Overview

Count along in English and Spanish with a Mexican folk artist as she sculpts her world from clay. Inspired by Josefina Aguilar, an artist who continues to create painted clay figures in the village of Ocotlán, Mexico, this colorful tale is profound in its beauty and simplicity. “Winter is a true original, and [this] work gives further proof of her talent.”—Publishers Weekly

A counting book inspired by Mexican folk artist Josefina Aguilar who makes painted clay figures.

Synopsis

Count along in English and Spanish with a Mexican folk artist as she sculpts her world from clay. Inspired by Josefina Aguilar, an artist who continues to create painted clay figures in the village of Ocotlán, Mexico, this colorful tale is profound in its beauty and simplicity. “Winter is a true original, and [this] work gives further proof of her talent.”—Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews

Winter returns to the bordered acrylic vignettes that she mastered in Diego (by Jonah Winter, 1991) for another story inspired by the life of a Mexican artist.

Josefina Aguilar carries on her family tradition of fashioning painted clay figures in the village of Ocotlán. Josefina makes in the course of a day, one sun, two angels, three houses, etc., on up to ten stars before her day ends. The Spanish phrases number and name the objects as she creates them. The last spread shows all 55 of the clay figures, depicting Josefina's world with all its joys and sorrows. The palette of violet, teal, terra cotta, green, and rose is exceptionally lovely, and readers will enjoy searching for a blue parrot and a brown squirrel that appear in many of the pictures. A good follow-up to Pat Mora's Uno, Dos, Tres: One, Two, Three (p. 139), which also teaches the Spanish numbers, this is a useful lead-in to a discussion of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration, since Josefina makes the calaveras, or dancing skeletons, that are symbols of that holiday.

About the Author, Jeanette Winter

JEANETTE WINTER has written and illustrated many books for children, including MAMA, The Librarian of Basra, Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book, My Name Is Georgia, and Josefina. She lives in New York City.

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Editorials

Kirkus Reviews

Winter returns to the bordered acrylic vignettes that she mastered in Diego (by Jonah Winter, 1991) for another story inspired by the life of a Mexican artist.

Josefina Aguilar carries on her family tradition of fashioning painted clay figures in the village of Ocotlán. Josefina makes in the course of a day, one sun, two angels, three houses, etc., on up to ten stars before her day ends. The Spanish phrases number and name the objects as she creates them. The last spread shows all 55 of the clay figures, depicting Josefina's world with all its joys and sorrows. The palette of violet, teal, terra cotta, green, and rose is exceptionally lovely, and readers will enjoy searching for a blue parrot and a brown squirrel that appear in many of the pictures. A good follow-up to Pat Mora's Uno, Dos, Tres: One, Two, Three (p. 139), which also teaches the Spanish numbers, this is a useful lead-in to a discussion of the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration, since Josefina makes the calaveras, or dancing skeletons, that are symbols of that holiday.

Book Details

Published
October 1, 1996
Publisher
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages
36
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780152010911

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