Throughout history, the lives of certain individuals, when examined closely, illustrate the times in which they lived. This was true of the life of Luz Jiménez. The famous muralists and other artists of Mexico considered Luz to be the perfect model of the Indigenous Woman. She remarked at one time that she didn’t need a picture of herself because she was portrayed all over Mexico City.
I heard Ms. Amescua read a part of Child of the Flower-Song People this past weekend. She stated that she writes poetry frequently, and the prose in this picture book biography flows in a poetic way.
The illustrator, Duncan Tonatiuh, created a look of pre-Hispanic art. He lists the famous paintings, such as the works of Diego Rivera, which he found inspiring. This book fits into a niche in children’s literature.
As a retired librarian, I can still remember my college professor saying that if you want to learn about something, it is good to start out by reading a children’s book on the subject. Although this is a picture book, it is satisfying for an adult reader because there is an entire section of information provided. There is a photograph of Luz posing for artists Ramón Alva de la Canal, Fernando Leal, and Francisco Díaz de León at what was then called the school of outdoor painting. The artist Jean Charlot was devout in his Catholic faith. Luz introduced him to the religious life of Chalma. The Charlot family stayed close to Luz during her lifetime.
A timeline of her life, a glossary of words in Spanish and Nahuatl, and a bibliography will encourage readers to pursue the life of Luz Jiménez.
