Saludos a todxs,
Today’s post will highlight a recently-released graphic novel about which we are very excited: Photographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide, written by Isabel Quintero and illustrated by Zeke Peña. We’re thrilled to see this book released from Getty Publications, but we have yet to hold it in our hands. So, our full review is pending. Instead, we’re offering this preview inspired by the author’s and illustrator’s upcoming visit to Albuquerque! If you’re in town, save the date for April 10th, when they’ll be speaking at Hodgin Hall on UNM’s campus!!!
This beautiful graphic novel is available as the English edition (linked above) and as a full, Spanish-language edition called Iguana Lady: La vida de Graciela Iturbide. The novel documents the life and work of the Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide.
Direct from the publisher, here is a summary of the book:
“Graciela Iturbide was born in Mexico City in 1942, the oldest of thirteen children. When tragedy strikes Graciela as a young mother, she turns to photography for solace and understanding. From then on Graciela embarks on a photographic journey that takes her throughout her native Mexico, from the Sonora Desert to Juchitán to Frida Kahlo’s bathroom, to the United States, India, and beyond. Photographic is a symbolic, poetic, and deeply personal graphic biography of this iconic photographer. Graciela’s journey will excite young readers and budding photographers who will be inspired by her resolve, talent, and curiosity.”
The J. Paul Getty Museum’s website has videos that document Iturbide’s work as a photographer, the process for how Quintero and Peña put together this beautiful graphic novel, and also classroom resources to help share the book with students. The website also provides a thoughtful, extensive digital preview of the text as part of the educator resources.
In addition, Getty has also put together:
- A stunning multimedia piece on the woman whose life inspired the book
- An interview with Isabel Quintero
- An interview with Zeke Peña
Our copies are already on the way, so we’ll be back in the near future to share a full review with you.
In the meantime, we’ll dwell for a moment on Quintero and Peña as the creators behind this fascinating publication.
Here on our blog we have highlighted Isabel Quintero as a Featured Author. We have also reviewed and created an educator’s guide for her first YA novel, Gabi: A Girl in Pieces. It is one of the absolute favorites among our local book group! She’s also written the recently-released Ugly Cat and Pablo for younger readers, among other essays and poems. Her work is always incredible, be it lighthearted or gritty, as you can read more about in this article, “Author Visit REHASH: Isabel Quintero, YA, and Children’s Writer (and Poet!)” from this blog on children’s literature run by English & Comparative Lit department at SDSU.
Zeke Peña likewise holds a place in our hearts. He is the illustrator behind Photographic and also the illustrator behind the hand-drawn sketches and collages in Gabi. Peña, a cartoonist and painter from El Paso, Texas, writes on his website that, “Most of my work is inspired by living on the border and remixes historical narratives with what’s going on today. I use comics to subvert American history and reclaim stories that were burned by colonialism; resistencia one cartoon at a time.” You can learn more about how identity is forefront in his work in this article by Remezcla, “The river holds our history: Artist Zeke Peña Traces the Rio Grande’s Place in Fronterizo Identity.”
We hope that this post inspires you to explore this work of art more thoroughly; we know we are excited to read it!
Saludos,
Kalyn & Keira
Pero no pueden estar más equivocados, porque al día siguiente, cuando Lucía aparece en el parque después de haber ideado un plan con su abuela y vestir su máscara de luchadora, es la sensación total de todo el parque. Todos los presentes se animan a seguir sus juegos, marcando tendencia en los próximos días con luchadores y luchadoras al unísono. Pero, hete aquí que los prejuicios entran en escena de nuevo cuando ciertos rasgos como el color rosa descubren quiénes son las luchadoras. De nuevo aquel las chicas no pueden ser superhéroes surge como un dardo envenenado que Lucía salva con gracia al evitar que su perrito caiga por el tobogán; y tras lo cual descubre su identidad. Ahora todos saben quién es ella, y genera un seguimiento que hará que todos se unan en su disfrute por las acrobacias, dejando a un lado aquellas diferencias que sirven para separar.
De nuevo una historia pensada para el público infantil trasciende las fronteras de la lectura naíf para reposar en la reflexión social sobre un tema acuciante y recientemente traído a la palestra con mayor vehemencia de la mano de la industria del cine: la igualdad de género, la creación de espacios no restrictivos para que las mujeres ejerzan su derecho a participar activamente de nuestras sociedades sin paliativos. Lucía es una luchadora, metáfora mexicana en el cuadrilátero de la lucha libre, que representa la voz femenina e infantil; aquella que no ha sido coartada por los prejuicios y que tiene el potencial de atajarlos porque no ha conocido el continuo y rotundo no. Sus saltos y acrobacias tienen el poder de hacerle llegar a los demás, generando una suerte de unión que está por encima de lo divisorio.
Todos aquellos que en algún momento hemos sentido rechazo o indiferencia por ser nosotros mismos, somos también Lucía. Tenemos el potencial para hacernos oír, y si somos pacientes, con el tiempo descubriremos que, a pesar de todo, sí es posible ser auténticos con nosotros mismos y con los demás.
¡Buenos días! In honor of Women’s History Month, throughout all of March we will be writing posts featuring strong female characters and authors! Today I will review Duncan Tonatiuh’s book, 
She was also a researcher, manager, and dance teacher. Born in Mexico, Hernández’s was versed from a young age in formal ballet and Spanish flamenco. Unsatisfied with these early teachings, she then went on to learn about Mexico’s many traditional and indigenous dances. Afterward, she melded this breadth of experience into a new form of dance known as ballet folklórico, fusing ballet and modern dance techniques with the movements and costumes of Mexico’s traditional dances. Finding her initial performances to be well received, she went on to found her company, the Ballet Folklórico de México, in 1952.
Tonatiuh also brings up the question of appropriation and misrepresentation of folkloric dances, an issue which Hernández was forced to face with her rise to fame.
With his signature style of illustrations and meticulous research, Tonatiuh has brought to life this captivating herstory of a woman of color whose life’s work has become iconic around the world. It is a fitting tribute to a woman whose legacy is tremendous, and can be seen in practice every week and weekend at the famous Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, where her company, the 
¡Buenos días! Today we will continue our Indigenous Peoples book reviews with 
where she writes extensively about indigenous peoples of Mexico and their inclusion/exclusion in the Mexican nation and education. Toledo and Castañeda are also married with two children.
We are to surmise that this explains why, even today, when dogs first meet, they smell each others’ rears in search of the Perro Topil and the message he carries.
PBS also has a lesson plan, 
5:00-7:00 pm to discuss our next book. It’s another adult novel month! This month we decided to do a “fan favorite” and our book group chose 
¡Buenos días!
Hi all,
¡Hola a todos! This is my last post of the school semester. I want to thank everyone for taking the time to look at sources I have shared through this blog. I am always pleased to share them with you and hopeful that they may be of use to you.
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