# 38- Uptown

Uptown (2007)

Bryan Collier

Collier uses collage in this book about Harlem, which he published and illustrated. Using collage, he portrays scenes in the neighborhood with highly textured images. The newspaper that a man holds out is made with a cutout of actual newsprint, and small photo cutouts are framed and hung on a wall in the main character’s home. The Apollo theatre, Savoy ballroom, barbershop and brownstones that look like chocolate bars to the boy narrator show up on some of the pages.

The narrative depicts the sense of pride and belonging that the main character feels, and images in the illustrations elaborate on the simple phrases. References to jazz in the narrative are echoed by the piano and sheet music in the illustrations.

# 23- Diego Rivera: His World and Ours

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours (2011)

Duncan Tonatiuh

Tonatiuh’s collage illustrations in his version of this famous Mexican muralist and painter’s biography bring the pages alive with texture. Starting with the opening, readers will want to notice how the hair on Diego’s head is a glossy cutout of a photograph of real hair, the way the books on the shelf shine, and how the pants he wears are cutouts of green tweed. Other examples throughout the book abound, each outlined boldly in black marker.

The faces of the people in this book are all profiles, drawn in the likeness of Mayan and Aztec hieroglyphics. I thought of the illustrations of the Popol Vuh. Scenes like the struggle of Mexican independence and an eclectic combination of modern and traditional activities that take place in Diego’s native country are featured in this book, brilliantly relating to modern day life. One double page spread pictures a paper airplane zooming through the air, roller skates, remote controlled cars and planes, and a laptop computers. Like the text, they challenge the reader to imagine what the artist would paint if he were alive today.

Children will easily relate to these engaging illustrations, especially the scene of the Lucha Libre men in the ring and a scene with aliens in outer space.

There is also a glossary of words and references and a more detailed author’s note about Rivera, as well as an image of “The Great City of Tenochtitlán” that was the inspiration for some of the illustrations.