Visionary architect Zaha Hadid once said about herself, “I always thought I was powerful, since I was a kid.” It was during her childhood, surrounded by the design, history, and natural landscape of Iraq, that her love of fluid forms and buildings with curves began. In The World Is Not A Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid (Beach Lane, $17.99), Jeanette Winter weaves Hadid’s quotes, memories, and illustrations of her creations into a cohesive portrait of a bold, pioneering architect unafraid to create forms that celebrate movement and nature. Ages 7-10.
Amy and Greg Newbold have opened a whimsical window into art history for the young reader: snowmen! Illustrator Greg envisions what it would look like If Picasso Painted a Snowman (Tilbury House, $17.95) (a cubist snowman, of course), as well as imagining snowy creations by Marc Chagall (bright, cavorting circus snowmen), Gustav Klimt (a cozy snowman family wrapped up in a highly geometric quilt), Grant Wood (Snowman Gothic), and eleven other masters. This goofy, immersive introduction to style, a boon to emerging artists and art appreciators, is topped off with an invitation to readers to develop a unique style of their own. Ages 7-10.
Amalia Hernández’s fierce determination led her on a journey from dancer to choreographer to founder of her own dance company, El Ballet Folklórico de México. Through her organization, Hernández mixed Mexican and indigenous traditions with ballet and modern dance to create something altogether new. Award-winning author/illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh showcases Hernández’s unique choreography and style in Danza! (Abrams, $18.95), which will have young readers turning into young dancers in no time. Ages 7-10.
