Page 31 - AT

A31
PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 28 december 2018
Chicano author, illustrator collaborate on animal adventure

By MORGAN LEE that might offset the evil
Associated Press that we see,” Anaya said,
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) on a day where violence
— The 81-year-old author in Syria dominated news
is often called a dean of headlines. “As I’m writing,
Chicano literature. The illus- I’m speaking to a child, to
trator is a younger muralist children. I’m kind of tell-
steeped in the visual tradi- ing them, ‘Look at Oli and
tions of Mexican-American Raven and Crow.’ The
pop culture and low-rider children are always there,
cars. they’re always there want-
Together, novelist Rudolfo ing to hear a story.”
Anaya and painter Moises The English text of the new
Salcedo — who goes by book contains a smatter-
El Moises — have created ing of colloquial Spanish
a bilingual children’s book words and phrases — such
with parallel texts in Span- as “mi’jito” for my little son.
ish and English about the A Spanish-English glossary
adventures of a tiny owl at the back of the book re-
named Ollie who longs to solves any mysteries.
read on his own, even as That aims to help young
he skips school and tangles readers from various cul-
with a cast of conniving In this Thursday, April 5, 2018 photo artist Moises Salcedo of Albuquerque shows an early rendition tures feel comfortable, ac-
animal characters in the of the lead character for the bilingual children’s book “Owl in a Straw Hat” at his home and studio cording to Enrique Lama-
hills and skies of northern in Albuquerque, N.M. drid, who wrote the book’s
New Mexico. Associated Press full Spanish translation.q
Anaya achieved lasting lit- cano artist, but it’s really
erary fame with the novel just his take on everyday
“Bless Me, Ultima” in 1972 life.
about a boy’s coming of “Bold and bright has always
age in post-World War II been my thing,” he said. “I
New Mexico under the love low-riders because I
guidance of a traditional grew up around them. ... I
spiritual healer. The book just think that I’m an artist
became a movie — and who is narrating his life.”
recently an opera. One of the new book’s
The new children’s book characters — a hungry and
from the Museum of New untrustworthy wolf in sun-
Mexico Press— titled “Owl glasses named Luis Lobo —
in a Straw Hat,” or “El is adapted from a self-de-
Tecolote del Sombrero de signed tattoo on the artist’s
Paja” — is chocked full upper arm. Other charac-
of references to northern ters include a young raven
New Mexico geography and crow who prefer video
and homespun Hispanic games to school.
tradition — from posole There are positive role
soup and pinon nuts to the models, too — a disciplined
“acequia” organizations roadrunner who drives a
that help irrigate fields and dazzling low-rider car and
lend a special order to lo- a loving grandmother
cal rural life. “Nana” owl.
Anaya said the work is a El Moises and Anaya al-
heartfelt effort to encour- ready are working on a
age shared family reading sequel that explores con-
in English or Spanish, with cerns about childhood
eye-grabbing imagery. bullying — something the
The book’s illustrations illustrator and a 13-year-old
spring from the brush of son have been grappling
Mexican-born, Arizona- with recently in Albuquer-
raised El Moises — who que, culminating in the de-
made New Mexico his ad- cision to do home school-
opted home nearly a de- ing.
cade ago. His other recent He said “Owl in a Straw
commissions include urban Hat” is an outgrowth of his
murals, a tequila logo, CD enduring concern for chil-
covers and more. dren — including children
The 45-year-old illustrator living far away in war-torn
is a father of five who of- countries.
ten paints at a weathered “Maybe that’s why I write
living-room table amid the books for children, to get
bustle of family. El Moises a lift, to think there is some-
says people call him a Chi- thing positive on Earth