The Pot That Juan Built

Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist, Texas Library Association (TLA)
Lasting Connection Title, Book Links
California Collections, California Readers
100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, New York Public Library
Notable Books for a Global Society, International Reading Association (IRA)
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor, ALSC/REFORMA
Charlotte Zolotow Award - Highly Commended Title, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Children's Book Award, International Reading Association (IRA)
Children's Literature Choice List, Children's Literature
Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Delaware Diamonds Reading List, Diamond State Reading Association
International Children's Books of Note, Bookbird
Notables in Language Arts, National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Starred Book of Merit, Five Owls Magazine

With vibrant illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz, The Pot that Juan Built is sure to enlighten all who are fascinated by traditional art forms, Mexican culture, and the power of the human spirit to find inspiration from the past.

Juan Quezada is the premier potter in Mexico. With local materials and the primitive methods of the Casas Grandes people - including using human hair to make brushes and cow manure to feed the flames that fire his pots - Juan creates stunning pots in the traditional style. Each is a work of art unlike any other.

This is the pot that Juan built.
These are the flames so sizzling hot
That flickered and flared and fired the pot,
The beautiful pot that Juan built.

The text is written in the form of The House That Jack Built and accompanied by a comprehensive afterword with photos and information about Juan's technique as well as a history of Mata Ortiz, the northern Mexican village where Juan began and continues to work. This celebratory story tells how Juan's pioneering work has transformed Mata Ortiz from an impoverished village into a prosperous community of world-renowned artists.

With vibrant illustrations by Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz, The Pot that Juan Built is sure to enlighten all who are fascinated by traditional art forms, Mexican culture, and the power of the human spirit to find inspiration from the past.

Nancy Andrews-Goebel met Juan Quezada in 1995 while on vacation in Mexico. Fascinated by his work and inspired by his wonderful spirit, she and her husband co-produced a documentary entitled Mata Ortiz Pottery: An Inside Look. The Pot That Juan Built is her first book. Andrews-Goebel and her husband live in the northern California town of Cayucos.

David Diaz won the Caldecott Medal in 1995 for Smoky Night. He is the illustrator of many other popular children's books as well, including December, Roadrunner's Dance, Going Home, and Wilma Unlimited. Diaz is also an accomplished potter, and he has sold his work to collectors throughout the country. He lives in Carlsbad, California.