The pot that Juan built

The pot that Juan built

By Nancy Andrews-Goebel, ill. David Diaz

This book was a Pura Belpre Award Honor Book in 2004 for the illustrations.

The main poem in this book follows the normal order of plot in reverse. It starts with the pot that Juan built, then goes step by step backwards until it ends with the beginning of the day that Juan woke up and went out to gather clay to build pots.

Juan rode the range looking for clay and stones to build pots. He brought what he found back and then built a pot.

After it was built, the pot was rubbed with the stones until it shone and then it was painted. Then it was fired in the hot flames of burning cow manure.

Along with the simple poem describing the construction of a pot by Juan, there is accompanying text that describes in detail the life and history of Juan Quezada, an actual Mexican potter. He became famous for the fine pots he made, recreating the process used by people who lived there over 600 years ago.

Juan’s careful discovery of ancient Mexican pottery techniques, and his faithful reproduction of the processes has made him a prize winning artist. But most of all, he values the solitude of his methods, that enable him to create from the heart.

This book is written on two levels. The pictures in it are simple and colorful like the Mexican pottery that the artist in the story makes. The use of a simple nursery rhyme to carry the story contrasts with and casts the reader’s attention to the factual text describing the life of the artist. The combination meets the needs of many different levels of readers, making this book accessible to a wide audience.

Andrews-Goebel, N., & Diaz, D. (2002). The pot that Juan built. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc.