A Riot in a Child’s World

The challenge was to depict scenes from a riot without scaring kids.

Artist David Diaz took the challenge and won the 1995 Caldecott Medal for illustrating “Smoky Night,” a story by Eve Bunting that gives a child’s perspective of the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Diaz, whose illustrations are on display at Storyopolis on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles, built collages with snippets of cloth, plastic, cardboard and pottery fragments. Then he photographed them and used the images to frame richly colored acrylic paintings. In one illustration, a looter staggers under a pile of clothes he’s taken from a dry cleaning shop against a background that includes wire hangers and plastic bags.

“I wanted this book to be something where a child could enjoy and learn from it,” said Diaz, a father of three, in a phone interview from his Carlsbad studio. “It’s a dramatic setting, but it gives you a small bit of hope for the future.”

He said there were no graphic or violent scenes in the book. “I tried to show what’s going on without being scary,” said Diaz, a graduate of Ft. Lauderdale Art Institute and a former graphic designer. “I wanted to convey that there’s a way people can understand and not be frightened.”

Sixty of his striking acrylic paintings and drawings will be shown through July at Storyopolis, which opened six months ago. The bookstore and art gallery caters primarily to children and specializes in original and hard-to-find storybook illustrations.

The store also carries more than 5,000 books, from classics like “Good Night Moon” and “Where the Wild Things Are” to modern tales such as “Mrs. Spider’s Tea Party” and “The Stinky Cheese Man.”

Storyopolis also presents a monthly crafts and storytelling program for youngsters, beginning with a themed arts and crafts project. All children may attend the story hour but should be at least 3 years old to participate in the crafts activities. A $6 fee covers the cost of materials. Reservations are required. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

The next program will be July 15 at 11:30 a.m.

Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and by appointment on Sunday. (310) 358-2500.