Review by Booklist Review
López is both the inspiration for and illustrator of this beautifully dreamy picture book. Along with his wife, he initiated a program to revitalize San Diego's East Village, transforming it from a concrete desert into a colorful, inspired, and inspiring home for bright, cheery public art. Campoy and Howell's bouncy, enthusiastic text follows a little girl in the neighborhood whose own passion for making art seems to usher in the muralist, who not only relishes her little paintings but puts a paintbrush in her hand and lets her go wild. Soon the whole neighborhood gets involved, dancing as they cover their walls and sidewalks in a rainbow of loud colors. López translates that energy into his multimedia illustrations, which fill each spread with warm tones and jaunty figures. Occasional vertical page spreads compel little ones to turn the book, which will add to a reader's engagement while emulating the sweeping rainbow swirl of the brushes. This empowering story of community engagement might inspire kids to get involved in their own neighborhoods.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Inspired by how illustrator López and his wife, Candice, helped enliven their San Diego neighborhood through art, Campoy and Howell introduce Mira, a young artist who sees possibilities in blank paper and loves to give away her pictures ("She gave a songbird to Mr. Sax and a red heart to the policeman who walked up and down the streets"). Mira finds a kindred spirit in a joyful muralist: "Maybe... something beautiful," he thinks as he looks at a painting Mira has taped to a dreary wall. As Mira begins contributing her own murals, others join in. Somber gray buildings are soon replaced by electric shades of pink, blue, and orange-the bold shapes, vivid colors, and flattened tableaus of López's mixed-media artwork bring a mural-like atmosphere to every page as Campoy and Howell deliver a clear, uplifting message about the power of art to revitalize people and their surroundings. Ages 4-7. Agency: Full Circle Literary. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Mira turns every blank piece of paper she sees into a work of art and distributes her creations around her gray city. Yet her efforts are still not enough to improve her grim surroundings. Then Mira meets a muralist, who invites her, along with the entire neighborhood, to transform their blah walls into something that just "may be something beautiful." Soon everyone is covered in paint, and the town has been completely altered. An author's note at the end explains that Rafael López is not just the book's illustrator but also the inspiration for the muralist. He and his wife, Rosa Ramírez-López, brightened up their neighborhood in San Diego, CA, with murals-an idea that is now being replicated across the United States and other parts of the world. Adriana Sananes brings a lyrical musicality to her narration of the text, which is complemented by music. The final track includes page-turn signals. VERDICT An excellent production, perfect for inspiring a new generation of artists. ["The text does not fully transmit the heartwarming story of the powerful influence of art": SLJ 4/16 review of the HMH book.]-Elizabeth -Elsbree, Krug Elementary School, Aurora, IL © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Hoping to brighten her "gray city," Mira gifts her art to the diverse people around her. Her quest expands when she meets an artist; together they involve the whole neighborhood in filling every surface with art and poetry. The mixed-media illustrations--created by one of the founders of the Urban Art Trail movement on which this story is based--joyfully celebrate creation and community. (c) Copyright 2016. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
In a neighborhood full of gray, young Mira shares her colorful art (and heart) with the world beyond her window. First Mira gives a painting of an apple to Mr. Henry, the shop owner. She then offers a songbird to Mr. Sax and a deep red heart to the local beat cop. Still, her art project hits its limit. "Her city was less graybut not much." Soon a mysterious artist approaches Mira, offering a boost. "What do you see?" Mira asks him. "Maybesomething beautiful," he replies. Leading readers on an infectious ride, Campoy and Howell's text bristles with dazzling energy. Words pop out of the page in bursts of oomph ("BAM! POW!") as color begins to fill the city. The authors, moreover, mix in dynamic moments with quiet scenes, producing a tone both lively and contemplatively hopeful. The illustrations, however, are the main attraction. Lpez, whose career as a muralist inspired this story, loads each double-page spread with curves, splashes of paint, and geometric shapes, changing page orientation for emphasis at times. As Mira's neighbors join in on the fun, the city comes alive with unforgettable human spirit. The mysterious artist sums it all up: "The world is your canvas." An inspiring and wistful message wrapped up in a subtle, thoughtful narrative and lively, beautiful art: simply superb. (authors' note) (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
