Review by Booklist Review
Juanito brings his sketchbook along as he accompanies his father to his landscaping job, connecting with his father's creative and entrepreneurial profession as well as with his Spanish speaking skills. Alex, his classmate, sees them doing landscaping work in his yard and behaves rudely, causing Juanito to feel uneasy. He is soon distracted from turmoil when he finds himself submerged in using his artistic skills to design a landscape himself. Based on Parra's childhood experiences, the story explores pride, family, and the many places where creativity can shine. Juanito never thinks less of his father for holding a blue-collar job, instead appreciating his father's determination, expertise, and ingenuity. In return, Juanito's father recognize his son's artistic talents and encourages him to pursue his art. Parra's warm and expressive paintings, featuring stylized figures in an inviting sense of setting, prove that his father's support most certainly paid off. The back matter includes an author's note and a blueprint of Juanito's landscape design.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Parra's autobiographical picture book reflects on how working in his father's landscaping business nurtured his identity as an artist. Stylized acrylic-on-board illustrations capture a series of remarkably detailed outdoor environments as budding artist Juanito joins Papi and coworker Javier, all portrayed with brown skin, in maintaining a yard, visiting a sprawling nursery, and stopping at the city dump to drop off debris for mulching (when the truck bed tips, "All three of us look at one another and shout: '¡Híjole!' "). Juanito's sketch pad is close by throughout, and he learns that everything he experiences feeds his imagination: his proudly entrepreneurial father, an overgrown yard, a nest of baby birds, and even a classmate's dismissal all become driving forces "to tell the stories of hardworking, passionate people who make the world more beautiful." An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A young artist helps his father on the job. In this autobiographical tale, author/illustrator Parra recounts his childhood experience of tagging along to work with his papi, an independent landscape contractor, for the first time. Young John learns new skills as he, Papi, and Papi's assistant, Javier, tame a wild yard. He even has the opportunity to sketch a nest of baby birds between tasks. John is dismayed when he encounters a classmate who ignores him while he works. Father and son continue their day, making purchases at a nursery and completing jobs all over town. John becomes immersed in his ideas for a new landscape design and works alongside his dad to commit a beautiful layout to paper. He is so busy that he is able to forget the earlier awkward encounter with his classmate. A few weeks later, the design John helped to draw comes to life as the team landscapes a new yard according to the plan. Taking great pride in his work but remembering the dismissive attitude of his classmate, John vows that "I will use my art to tell the stories of hardworking, passionate people who make the world more beautiful." Parra's acrylic paint artwork is colorful and sumptuous, with lots of interesting details. John's father is from Mexico, and characters are depicted with skin tones ranging from tan to dark brown. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A heartwarming family story that underscores the value of creativity, passion, and hard work. (author's note) (Picture-book memoir. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
