Review by Booklist Review
Musing on the question "What is an artist?" an unseen narrator tells of an artist who lives surrounded by nature, absorbing the world's beauty and joy and then expressing it through her art. One day, the artist, portrayed in the illustrations as an amiable-looking tyrannosaurus, goes to a city filled with tall, featureless buildings. She paints a small picture of a lion. Intrigued by the artist, crowds of people gather and watch her create larger murals. While painting a giraffe, she is disheartened to see that she has colored outside the lines, but a little girl comforts her, saying, "Mistakes are how you learn." The artist continues making art, and her heart is full. Realizing that making mistakes is part of the process could be a game-changer for the many kids who can't conquer their discouragement when their art falls short of their expectations. But beyond the message in the text, Vere visually communicates the artist's happiness as she transforms the drab city with colorful murals and people appreciate her vision of the beautiful, joyful world.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
While many can be too busy to notice the wonders around them, "Artists try to see it all," proclaims Vere (Max the Brave) in this book-length answer to the question "What is an artist?" The title's budding creator protagonist, a little Godzilla-esque dinosaur covered in radiant rainbow splotches, is determined to "share her pictures with the world." She heads for the big city--pluckily sailing across a daunting ocean rendered in deep blue brushstrokes and tangles of black lines--and, much to the delight of the metropolis's inhabitants, begins covering buildings with murals that make "busy people,/ going places,/ slow down/ and look." A crisis of confidence ensues when she makes what feels like a very public mistake--coloring outside the lines. But with her fans cheering her on ("Mistakes are how you learn!" a child tells her), the artist not only recovers but is newly emboldened: "Wild and free,/ her colors fly." Accompanying earnest narration are empathically inked and colored illustrations whose format nods to an artist's notebook--some images seem to be held in place with brown drafting tape. Even if readers don't need encouragement to unleash their own talents, they should be intrigued by this protagonist's arc toward artistic assurance. Ages 3--7. Agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. (Apr.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An adult artist celebrates child artists. A multicolored creature--a dragon or perhaps a dinosaur--creatively ablaze, enlivens a city with her art. As third-person narrator, author/illustrator Vere speaks for child artists who may not be able to articulate what it's like to create. He also helps child artists understand, appreciate, and validate themselves. He gets kid artists and their imperative to create, and he draws like them, too: Check out the colorful, boldly imaginative, dynamic, quirky, and wonderfully child-appealing illustrations herein. Bonus: Vere also speaks to parents, caregivers, teachers, and librarians who will share this volume with kids to offer perspective on and to help them respect and accept child artists and value their creative processes and masterpieces. If this seems philosophical and lofty, the soothing text and lively art will change minds. Kids will note illustrations they could have produced--and that's the point. Plus, they'll love that the protagonist makes a very common childhood artistic faux pas: She colors outside the lines! But, narrator Vere assures his artist-hero: "Mistakes are how you learn! Heart is what matters. And your art is full of heart….Please paint again!" His final encouragement for all child artists: "Keep seeing the beauty…keep going!" Understanding adults know children need such incentives to continue creating, to keep imaginations buzzing, and to use whatever media they desire to portray the world as they see it. (This book was reviewed digitally.) This book proclaims what children already know: Creativity and making art spark joy. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
