Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son

(Hardback)

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Four starred reviews!
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year

From award-winning artist John Parra comes a heartwarming family story that underscores the value of creativity, passion, and hard work (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) that is a love letter to sons and their fathers (BookPage, starred review) based on his childhood experience.

Today is a big daythe first time Juanito gets to help his papi on the job as a landscape architect! Throughout the day, Juanito sketches anything that catches his eye: a nest full of baby birds, a nursery with row upon row of plants and flowers, and more. Father and son travel from house to house, pruning, weeding, mowing, and turning overgrown and chaotic yards into beautiful spaces.

A few of the clients dont appreciate Papis hard work, like Juanitos classmate who pretends not to see him. But Papi always feels pride in owning his own business and in a job well done. And at the end of the day, Juanito may get the chance to turn his artistic eye toward landscape designjust like his papi.

Reviews

*Sincere and lively with illustrative detail, Parras story reveals how his personal sense of creativity and esteem for hard work grew during his childhood experiences with his papis landscape company.....As he readily sketches and helps Papi with landscape work, readers meet the role models in Juanitos childhood worldnot just Papi but also long-time employee, Javier, from Mexico. This story offers teachable moments about the different but equally important roles that create a thriving community.... In an authors note, Parra delves deeper his fathers life story.VERDICTIn a reflective nod to his youthful days spent with his father, Parra presents a balanced, intricate illustrative style to convey his earnest appreciation for hard work, lessons, and creative influence. * School Library Journal, *STARRED REVIEW* *
*Sincere and lively with illustrative detail, Parras story reveals how his personal sense of creativity and esteem for hard work grew during his childhood experiences with his papis landscape company.....As he readily sketches and helps Papi with landscape work, readers meet the role models in Juanitos childhood worldnot just Papi but also long-time employee, Javier, from Mexico. This story offers teachable moments about the different but equally important roles that create a thriving community.... In an authors note, Parra delves deeper his fathers life story.VERDICTIn a reflective nod to his youthful days spent with his father, Parra presents a balanced, intricate illustrative style to convey his earnest appreciation for hard work, lessons, and creative influence. * School Library Journal, *STARRED REVIEW* *
*Parra incorporates Spanish words and phrases into the text and touches on the importance of Latin American migrant workers to the landscaping industry. Its an underappreciated job that requires creativity and demanding physical labor.... Honoring the great pride that Parras father took in his landscaping work, Parras characteristically vibrant and finely detailed acrylic illustrations inGrowing an Artistdepict people and plants with equal affection and respect. The way that Papi points out natural beauties to his artistic young son is tender and moving, and a scene in which he gently lifts a branch to reveal a hidden birds nest is especially lovely. Growing an Artistis a love letter to sons and their fathers, to work done with ones hands and to making the world more beautiful, no matter what tools are used to do so. * BookPage, *STARRED REVIEW* *
*Parras autobiographical picture book reflects on how working in his fathers landscaping business nurtured his identity as an artist.... Juanitos 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 classmates dismissal all become driving forces to tell the stories of hardworking, passionate people who make the world more beautiful. An authors note concludes. * Pubishers Weekly, *STARRED 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. TJohns father is from Mexico, and characters are depicted with skin tones ranging from tan to dark brown.
(author's note) * Kirkus Reviews, *STARRED REVIEW* *

Author Bio

John Parras illustrations forFrida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, written by Monica Brown, earned the book aNew York TimesBest Illustrated Book designation. He also illustratedGreen Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colorsby Roseanne Thong, which received a Pura Belpr Honor and the Amricas Book Award: Commended;Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleansby Phil Bildner, which won the Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration and was a Bank Street Best Book of the year; andHey, Wall, by Susan Verde, whichSchool Library Journalcalled a must-purchase in a starred review.Learn more at JohnParraArt.com.