10 pages from inside this book
Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood
- Subject
- Art
- Age
- 3-5 years
- Format
- Hardcover
- Pages
- 40
- Publisher
- Clarion Books
- Size
- 26.5 cm × 26.0 cm
- ISBN
- 9780544357693
In this exuberant picture book about transformation through art, Mira lives in a gray urban community until a muralist arrives and, along with his paints and brushes, brings color, joy, and hope to the neighborhood.
What good can a splash of color do in a community of gray? As Mira and her neighbors discover, more than you might ever imagine!
Based on the true story of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, California, Maybe Something Beautiful reveals how art can inspire transformation—and how even the smallest artists can accomplish something big. Pick up a paintbrush and join the celebration!
"Simply superb.” (Kirkus)
Tomás Rivera Book Award * ALA Notable Children's Book * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books of the Year * Huffington Post Best Picture Books of the Year * Kirkus Best of the Year * School Library Journal Top 10 LatinX of the Year
About the creators
F. Isabel CampoyAuthor
Theresa HowellAuthor
Theresa Howell began her career in publishing as a children’s book editor at Rising Moon, where she helped to establish the bilingual imprint Luna Rising. She is the author of several children’s books with an artistic and cultural focus.
Rafael LópezIllustrator
Rafael López is a New York Times–bestselling, award winning illustrator who has illustrated numerous acclaimed picture books, including The Day You Begin and The Year We Learned to Fly (New York Times bestsellers), Dancing Hands (Pura Belpré Medal), and Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You (Schneider Award), among others. Rafael is the recipient of three Pura Belpré medals, the Schneider Family Book Award, the Jane Addams Book Award, and the Tomás Rivera Book Award. He was the first guest artist of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum and founder of the Urban Art Trail, a series of large-scale community murals around the U.S. Rafael lives in San Diego and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. You can visit him at rafaellopez.com.
Data provided by BiblioShare.
What reviewers said
"An inspiring and wistful message wrapped up in a subtle, thoughtful narrative and lively, beautiful art: simply superb."
"Campoy and Howell deliver a clear, uplifting message about the power of art to revitalize people and their surroundings."
"This empowering story of community engagement might inspire kids to get involved in their own neighborhoods."
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