Maybe Something Beautiful by F Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell, illustrated by Rafael Lopez
This stirring book opens with illustrations of a bleak cityscape – with one yellow window that seems to pulse with energy. It is here, that Mira (which means “look” in Spanish) lives. Mira loves to draw. She gives her drawings away to people in her neighborhood and she tapes a drawing of a “glowing sun” to the wall of a building. “Her city was less gray—but not much.”
One day, she meets a “man with a pocket full of paintbrushes”: an artist. And not just any artist. A muralist. He looks at her taped up sun and sees “‘Maybe… something beautiful'”. The illustrations explodes in step with the storyline, as “BAM! POW!”, Mira and the muralist begin to color their city. It is dazzling.
Soon, the neighborhood joins in. “Everyone painted to the rhythm.”
Kirkus describes it as “simply superb”. We couldn’t agree more.
Recommended age: 4-7
