Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell

Title: Maybe Something Beautiful
Authors/Illustrator: F. Isabel Campoy & Theresa Howell/Rafael Lopez
Genre: Fiction
Age: 4-8

This book is about a little girl who transformed her neighborhood through art. Mira enjoyed painting and she had many of her own paintings hanging in her room. Her town was bleak and din't have many colors around. She was filled with joy and life while her town wasn't. One day on her way to school she started passing out some of her pieces, and taped one to the side of a wall that was hiding in shadows, her city was a little less gray, but not by much. One day as Mira saw a man looking at her work and she asked him what he saw ad he replied "Maybe...something beautiful".  So, he took his brushes and started painting away,Mira asked who he was and he told her he was an artist, so he gave her a paintbrush and they started painting the city away. As people saw them they started to join in as well and they listened to music as they painted and had a good time, it was like a giant block party, and the whole neighborhood was involved until the police officer came. They thought they were in trouble for sure, but he asked if he could paint to and everyone went back to painting their town. Color started spreading throughout the streets and everyone had joy. They made the city more beautiful than what it looked like and nobody had ever imagined it could look that beautiful. The man told them that through this they all became artists, and that the world was their canvas.

I liked this book because it showed that one little girl's imagination could change everything around her. Her city went from being boring and not very lively, with dull colors, to something vibrant and full of joy. I think I would include this in a lesson and have my students paint, draw or color something and we would have an art wall, to show the many different art ideas from the class. I really loved the illustrations and how the city was dark and dull and as the story progressed we saw more life. I also like how this book is based on a true story. This is the story of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego, California, and one child and artist transformed it into something beautiful. I think this would be great for students in Pre-K-2nd grade.
- Peace. Love. Giraffes.

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