Luis Paints the World

by Terry Farish, Oliver Dominguez (Illustrator)

Overview

Luis wishes Nico wasn't leaving for the Army. To show Nico he doesn't need to go, Luis begins a mural on the alleyway wall. Their house, the river, the Parque de las Ardillas—it's the world, all right there. Won't Nico miss Mami's sweet flan? What about their baseball games in the street?

But as Luis awaits his brother's return from duty, his own world expands as well, through swooping paint and the help of their bustling Dominican neighborhood.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467757966
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	04/01/2016
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD450L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Terry Farish has been writing about refugees and immigrants for many years, informed by her early work for the Red Cross in Vietnam. She is also the author of Either the Beginning or the End of the World, and she lives in Kittery, Maine.

Oliver Dominguez was born and raised in Miami. He has illustrated multiple pictures books, including Miracle Mud (2013). He lives in Florida with his wife, two dogs, and a collection of unique hats. Visit him online at cargocollective.com/oliverdominguez.

Editorial Reviews

01/25/2016
In a sensitive story about art and absence, Luis is devastated after his older brother, Nico, enlists in the army, where he will be “seeing the world. Just as the army promised.” To persuade Nico to stay, Luis paints “the world” in the alleyway where he and Nico play baseball, but his brother must leave anyway. Via text messages, Nico shares the sights he’s seeing abroad, such as a child riding a bicycle and a turquoise cart stacked with bananas; Luis adds each faraway image to the mural, and neighbors soon join in. Dominguez’s lush, chalky artwork blurs the world of Luis’s murals with life with his mother in their predominantly Hispanic neighborhood (Lawrence, Mass., an author’s note explains). Farish (The Good Braider) smoothly integrates references to Latino language and culture throughout, while Dominguez’s dynamic images reveal how art can bring communities together and provide needed hope. Ages 5–10. Author’s agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Abigail Samoun, Red Fox Literary. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

"Luis, who appears to be eight or nine, is upset because his older brother is leaving for the army in the morning. He can't understand why Nico can't see the world from where he is—his neighborhood—which is full of culture and diversity. Luis's mother gently reminds him that 'sometimes people, they move on. They don't come back for the baseball. Even the flan.' So Luis paints the world on the wall in the alleyway outside his house. As the seasons pass, Luis adds to the mural, focusing on scenes he has seen in his brother Nico's texts and shared photos. Pretty soon, the entire neighborhood is adding their special touches to the alleyway mural. After what seems like forever (but only about a year), Nico returns home to his brother's smiling face. The vibrant paintings depicting Luis and his community in attractive tones only add to the feel of the story. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout and are understandable in context for the most part. Farish identifies the setting as Lawrence, MA, in her author's note. The book includes a glossary of Dominican cultural references. VERDICT: A solid addition for most collections, especially in communities with a large armed forces population."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

04/01/2016
Gr 2–5—Luis, who appears to be eight or nine, is upset because his older brother is leaving for the army in the morning. He can't understand why Nico can't see the world from where he is—his neighborhood—which is full of culture and diversity. Luis's mother gently reminds him that "sometimes people, they move on. They don't come back for the baseball. Even the flan." So Luis paints the world on the wall in the alleyway outside his house. As the seasons pass, Luis adds to the mural, focusing on scenes he has seen in his brother Nico's texts and shared photos. Pretty soon, the entire neighborhood is adding their special touches to the alleyway mural. After what seems like forever (but only about a year), Nico returns home to his brother's smiling face. The vibrant paintings depicting Luis and his community in attractive tones only add to the feel of the story. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout and are understandable in context for the most part. Farish identifies the setting as Lawrence, MA, in her author's note. The book includes a glossary of Dominican cultural references. VERDICT A solid addition for most collections, especially in communities with a large armed forces population.—Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX

School Library Journal

2016-01-09
When his older brother, Nico, joins the Army, Luis picks up a paintbrush. At first, Luis tries to join his brother. "Can I go too?" he asks. "To see the world?" He tries to hide inside Nico's duffel, but Mami catches him in the act, voicing their shared grief in a simple turn of phrase: "Good-byes are sour like lemons." Wearing his brother's giant boots, Luis steps outside and paints on the alleyway wall. Soon morning comes, and Nico leaves home. Farish's restrained story moves at a slow pace, giving readers ample space to grasp the depths of Luis' sorrow. Seasons come and go, and Luis wonders whether Nico will ever return. Meanwhile, his alleyway art expands. A river curls from wall to wall, and a young boy rides his bicycle beside tall mountains in a distant land: a composite of images from Luis' neighborhood and pictures he receives from his brother. Neighbors soon start painting, too. Dominguez's illustrations border on realism, with just a hint of dreamy surrealism. Figures are juxtaposed against one another at evocative angles, as vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows mix with muted blues and purples. "Still, Luis can't forget what Mami said, that some people don't come back for the baseball or the flan." Thankfully, the ending proves her wrong. Luis and his family are light-skinned Latinos, and their Lawrence, Massachusetts, neighborhood is realistically multiethnic. A wistful snapshot of a young artist and his family. (author's note, glossary) (Picture book. 5-10)

Kirkus Reviews

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