BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL
The setting is the early 1900's in Los Angeles. Paul Williams plays with his other immigrant friends and loves to draw, especially buildings. He dreams of being an architect but his guidance counselor thinks otherwise being black and an architect don't go together. He decided he won't let the wall of racism get in the way. He goes to college and after graduation takes classes at 5 different schools to learn the latest architecture techniques. Paul becomes so famous that people like Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball ask him to design their houses. The ironic thing is he can design them but he's not allowed to live in them.
The detail in this story is remarkable and the storytelling is engaging. The illustrations are full of emotion and expression. They do quote the school counselor saying the "N" word, and yet it's culturally appropriate for the time. I truly enjoyed this book. All races and genders are represented especially in the immigrant children at the beginning of the book.
Emilee-Teacher Librarian
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