An inspiring memoir of a Caldecott-winning artist and one of the most
acclaimed children's book illustrators of all time, sharing the story
of a young artist who finds the courage to follow his passion
against all odds.
* "A moving work from a legend of children's literature and a
testament to his legacy of visual storytelling." --Kirkus Reviews,
starred review
Jerry Pinkney--creator of Caldecott Medal-winning The Lion & the Mouse
and The Little Mermaid--drew everywhere, all the time. Since
childhood, it was how he made sense of the world--how he coped with the
stress of being a sensitive child growing up in crowded spaces,
struggling with a learning disability, in a time when the segregation of
Black Americans was the norm. Only drawing could offer him a sense of
calm, control, and confidence. When friends and siblings teased him
about having the nickname "Jerry" as his only name, his mother always
said, "Just 'Jerry' is enough. He'll make something of that name
someday." And so he did, eventually becoming one of the most celebrated
children's book illustrators of all time and paving the way for
countless other Black artists.
Jerry's vivid recollections and lively sketchbook drawings of his youth
in postwar America tell an inspiring story of how a hardworking boy
pursued his passion in less-than-ideal circumstances and became a
legendary artist against all odds.