Francie Latour

An incredible depiction of the beauty and complexity within Haiti. The author's note in the back is important to read because it further explains some of the meaning of the story and the narrative and illustrative choices. A colorful and vibrant celebration of heritage, cultural pride, and family. The artistic style definitely reminds me of art I've seen in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Every winter, a young girl flies to Haiti to visit her Auntie Luce, a painter.

The moment she steps off the plane, she feels a wall of heat, and familiar sights soon follow ― the boys selling water ice by the pink cathedral, the tap tap buses in the busy streets, the fog and steep winding road to her aunt’s home in the mountains.

The girl has always loved Auntie Luce’s paintings ― the houses tucked into the hillside, colorful fishing boats by the water, heroes who fought for and won show more the country’s independence. Through Haiti’s colors, the girl comes to understand this place her family calls home. And when the moment finally comes to have her own portrait painted for the first time, she begins to see herself in a new way, tracing her own history and identity through her aunt’s brush. (amazon) show less