Sky Painter

Welcome to Perfect Picture Book Friday, Everyone! My picture book recommendation today is…

The Sky Painter: Louis Fuertes, Bird Artist written by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Aliona Bereghici, published by Two Lions, 2015

Themes/Topics:  Louis Fuertes, Biography, Birds, Painting

Opening: I care for injured birds in my  little hospital under our front porch.

Brief Synopsis:  Louis loves to watch birds. He takes care of injured birds and studies how they look and how they move. His father wants him to become an engineer, but Louis dreams of being a bird artist. To achieve this dream, he must practice, practice, practice. He learns from the art of John James Audubon. But as Louis grows up, he begins to draw and paint living, flying birds in their natural habitats.

Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874–1927) is now known as the father of modern bird art. He traveled with many scientific expeditions all over the world. His best-known works—paintings for habitat exhibits at the American Museum of Natural History in New York—are still beloved by visitors today. His art helped to encourage wildlife conservation, inspiring people to celebrate and protect the world of wings.

Why I Like This Book: Gorgeous illustrations, lyric text, interesting painter.

Links To Resources

—Louis Agassiz Fuertes Wikipedia article

—Bird Paintings by Louis Agassiz Fuertes

To find even more awesome picture books (and browse them by theme!) visit Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books page.