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Before I Grew Up
A story of childhood dreams and adventures, and of the parental love that in seeing you, nourishes you to become yourself.
★ A Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings ) Loveliest Children’s Book of 2021 ★
Using notebooks, paintings, and sketches, author John Miller ( Winston and George ) weaves a lyrical story about the childhood of an Italian artist named Giuliano Cucco. Through luminescent, emotionally rich images, Miller tells the story of a colorful family and an imaginative boy, from a time when children had the freedom to roam and to dream. This innovative picture book, sprung from images into words, is an ode to childhood and a celebration of the human spirit. It's also a celebration of the deep inner solitude that we possess as children, wherein we flourish. Here, our child protagonist is ripening on his own, and needs only three words from his father to help him confirm who he believes himself to be.
★ A Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings ) Loveliest Children’s Book of 2021 ★
Using notebooks, paintings, and sketches, author John Miller ( Winston and George ) weaves a lyrical story about the childhood of an Italian artist named Giuliano Cucco. Through luminescent, emotionally rich images, Miller tells the story of a colorful family and an imaginative boy, from a time when children had the freedom to roam and to dream. This innovative picture book, sprung from images into words, is an ode to childhood and a celebration of the human spirit. It's also a celebration of the deep inner solitude that we possess as children, wherein we flourish. Here, our child protagonist is ripening on his own, and needs only three words from his father to help him confirm who he believes himself to be.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
60 pages, Hardcover
Published November 23, 2021
About the author
John Miller
1,164 books24 followersLibrarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
John 2^ Miller: Anthologies, Short Stories
John 3^ Miller: Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
John 4^ Miller: GR Author, Health
John 5^ Miller: GR Author, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Gay and Lesbian
John 6^ Miller: Children's
John 7^ Miller: Biography
John 8^ Miller: Mystery, Babineaux series
John 9^ Miller: 1787-1858
John 10^ Miller: Russian-speaking British journalist
John 2^ Miller: Anthologies, Short Stories
John 3^ Miller: Senior Lecturer at the University of Sheffield
John 4^ Miller: GR Author, Health
John 5^ Miller: GR Author, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Gay and Lesbian
John 6^ Miller: Children's
John 7^ Miller: Biography
John 8^ Miller: Mystery, Babineaux series
John 9^ Miller: 1787-1858
John 10^ Miller: Russian-speaking British journalist
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 26, 2021
This surreal picture book takes the paintings of the late Giuliano Cucco and uses them to tell the story of his childhood. Cucco’s journey to becoming an artist is shown in his creativity as a child. From games he played with his mother to imagining paper boats he made floating away. His father was a scientist who studied light and preferred to spend time alone. Cucco spent time in his mother’s garden, dreaming and imagining as he lay surrounded by flowers. Sent to the city to live with his aunt and uncle, the book becomes more surreal and wild with a moon rising out of a box, swinging priests, and doves saved from the dinner plate. Returning to the country, he reconnected with the land and water of his childhood, creating paintings of ocean, violins, and the landscape.
This tribute of a picture book is one that celebrates the creativity of childhood and how allowing unfettered time and space allow that creativity to carry into adulthood. Miller uses his words as a minimal framework to offer a glimpse of the artist’s life and also to share his work. It is those paintings that truly tell the story, sharing emotions through the art. From darker moments to those filled with inspiration and light. The art is whimsical at times, literal at others.
A lovely surreal look at an artist, creativity and childhood. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
This tribute of a picture book is one that celebrates the creativity of childhood and how allowing unfettered time and space allow that creativity to carry into adulthood. Miller uses his words as a minimal framework to offer a glimpse of the artist’s life and also to share his work. It is those paintings that truly tell the story, sharing emotions through the art. From darker moments to those filled with inspiration and light. The art is whimsical at times, literal at others.
A lovely surreal look at an artist, creativity and childhood. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
January 31, 2022
Beautiful book…and so happy that it’s not printed in China. Cucco‘s art is colorfully smooth.
March 15, 2022
Featuring the little-known art of Giuliana Cucco (1929-2006), the author, John Miller, delves into the rich world of Cuckoo's imagination with a charming short story.
(Recommended by Maria Popova)
(Recommended by Maria Popova)
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December 23, 2021Lovely.
February 4, 2022
The story of Giuliano Cucco's childhood, with the story driven by art he produced.
May 3, 2022
Dreamy. Soft as memory.
July 4, 2023
The art of Giuliano Cucco used in this book is stunning!
August 16, 2023
An absolutely beautiful book. The art is stunning. Enchanted Lion Books did a wonderful
Job with the printing. The colors are so gorgeous. The story was nice but the art really makes the book.
Job with the printing. The colors are so gorgeous. The story was nice but the art really makes the book.
May 21, 2022
Lovely illustrations and tone of a story of the inspiration a young artist had. An authors afterwards ties past, present and even to a point, the future. Read it, get several copies, keep one for yourself and gift it. And when you have a collection of them, keep on giving. Deserves all awards it has gotten or will get!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews