Louise Loves Art, by Kelly Light

Siblings. They can be the source of our greatest joys, but they can also be the cause of some pretty heavy disappointments. They can help unleash your wildest imagination, but they they can also crush your greatest creations with the stomp of a foot or the flick of a wrist. Or, in the case of Kelly Light’s fabulous Louise Loves Art, with a tiny pair of scissors. I have no idea how I didn’t hear about this book until recently, but I can’t tell you how happy I am that it finally crossed my path. Sweet, spunky Louise! She is such a delight – such a spectacularly drawn character – and her story jumped into my heart right from our very first read.

Louise is a budding artist– the kind with stars in her eyes and magic in her fingers. Art, she says, is her imagination on the outside. She is working hard to create her masterpiece, and she has a perfect place for it to hang. But what happens when she finds that her little brother – who just happens to be named Art – has taken a pair of scissors to Louise’s piece de resistance? Louise is distraught, but the way she handles the disastrous situation is remarkable, culminating in a conclusion that is as unexpected as it is moving and tender.

This story makes my heart get all mushy. The illustrations are perfect, and I love the way the color red is effortlessly carried from page to page. I love how determined Louise is- how she is creative, ambitious and persistent, stopping at nothing to create that perfect piece of art. But most importantly, I absolutely adore the relationship between Louise and her little brother. Louise reacts to the destruction of her masterpiece the way you imagine any child would, but rather than holding a grudge, Louise instead creates something magical for Art. My first thought after this story ended? I hope my boys learn to handle their angriest moments just like Louise does- with forgiveness, with dignity, and with the ability to turn monsters into masterpieces. This book, guys. It’s a keeper.

Want it? Get the book here! Louise Loves Art, by Kelly Light.  *This is an affiliate link.