Curve & Flow: The Elegant Vision of L.A. Architect Paul R. Williams - Hardcover

Loney, Andrea J.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0593429079 ISBN 13: 9780593429075

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2022

Synopsis

Discover the remarkable story of an orphaned Black boy who grew up to become the groundbreaking architect to the stars, Paul R. Williams. A stunning nonfiction picture-book biography from the Caldecott Honor–winning author and NAACP Image Award–nominated artist.

As an orphaned Black boy growing up in America in the early 1900s, Paul R. Williams became obsessed by the concept of "home." He not only dreamed of building his own home, he turned his dreams into drawings. Defying the odds and breaking down the wall of racism, Williams was able to curve around the obstacles in his way to become a world-renowned architect. He designed homes for the biggest celebrities of the day, such as Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball, and created a number of buildings in Los Angeles that are now considered landmarks.
 
From Andrea J. Loney, the author of the Caldecott Honor Book Double Bass Blues, and award-winning artist Keith Mallett comes a remarkable story of fortitude, hope, and positivity.

About this title

About the Author

Andrea J. Loney is the author of the Caldecott Honor Book Double Bass Blues (illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez), the Lee & Low New Voices Award winner Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! (illustrated by Keith Mallett), and Bunnybear (illustrated by Carmen Saldaña), which was named to ALA's Rainbow Book List. A graduate of New York University, she’s currently a computer science professor at a local community college. Andrea lives in Los Angeles with her towering stacks of children’s books, her devoted family, and their incredibly spoiled pets.

Keith Mallett has been drawing and painting for as long as he can remember. The NAACP Image Award–nominated artist and designer has created posters and fine art prints for more than forty years. In 2017, he created the Google Doodle commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He has illustrated a number of picture books, including When Langston Dances (written by Kaija Langley), Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! (written by Andrea J. Loney), and Sing a Song (written by Kelly Starling Lyons). Keith lives in San Diego with his wife and German shepherd.

Reviews

Gr 2–5—Born in Los Angeles in 1894, Paul R. Williams made his childhood love of drawing buildings into a storied career as the first Black licensed architect west of the Mississippi, curving and flowing around the "big stone wall of racism" to achieve his goals and prove that "sometimes dreams come true." These metaphors and motifs are repeated throughout, along with the realities of racist laws, redlining, and sundown towns, and the unfair irony of Williams designing buildings he was not allowed to live in or patronize. Loney's pacing is beautifully balanced as she tells Williams's life story in the present tense, from childhood to early career, replete with the obstacles, pivots, and successes. Some readers may wonder about the details of his early life (parents' death, sibling separation), but the back matter provides additional information. Mallett has lavished care on the subject and his work, sumptuously and carefully illustrating people and buildings alike in dreamy, realistic style, suffused with golden California light. The gorgeous endpapers showcase maps and postcards of Los Angeles, along with architects' tools. More literal-minded readers might wonder where the "curve and flow" are, as in the many exterior views, the buildings have clean lines and sharp right angles, but one large interior is shown, and curves are evident there. Finishing touches include an author's note, selected sources, photos, and time line. VERDICT This remarkable biography of a talented and determined man is highly recommended.—Jenny Arch

Edition details

• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593429079
• ISBN 13: 9780593429075
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Mallett Keith
• Number of pages: 48