This personal memoir of Patricia Polacco is a triplicate endeavor: 
 1) It is a book to encourage budding artists to learn their craft well; 
 2) It is a tribute to the art teacher that helped Polacco discover her life work; and 
 3) it is a social advocacy piece devoted to highlighting the importance of art education. 
 As such, it succeeds in all three endeavors, while telling a story about overcoming hardship and complementing it with Polacco's typically vibrant and engaging drawings. Highly recommended, especially for budding artists.