Shmulik Paints the Town

Shmulik is responsible for painting a park mural in celebration of Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. The bearded artist heads to the park day after day with his dog, Ezra, but he puts off painting each time, opting to find inspiration in the clouds, trees, or a kitten’s purr. While Shmulik is mired in procrastination, Echeverri (There’s a Dinosaur in My Bathtub) shows Ezra taking matters into his own paws, painting a garbage can, gazebo, and bench. After Shmulik takes a last-minute nap, he awakens to a complete mural—all thanks to Ezra. Echeverri’s bright splashes of color in a gray landscape emphasize the creativity that Ezra, at least, brings to the task, and while the story ends anticlimactically, first-time author Rose hints at the value of doing the necessary work rather than waiting for inspiration to strike. Ages 3–8. Author’s agent: Natalie Lakosil, Bradford Literary Agency. (Mar.) [em] [/em]