Brick by Brick

April 13, 2020
Luis, a Spanish-speaking boy, admires the work his father does (Papi “helps build the city, brick by brick”) and lists the ways the two are alike. On the left, Papi stands on scaffolding, reaching above his head to place bricks: “Papi is not afraid of heights.” On the right, Luis stands atop a schoolyard climbing structure: “Me neither./ At recess, I touch the sky, too.” They both create: Papi makes mortar, Luis works with clay. The writing is sprinkled with plenty of onomatopoeia and sensory words (“I roll my clay,/ SLAP and PAT”). Sheffield shows the duo enjoying the same lunch, eating “Mama’s special empanada” and drinking “cinnamon horchata.” The boy longs for “Nuestra casa para siempre—
our always house,” and both have faith that it will come (“Someday,” Papi says). Crisp-edged collages by Sheffield (Are Your Stars Like My Stars?) are composed partly of photographed bricks—a note explains that even Papi and Luis are made up of areas of brick images. Sheffield underscores the way children model themselves on the important adults in their lives in this loving, familial portrait of a strong father whose labor is honored. Ages 3–7. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary.