Pure Gold

Love by Matt de la Peña ill by Loren Long

"In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed,
​and the sound of their voices is love."

It begins with the cover.  A young child, sporting a pair of spiffy yellow rain boots and a bright yellow umbrella is perched on the shoulders of a man, both gazing ahead to the golden glow of a sunrise. ​

Follow the yellow clues carefully placed on succeeding pages.  The opening illustrations present several images of love:  faces of caring adults standing in a sunlit nursery, the warmth that suffuses a day in the park, dancing on rooftops and in city streets.  Each page is bathed in joyful tints and shades of yellow.  Love, as represented by this golden color is strikingly evident.

But the scene changes and darkness dominates several images as pain and confusion enter into the picture.  Searching for yellow becomes a bit of a challenge. However the careful observer will find hints that gold still remains: a faithful dog, a cuddly teddy bear, a painting of a religious figure. While difficult to find, there are glimpses of yellow, glimmers of love in a world that is sometimes difficult and incomprehensible.  Love remains in caring family relationships, the glory of nature, and the joy of discovery.  

Eventually the focus abruptly shifts with one magnificent two-page spread. We no longer view the world through the eyes of a child. The scene zooms in for a tight shot of the child's eyes. Love becomes personal and oh so real in this intense close-up.
The lyrical melding of text and image concludes with a crowded street on a rainy day.  Although the  skies are dark and the rain is descending, a yellow umbrella remains a shield from the storms of life. "Because you'll have love. You'll have love, love, love."

There are picture books which seem to be the result of a thoughtful collaboration and shared vision between the author and the illustrator. Love written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Loren Long is one such book.  The mastery of imagery created by text and art is seamless.  They blend together to create a whole cloth that elicits deep emotions.  The power of the book is the way that these two masters of their craft unite.  It is pure gold.

Bonus

Do you reside in California, Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Washington DC ? 
Lucky you!
Matt de la Peña and Loren Long will be touring in January and February. Check out the complete tour schedule here.

Learn more about the fascinating process Loren Long used to create the illustrations for this book.