How I enjoyed reading my friend John Parra’s new book, Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son.

The author tells us that the story is inspired by his own work helping his dad. I too helped my dad at his optical company in El Paso, Texas. Like John’s grandparents, my dad came from Chihuahua, Mexico to the border.

I also grew up bilingual, English and Spanish like John, and enjoyed the braiding of both languages in this text. I’ve also enjoyed gardening for years and savoring Mexican food such as burritos.

I don’t have John’s artistic talents and appreciated his sketching and illustrations, dual talents. I also learned from his father’s landscaping skills.

Just as author and illustrator John Parra is proud of his father’s landscaping talents, I’m sure that his father is proud of his son’s talents on the page. Congratulations, John! ¡Felicitaciones!

Pat