A USBBY Outstanding International Books Honor Book Nicholas Herrera started life as a mischievous, dyslexic boy, born into one of the old Spanish families of New Mexico. Bad teachers and poor schooling helped him to lose himself in drugs, drinking, riding motorcycles and driving fast cars. A near-death experience, a wonderful mother and a fascination with making art saved him. Today Nicholas Herrera is one of the most noted Santeros -- artists who create images of saints and other religious figures -- in the U.S. The text, as told to Elisa Amado, tells Nicholas's story through his art and expounds the hard-earned wisdom that his experience has brought him. Herrera's life, his political views about drugs, his sense of social justice, and his support for oppressed people will speak directly to young readers, especially those who might feel that life has nothing to offer them due to their economic circumstances or their class or ethnic backgrounds.

 

 

This book is aimed at children up to US 5th grade.

This book has been graded for interest for readers up to 10 years.

There are 56 pages in this book. This book was published in 2011 by Groundwood Books Ltd , Canada .

Elisa Amado was born in Guatemala and now lives in Toronto. Amado's other children's books include What Are You Doing? and Why Are You Doing That? Abraham Urias was born in El Salvador and immigrated to America during the civil war. He works as a designer at Warner Bros in Los Angeles.