A short story written and illustrated by prolific author and illustrator Allen Say, this is a story of a young talented boy who arrived into town very hungry and needing work. By good luck, he meets a sign painter who offers his a job helping with a series of billboards. Each one says only "Arrow Star."

Under the guidance of the sign painter, the boy becomes quite talented. When they were almost finished with the commission, the boy looks up and sees an incredible structure in the distance. It was time for the boy to move on and say goodbye to the sign painter from whom he learned quite a lot. ( )

A young man who dreams of being a painter arrives in a small western town early one morning, and finds a job as an assistant roadside sign painter. Each sign that he and the man who hired him paint is the same: an image of a woman on the left, with the word Arrowstar on the right. The young man grows restive, longing to paint the desert landscapes through which they are passing, but the head sign painter reminds him that he is being paid to paint something specific. Can the young man find a way to balance his dreams with the practicalities of earning a living? Perhaps when he discovers what Arrowstar is, he will find inspiration...

A tribute to the struggle that an artist goes through, trying to stay true to their vision while also surviving in the work-a-day world, The Sign Painter presents a quiet but thoughtful tale. Given that so many of Allen Say's books - Grandfather's Journey, Tea with Milk, The Favorite Daughter - are autobiographical in nature, I couldn't help but wonder whether the young man here is Say himself. However that may be, I enjoyed the tale, and found the artwork lovely. The juxtaposition of desert vistas with billboard signs was striking, and I appreciated the nod to Edward Hopper at the end. Recommended to anyone who is looking for children's stories about artists and/or finding one's way in the world, as well as to fans (like me) of Allen Say's work. ( )

Surreal and stunning. ( )

I think this story is very insteresting and thought provoking, and the illustrations add to the "eeriness" (the word I'm looking for?) of the story. Sometimes you have go for practical when you're searching for your dreams, but sometimes the dream part happens along the way. Meanwhile, did the painter have anything to do with the storm?

I love roller coasters, by the way, so I was surprised to find one in this story. :) ( )

The best thing about this book is the last page. It's a lovely homage to Edward Hopper, and shows the famous diner, empty . I did enjoy the illustrations very much, but the text was muddy, and not particularly child-friendly, I think. I know it wouldn't have gone 3 pages before my own kid would have pushed it out of my hands and clamored for something else. ( )