Throughout her career, Barbara Cooney created over 100 books for children and won two Caldecott Medals for her art. One of her most personal and popular books is Miss Rumphius, which centers on the importance of making the world more beautiful. Cooney’s own path to beautifying the world is thoughtfully chronicled in this picture book biography. The illustrations echo without mirroring Cooney’s recognizable folk-art style. The significance of color is given symbolic attention in the text. Cooney’s identity as an artist brightened when she expanded beyond black-and-white scratchboard art. Observed colors in nature and in her travels influenced Cooney’s personal and artistic palette, such as the blues and greens of Maine summers, sapphire and cerulean in Greek seas, and browns and pinks in the deserts of Mexico. In addition to creating many beautiful books for children, Cooney also played a major role in creating a public library in her small Maine community. An author’s note and afterword provide additional information and appreciation about a much-loved artist and book creator.