"After hearing about Cucco's death in 2006, Miller–who had previously collaborated with Cucco on two children's books–linked a series of Cucco's paintings to tell this first-person story about the artist's childhood. Weaving together these heretofore-unconnected oil paintings, many of them deeply atmospheric and enigmatic, ... this series of impressions–about Cucco's childhood years, parents, moments in nature, dreams, life in the city before an eventual return to the country, and more– are highly textured and richly colored, many showcasing a vivid, sunny yellow. A thought-provoking conversation starter for art lovers of all ages." –Kirkus Reviews
"Before I Grew Up is a very unusual picture book... It tells the story of the Italian painter Giuliano Cucco's childhood in the first person, but it is written by an old friend of his, John Miller... Looking through the late painter's archive in Rome, Miller found a group of paintings related to Cucco's childhood. He selected and arranged some of those pictures, complementing them with short, interpretive sentences. The alluring result is the imaginary life of the artist as a young boy, told through a sequence of lyrical scenes... Dreams and boats are recurrent themes in the story, as is light... This is not an easy book to summarize, and there are a number of fascinating and unexpected situations that are best left to the reader to experience directly." –Sergio Ruzzier, writing for the New York Times
"This tribute of a picture book is one that celebrates the creativity of childhood and how allowing unfettered time and space allow that creativity to carry into adulthood. Miller uses his words as a minimal framework to offer a glimpse of the artist's life and also to share his work. It is [Cucco's] paintings that truly tell the story, sharing emotions through the art. From darker moments to those filled with inspiration and light. The art is whimsical at times, literal at others... A lovely surreal look at an artist, creativity and childhood."
–Tasha Saecker, Waking Brain Cells
"Miller has succeeded in offering a memorial to his friend by telling the story of how creativity is nurtured and developed. The haunting art does the rest of the job, encouraging readers to make up their own stories to go with the arresting images. Thought provoking and surrealistic in some places, evocative and strange in others."
–New York Journal of Books
