Paris Thibideaux and the World of Lost Things : A boy, a dream, a gift for making Something out of Nothing

How does an imaginative boy grow into an artist? It helps if he loves horses, knows a little welding, and lives in the inner city where the alleys are full of lost and discarded things. This is the story of Paris Thibideaux, an 11-year-old Cajun-Chicano boy with a gift for making something out of nothing. From the colorful characters, the mix of cultures and the Powderhorn Neighborhood's traditions, Paris draws inspiration to build something extraordinary from scrap metal and trash to enter into the annual Powderhorn Parade. He faces many challenges including bullying, envy, greed, and a fire that nearly destroys his work. Yet, he thinks his biggest problem is living without the father who abandoned him when he was a baby. His fiercely independent mother refuses to talk about the past. She's too busy spending long days driving a delivery truck for a local bakery, and long nights and weekends fixing up their old rented house in hopes that the owner will sell it to her. This leaves Paris on his own, but not necessarily lonely. It's been said that sometimes in some places, "family is simply who shows up." Powderhorn is one of those places.