It’s a sweet story, in a somewhat vintage sort of way.  It tells the story of the family of an impoverished artist.  Having fallen out with his wealthy uncle who wanted him to go into business, the young artist and his family struggle to get by, his small children helping out the local book shop owner in exchange for being allowed to sit and read his inventory.  Just when their father is about to finish his masterpiece, and has a buyer all lined up for it if he can finish by the next day, he runs out of red paint, and the local art dealer won’t extend him any more credit.  Wanting to help, but coming up short, the children sit in the book shop bemoaning their family’s troubles, little knowing they are being overheard by another gentleman in the shop, who just happens to be the long-estranged wealthy uncle, who has had a change of heart, so the needed red paint shows up as the gift of an anonymous benefactor just in time.  The problem is that this is a reprint of a book originally published before color illustrations were common, and I doubt many children today will appreciate the sketchy brown-tone illustrations.