8 by Eight
This month's 8 by Eight list focuses on books about colors.
In honor of the Cape Cod Rainbow Hunt page and our own front window, this month's book list focuses on thw wonderful world of colors. First up, Leo Lionni's Little Book About Colors. Lionni's illustrations are probably recognizable because of his well-known books such as Frederick, Swimmy, and Inch by Inch. This board book about colors features many of your favorite Lionni characters. The text emphasizes standard rainbow colors: red, blue, green, ets, but also throws in pink, grey, black, white, and brown.
The Crayons Book of Colors is a board-book spin off of the popular The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home books by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. Each crayon color, complete with vibrant personality, is introduced along with a list of things that crayon colors. Red, of course, colors lots of things: strawberries, hearts, apples. Poor beige only colors wheat. Yellow and Orange are still debating sun rights.
Pride Colors by Robin Stevenson is a sweet book of photographs with inspirational and affirming messages for all kids. From "A bright red heart, a little star, I love you just the way you are" to "Purple glitter dancing wild. You are my very precious child" the book celebrates families, kids, and rainbow flags. The final page lists the colors of the pride flag with explanation for what each color means. Look back at the text and talk about the connections to the photographs and message.
Little Penguins isn't about colors in the text exactly, but the illustrations use color connections in fun ways. Each penguin has a matching set: scarf, mittens, boots. Follow the red, blue, yellow, green, or grey penguin through the story. What color is mama penguin wearing?
Find Colors is an unusual book. First, there are NO colors in this book. Every page is black or white. However, if you look through the die cut images on each page you can FIND yellow, red, blue, pink, grey for yourself. Hold the book up and look around the room. The last image is a rainbow for you and your young reader to find lots of colors!
Red House Tree House Little Bitty Brown Mouse is a fun rhyming text that involves young readers in the story by asking them to find, count, and watch through a variety of scenes. Intrepid readers (or certainly re-readers!) will know to watch for that little bitty brown mouse!
Green on Green is a gorgeous new book celebrating the color green in all of its glory. The text contains vignettes connecting various colors to green and celebrates both the changing seasons and the changing color palette of the year. We start with spring yellow: "Yellow the flower. Yellow the seed. Yellow and black the buzzing bee. Lemonade petals. Snowflakes between. Lemonade, sunflakes, and yellow on green." Summer brings blue on green. Fall focuses on brilliant shades of brown. Winter brings white, black, and grey, but Spring comes back with green on green! Don't skip the endpapers. The illustrations echo the book AND tell their own story.
Finally Proudest Blue is the story of a younger sibling who is very excited that her older sister is wearing her first Hijab, which is blue like the ocean, blue like the sky. The Proudest Blue is written by Olympic Medalist Ibtihaj Muhammed with S. K. Ali. Both authors include authors notes with personal stories, encouragement, and celebration. What is your proudest color?
