The Best Gift for Bear written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

 

The Best Gift for Bear

written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

Two Lions/Amazon, 2022, 40 pages

The holiday season is the perfect time to show your appreciation to friends and family for all the times they were there for you throughout the year. And that is just what Hedgehog is busy doing. She's been busy baking all kinds of special cookies for her friends. There are snowflakes for the mice, trees for the squirrels, and special rabbit cookies for each of the rabbits. But what about Bear?

Hedgehog is at a total loss about what to bake for Bear. After all, it was Bear who taught her how to ice skate, but ice skate cookies just don't feel right.

Bear loves butterflies and sunflowers, but even though they are lovely, some butterfly or sunflower cookies just don't feel right for Bear, either. But then snow on the roof of her little house gives Hedgehog the perfect idea. So, she plans it and bakes it and puts it together with frosting - the perfect gingerbread house for a special friend. It even has a bear cookie standing proudly in front of the house, along with sunflowers growing and a butterfly flying.

It is so big and so heavy, though, Hedgehog can't possibly carry it all the way across the forest to Bear's house. Instead, she decides to load it onto a sled and pull it to Bear's. 

The only problem is that then snow and a whipping wind begins to blow and the next thing she knows her perfect gift has been blown to pieces. Just then, Bear opens his door to see what's going on and is surprised to find a very upset Hedgehog. Bear brings her inside, gives her a warming cup of cocoa and listens as Hedgehog tells him what happened to his special gift. After she finishes her story, Bear has a surprising story of his own - and my young readers definitely did not see his surprise coming. And in the end, they actually give each other the best gift ever - the gift of friendship.

The Best Gift for Bear is just the book to begin the holiday season with. It's all about acceptance, friends, and giving, without any of the commercialism that has evolved around the holiday season. It is a quiet, gentle, heartwarming tale that reminds us of what is really important. I loved that Hedgehog gave gifts that she had made herself - they are real gifts from the heart. And I was really happy to see that the gingerbread cookie recipe is included in the endpapers. Yum, I love gingerbread. Complimenting this heartfelt story are clear, uncluttered illustrations done with gouache and colored pencil in a very definite winter palette.    

This was a story that led to lots of talk about the different holidays my young readers celebrate in their families and because this book doesn't identify the holiday Hedgehog is baking cookies for, it was the ideal book to share with my small class of readers, and perhaps with your young readers as well.

Thank you, Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

 ★“This genuinely heartfelt, quietly moving friendship story emphasizes that ‘a day with a friend is the best gift of all.’” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A sweet, appealing picture book for the season.” —Booklist

A 2022 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee

Jennifer A. Bell is the illustrator of more than forty children’s books, including the Sophie Mouse series. She studied fine art at the Columbus College of Art & Design, and her work can also be found on greeting cards and in magazines. This is the first picture book she’s written and illustrated. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about her at www.jenniferabell.com.

Instagram: @jbellstudio

Facebook: Jennifer A. Bell Illustration

Twitter: @JenniferABell_

My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee, translated by Sophie Bowman

 

My GrandMom written and illustrated by Gee-eun Lee,

translated by Sophie Bowman

Amazon Crossing Kids, 2022, 40 pages

Grandparents are often such important part of a child's life (if they are lucky enough to have them and they live nearby) and this is a particularly endearing story because it is based on the author's own experience with her Halmonie. Much to her distress, Gee-eun's parents work long hours and she must stay home with her GrandMom. Trying to calm her granddaughter down, GrandMom suggests they make kalguksu, a knife cut Korean noodle soup. While GrandMom makes the dough for the noodles, Gee-eum makes a dough family to put in the soup. 

Later, on Family Sports Day, a day Gee-eum has been excitedly looking forward to, she's disappointed that her mom won't be able to participate with her. To comfort her, GrandMom tells Gee-eum about good she has always been at running, tug of war and doing a cheer dance. But when GrandMom and granddaughter arrive at the field, Gee-eum is excited, sure that they will win all the competitions with such a strong, athletic grandmother.

 But is seem's that GrandMom isn't as spry as she used to be and when they lose all the competitions, Gee-eum becomes very mad at her Halmonie. Can GrandMom jolly Gee-uem into a better mood with a fresh curry bun that will be their delicious secret? 

I love how the focus of My GrandMom is only focused on the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter. In fact, Gee-eum's parents never even make an appearance. Instead, we see the two Gee-eum and GrandMom doing all kinds of things that ultimately lead to a strong bond between the two of them. I particularly liked the way readers can see how this strong intergenerational bond develops over the course of the book 

The illustrations, done with a subtly colored palette using colored pencils and paint, totally enhance and compliment the story and the have a certain humor to them even when there is unhappiness or when Gee-eun is angry or crying. 

My GrandMom will be a welcomed story for any kids living in an intergenerational home, as Gee-eun does, or whose grandparents are just an important part of their life, as many of my young readers do. I suspect this is a book that will be read in my class again and again. 

"A touching tale that exudes love and warmth." - Kirkus Reviews 

"A touching celebration of grandparent-and-grandchild connection that will warm many hearts." - Booklist

Meet the Author:

Gee-eun Lee is an award-winning Korean author/illustrator. She recently won the prestigious BolognaRagazzi Award in the comics category for her book, The Story of How the Korean Shaved Ice Dessert Was Born, and is also a top winner of the Korean Young Illustrator Award. She studied design and illustration in Korea and the UK. Her first picture book, Paper Dad, was made into a children’s musical in Korea. My GrandMom is the second book she both wrote and illustrated and is based on her own grandmother. Instagram: @studio_geeeun 

Meet the Illustrator:

Sophie Bowman is a PhD student at the University of Toronto, studying Korean literature. She was awarded the ICF Literature Translation Fellowship at Ewha Womans University. In 2015, she won the Korea Times Modern Korean Literature Translation Award grand prize for poetry with her translations of Jin Eun-young and co-translated Kim Bo-Young’s I’m Waiting for You and Other Stories. She recently translated the picture book Magic Candies by Heena Baek, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Follow her on Twitter @SophieOrbital.

Publisher tags;

Instagram: @amazonpublishing

Twitter: @AmazonPub

Thank you, Barbara Fisch at BlueSlipMedia

🎃 The Most Haunted House in America by Jarrett Dapier, illustrated by Lee Gatlin 🎃

The Most Haunted House in America by Jarrett Dapier,

illustrated by Lee Gatlin

Abrams BFYR, 2022, 32 pages

One night in October, an invitation arrived underground inviting the Skeleton Drummers to the White House for an Halloween celebration. And what a fun place to be invited to. Not only is it the president's home, "[b]ut there's one more thing you might not know./ The White House is HAUNTED from top to toe!" A little bit scared, but nevertheless undaunted, the Skeleton Drummers head to the nation's capital and the North Lawn of the President's home.

There, kids dressed up as "wizards and witches and robots and more/ line up the drive and step up to the door." President Obama and First Lady Michelle give out treats to everyone accompanied by the haunting sounds of the Skeleton Drummers. 

Then, when all the treats have been handed out, the President and First Lady invite the Skeleton Drummers into the White House where "...inside the doors, something's not right./ A chill in the air and a prickle of fright/ grab hold of our band. Our sticks start to shake/ our bones start to shudder, then rattle and quake!" Room by room, the drummers encounter all kinds of ghosts and spirits, some historical figures who are still roaming the halls and haunting the rooms of the White House. And what a rollicking Halloween those spirits are having.  

But when they stumble on the Terror Ball, where the living and the dead are partying together, maybe it is time for the Skeleton Drummers to make a hasty exit from the White House out onto the Mall. But ultimately, as they leave at dawn to go back underground, all they can only say "Thank you, First Lady - this night was the BEST!

This is a fun story, told completely in rhyme, and based on a real Halloween celebration in 2009 at the White House during the Obamas' first year living there, when they invited the author to drum along with others drummers while 2,500 kids and their grownups trick or treated there. And, of course, it it believed that the White House is indeed haunted, so together these two things made for a fun Halloween story. 

I loved the pencil, ink, and digital illustrations, done in a bright palette of seasonal colors. And though there are lots of what could be scary beings, both dead and living, throughout none of them are done so that they are too frightening for kids. I would recommend this book for kids over 6 years, and you might find yourself having to explain who the Obamas are. 

There is some back matter consisting of books and online resources where you can find more information about the nation's haunted White House. 

The Most Haunted House in America is a lighthearted picture book perfect for the Halloween season.

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures by Buffy Silverman

 

On a Gold-Blooming Day: Finding Fall Treasures

by Buffy Silverman

Millbrook Press/Lerner, 2022, 32 pages

Autumn is the season that always tricks me and I always fall for it. It's such a beautiful season, the colors are glorious and I just love the smell of fall in the air. I always forget that winter is close behind autumn and winter is not a favorite. So what I love about this book is that now I enjoy autumn anytime I want, at least in words and pictures (although, if the trees in NYC ever change color, I'm taking my young readers leaf peeping and maybe I'll stick a few in this book for the smell of it). What makes this book so special?

Spectacular photographs are paired with clever short noun-verb rhyming phrases that perfectly capture nature celebrating autumn:

The book is actually divided into sections representing all the different fall treasure to be found. On a gold-blooming day focuses on snakes, insects and seeds: "snakes glide/ Spiders hide/ Crickets chirp/ Butterflies slurp."

On a nut-crunching day, readers explore the forest with its busy animals and where "Mushrooms pop./ Acorns drop./ Fawns graze./ Sumacs blaze." 

Fish, amphibians, birds, otters and muskrats are the main focus of the next section that begins with the words "On a frog-leaping,/ log-sleeping,/ goose-honking day..." And finally, "On an apple-picking, / seed-sticking,/ autumn-colored day..." a family of four is seen in an apple orchard, while

and of course, who could resist the call of a leaf pile: 

Aside from the jolly rhyme and the wonderful full color photographs that perfectly compliment each other, there is also informative back matter called What treasures will you find in fall? and that gives explanations and suggestions for each one of the noun-verb rhymes: 

as well as a list of book for Further Reading and a Glossary of words that may be unfamiliar to young readers.

I loved that energetic rhyme of this book. And it is the perfect format for young kids to really get into. I love sharing poetry with my young readers and it always pleases me to see how receptive they are to it. They loved this book and we spend a lot of time exploring the photographs and taking about each one. Then we tried making up two word noun-verb combinations to see if we could come up with a few more ideas to welcome autumn. 

On a Gold-Blooming Day is definitely a book that we will keep on our library shelf so we can return to it again and again. 

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Dear Wild Child: You Carry Your Home Inside of You by Wallace J. Nicols and Wallace Gracye Nicols, illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer

Dear Wild Child: You Carry Your Home Inside of You

by Wallace J. Nicols and Wallace Gracye Nicols,

illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer

Cameron Kids/Abrams, 2022, 32 pages

 "The art echoes the text’s emphasis on beauty rather than loss. . .In the event’s aftermath, the affecting story’s tone remains openhearted, concluding with sentiments that encourage resilience and reflect on the nature of home."

                                                    ―Publishers Weekly

"It’s a touching sentiment that reminds readers of all ages that our lives are defined not by our material possessions but by the memories we make... Intricate and emotional."
―Kirkus Reviews

In the shade of ancient redwood trees, by a creek, not far from the ocean, a father builds a house for his newborn daughter, where she grows up wild and strong in their coastal canyon home. When a wildfire takes back their beloved house, a father writes his now-grown daughter a letter telling her it’s gone. Inspired by the real letter the author wrote his daughter, this poignant story—written together by father and daughter—joyfully declares that a home is more than just wood and stone; it is made of love and can never be taken away. You carry home with you wherever you go.

About the Author & Illustrator
Wallace Grayce Nichols is a student of sustainable design, problem solver, and water lover. Her father, 

Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, is a marine biologist and the author of the bestselling book Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do. Home is the slow coast of California. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Drew Beckmeyer is a fine artist, illustrator, and elementary school teacher. He lives in Northern California. Website | Instagram

Additional Links:

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Hero for the Hungry: The Life and Work of Norman Borlaug by Peggy Thomas, illustrated by Sam Kalda

Welcome to the Hero for the Hungry Blog Tour!

Follow along all week for exclusive guest posts from author Peggy Thomas, plus 5 chances to win Hero for the Hungry (on shelves 9/1)!

Hero For the Hungry Resource List
by Peggy Thomas

Like most nonfiction authors, I dive deep into my research. There is just so much to learn besides the basics. For Hero for the Hungry, I not only had to learn about the man, Norman Borlaug, but I also had to understand the times he lived in, the anatomy of wheat, how to breed plants, characteristics of bread, etc. Of course, not everything fit into the storyline, and there was too much to put in the backmatter, so I created a resource list of related books, videos, games, activities and even a rap song sure to rev up even the most reluctant reader. 

1. The Kid Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews and illustrated by Philip Hurst is a picture book, but it reveals how Norman was influenced by others like Henry A. Wallace and George Washington Carver. 

2. Play It Hard - Norman Borlaug 100 Year Tribute is a short clip of Norman discussing his work. It was created by the International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement and Biology Fortified to celebrate what would have been Norm’s 100th birthday. Although the dialogue has been jazzed up, you’ll get to hear Norm’s voice and sense his enthusiasm. 

3. Wheat Ag Mag is a downloadable pdf all about growing wheat in America. Get the stats, the facts, or purchase a stack for the classroom.  

4. Wheat Crossing is an Ag Science video that I watched several times to learn the step-by-step process of crossing two different varieties of wheat. While you watch, just imagine Norm having to do this thousands of times!

5. Enjoying the Harvest lesson plan includes milling your own flour. Kids will be amazed at how much grain is needed to make enough flour for a loaf of bread. 

6. Loaves of Fun by Elizabeth Harbison is a hands-on history of bread. Once you’ve milled your own flour try baking one of the recipes in this book. 

7. My American Farm is a collection of games created by the American Farm Bureau for grades Pre-K to 5. Explore poultry, ag technology, international trade, water conservation, ranching, and much more. I particularly liked Seeds to Shirt. 

8. The Story of Wheat For Kids is a downloadable pdf from the Nebraska Wheat Board. It includes coloring sheets, crossword puzzles, and other activities. 

9. Norman Borlaug’s Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech can be used as a call to action to follow in Norm’s footsteps and end world hunger. 

10. The Norman Borlaug Rap was created by MC Tractor and DJ Redd. Listen and follow along with the lyrics. It’s catchy! 
 

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Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

Can a quiet Iowa farm boy grow up to change the world? Norman Ernest Borlaug did. Norman Borlaug was the Father of the Green Revolution, saved millions from starvation, and won the Nobel Prize.

How? Science, true American grit, and a passion for helping those in need.

Born in 1914, raised on a small farm, and educated in a one-room schoolhouse, Norman Borlaug learned to work hard and excelled in sports. Against odds and adversity, Norm studied forestry and eventually became a plant scientist, dedicating his life’s work to ending world hunger. Working in obscurity in the wheat fields of Mexico, Norm and his team developed disease-resistant plants, and when widespread famine threatened India and Pakistan, Norm worked alongside poor farmers and battled bureaucracy to save millions from mass starvation. Often called the “Father of the Green Revolution,” Norm helped lay the groundwork for agricultural technological advances that alleviated world hunger. He won the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was a true hero for the hungry.

Can pursuing science help you and your future generation? This book is sure to inspire young learners!

Sidebars include topics such as a deeper dive into the science Norm was using to produce new and better wheat varieties, agronomy, wheat genes, stem rust, nutrients and more. Back matter includes a timeline of events and discoveries and a call to action for readers to use science to solve problems and do small things to help with hunger and food waste.

Hero for the Hungry is excellent for a science class learning about genetics, an agriculture class studying agronomy, or a history or English class looking for a well-written biography on a hero scientist.

About the Author

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

Peggy Thomas has always loved true stories, and can’t remember a time when she wasn’t thrilled to find animal bones, musty encyclopaedias, or a history plaque by the side of the road. It's that same curiosity that has fueled the research and writing of more than twenty nonfiction books for children.

With a master’s degree in anthropology, Peggy explores a wide range of subjects, blending history and science to create award-winning titles. Her most recent books include Lincoln Clears a Path (Calkins Creek, 2021) and Full of Beans: Henry Ford Grows a Car (Calkins Creek, 2019), which earned NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book, 2020 Best Book from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, and Book of the Year from the Henry Ford Heritage Association.

Peggy is a member of SCBWI, a blogger for Nonfiction Ninjas, and on the creative team behind Nonfiction Fest, a month-long celebration of writing nonfiction for children.

About the Illustrator

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Sam Kalda is an illustrator and artist based in Saint Paul. His commissioned works include editorial, book, advertising and pattern illustration. In 2017, he received a gold medal in book illustration from the Society of Illustrators in New York. He also won a medal from the Cheese Club in college for being able to identify the most amount of, well, cheeses. His first book, Of Cats and Men: History's Great Cat-loving Artists, Writers, Thinkers and Statesmen, was published by Ten Speed Press in 2017. He recently illustrated his first picture book, When We Walked on the Moon, written by David Long and published by Wide Eyed Press in 2019, as well as the follow-up, When Darwin Sailed the Sea.

He lives in an old house with his husband and two cats, Arthur and Frances. In their role as studio assistants, the cats specialize in houseplant demolition and pencil relocation. He enjoys futzing around in his garden, going to estate sales, and taking long walks. So basically, when he's not working, he's retired. He's taught at CUNY Queens College and Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

About the Publisher

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Feeding Minds Press is a project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, whose mission is to build awareness and understanding of agriculture through education. We focus on helping young readers understand where their food comes from, who grows it, and how it gets to them and believe in cultivating curiosity about food and farming and how agriculture plays a role in our daily lives. All books from Feeding Minds Press have accompanying lessons, activities, and videos to further learning available on their website, www.feedingmindspress.com.

 

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Blog Tour Schedule:

August 29th — Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
August 30th — Mom Read It
August 31st — A Dream Within A Dream
September 1st — Randomly Reading
September 2nd —YA Books Central

Anni Dreams of Biryani by Namita Moolani Mehra, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

 

Anni Dreams of Biryani written by Namita Moolani Mehra,

illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat

Two Lions/Amazon, 2022, 40 pages

Anni lives in Little India with her mother and grandmother and every Friday, it is their once a week special treat to have biryani for dinner at the Biryani Cafe. This is the best biryani in Little India, made by an elderly chef named Mr. Arif whom everyone calls Uncle with an even older secret to his recipe. And it is Anni's absolute favorite thing to eat. If only she could make biryani that good, but she would need to find out the secret ingredient that sets it apart.

Sure, Anni can already cook all kinds of delicious curries, koftas, roti, and raita, but not biryani that taste like Uncle's. Then, one day, Anni gets an idea. Every week, Anni asks Uncle about one ingredient in his biryani and writes down his answer, until...

one Friday, instead of answering Anni's question, Uncle tells her to stop talking and try making her own biryani. And that is just what Anni does, but even though her biryani is good, it just isn't as good as Uncle's. But when Uncle looked at the recipe Anni had written down from all his answers, he stomps off in a huff, back into the cafe. And that is the end of Friday night biryani for Anni and her family. Or is it? A few weeks later, Anni comes up with a new plan, only to discover the cafe has closed and Uncle is gone. Could this really be the end of the best biryani ever? Will Anni never learn the secret ingredient in Uncle's biryani?

Anni Dreams of Biryani is such a fun book about a young girl who loves to cook, which is apparently not as uncommon as you might think. Anni is sweet, spunky, and really persistent. Her plan, after all, would require weeks of questions and answers, and she even manages  to pick up some useful cooking tips from Uncle, besides the list of ingredients. 

I loved the story of how Anni persevered trying to figure out the perfect biryani recipe, but I found the ending a bit abrupt and I didn't think it was clear why Uncle closed the cafe and left. It isn't as if Anni were competition for him - she is still just a school girl. 

The colorful digitally created illustrations depict a lively Little India neighborhood, with people busily going about their business. And the food images really capture the aroma of the different spices and other ingredients in the Biryani Cafe. They made me hungry for Indian food just looking at them. 

Back matter includes information about Biryani and how to make it special. There is a link to a quicker, easier version of Chicken Biryani that kids and their parents can try at http://indian-spicebox.com/biryani

Now, I'm dreaming of biryani, too.

Meet the Author:

Namita Moolani Mehra is a children’s book author, cookbook author, and a food and parenting writer. She wrote the children’s cookbooks The Magic Spicebox and Superfoods for Superheroes. Anni Dreams of Biryani is her first picture book. Namita also runs a social-impact business called Indian Spicebox that helps fund hot meals for underprivileged children in India. Namita was born in a remote village in Nigeria, grew up in the UK and India, studied in Chicago, and worked in New York for over a decade. She currently lives in Singapore with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.namitamehra.com, and follow her on Twitter @namstwit.

Instagram: @indianspicebox

Meet the Illustrator:

Chaaya Prabhat is an illustrator based in Chennai, India. She holds an MA in graphic design from Savannah College of Art and Design. She has illustrated several picture books, including Bracelets for Bina’s Brothers, written by Rajani LaRocca. In addition to her books, Chaaya has created illustrations for numerous clients, such as Google, Facebook, Snapchat, the Obama Foundation, the Times of India, and more. Learn more at www.chaayaprabhat.com, and follow her on Instagram @chaaya23.

The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa

The World Belonged to Us 

written by Jacqueline Woodson,

illustrated by Leo Espinosa

Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, 2022, 32 pages

Schools out for summer and these kids are happy, excited, and anticipating a great time all summer long, playing games with friends and running free: "Free as air. Free as sun. Free as summer." Just look at those joyous faces. Oh, I remember that feeling, do you? Woodson has captured those past summers in Brooklyn perfectly in this charming picture book fictional memoir, and I know it's spot on because, well, I grew up on the streets of Brooklyn, too. 

With school out, it's life on the streets for two whole months. On hot days, the fire hydrants are opened and everyone races to get a cooling shower, clothes and all. The streets are chalked with game boards, jump ropes are pulled out and double dutch is the name of the game. 

Hanging with friends on a stoop, telling stories, learning about life from the older kids (I became a pretty good poker player hanging out on Ismael's stoop), other times a ball and stick are pulled out and a game of stickball happens in the street (only stopping when someone yells "car"). Ice cream trucks roll down the street and moms toss money wrapped in a scarf to the lucky kids who always share with the kids who have no money (for us, it was Mister Softee, Good Humor, and Bungalow Bar). And at the end of the day, as everyone knows, it's time to go home when the streetlights came on. 

If Jacqueline Woodson got summer all right in her text, Leo Espinosa got it right in the illustrations. Kids in the 1970s were probably the last of the free range children and in his illustrations it feels almost as if they knew and had to make it all extra special. The kids seem to be extra loud, just look at those wide open mouths and you can practically hear the kids calling to each other, and extra energetic, the kids are depicted in almost constant motion. And don't you just love those clothes. The kids are all diverse, just like Brooklyn was and is. And it really did feel like the world belonged to us.

I had a friend once who grew up in the suburbs and told me she felt sorry for me growing up in Brooklyn, because I must have been so bored. Bored? Really? Just look at these kids.  

This book really brought back memories of growing up in Brooklyn for me and the games we used to play during summer vacation. It was every bit as wonderful as this book says it was. 

I loved playing skelly as a kids and this is one of my favorite pictures in the book. Kids shooting their bottle caps (ours were filled with clay not tar), and a group of kids on the sideline watching and talking. And I'm happy to see that the thirteenth square is still surrounded by poison (land in poison and you lose a turn). 

In my Flatbush neighborhood, we called this game skelly,
not skully

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Pink in Not a Color written and illustrated by Lindsay Ward

 

Pink is Not a Color

written and illustrated by Lindsay Ward

Two Lions, 2022, 40 pages

When my Kiddo was a little girl, there were two truisms in her life: 1) there was never enough glitter, and 2) there was never enough pink. Pink is probably the favorite color of most little girls at some point. After all, Pink is a happy color and the world is a rosier place thanks to it. 

So when Pink ran into the Primaries Red, Blue, and Yellow getting ready to have a Rainbow Extravaganza, Pink was excited to help. 

The Primary colors were all going to be at the Rainbow Extravaganza, as were the Secondary colors, Orange, Green, and Purple, and there would be balloons, streamers, and a great big rainbow colored banner. It was going to be an awesome party, with all the colors of the rainbow there, and Pink was so up for it...until the Rainbow Colors reminded her that Pink is not a color in the rainbow. 

And even though they encouraged Pink to come to the party anyway, Pink's excitement was more than a little deflated. Pink leaves the Rainbow Extravaganza thinking about how super popular she is and all the things that are pink - bubble gum, cupcakes with sprinkles, tutus, bunny slippers. Everyone loves pink, so why isn't she in the rainbow? And if she isn't, is she even a color,? And if she isn't a color,  just what she is?

The next day, still feeling low and confused, Pink runs into the Brown, who is a Shade and the Tints - Corel, Mint, Buttercup, Lavender and Sky - who invite her to color with them. Feeling validated that she is a color after all, Brown explains the difference between a Shade, like himself, and a Tint, like Pink. But is a Tint a real color, she wonders? 

Leaving Brown and the Tints behind, Pink encounters Gray and tells him about her midcolor crisis. Gray says that in his book, Pink is definitely a color in his book. But is an appearance in This Book is Gray enough to convince Pink that she is a color even if she isn't in the rainbow? Leave it to Gray to show Pink all the different ways in which she colors the world, including mornings and evenings. 

Some of Lindsay Ward's books are truly adventures in color. There's This Book is Gray, followed by Between the Lines, and now there is Pink is not a Color. Each book has something to teach kids about colors and this one answers the question: what is a color? It begins with a Color Glossary right there on the front end page. And while kids are learning the difference between Primary Colors and how Secondary Colors, Shades, Tints Achromatic Colors are created, there is also an important message about self-doubt.

Pink was pretty happy and self confident until the other colors preparing for the Rainbow Extravaganza said she wasn't a color in the rainbow. They were certainly happy to have her join in the festivities, but Pink immediately sunk into a midcolor crisis, as though not being in the rainbow made her not a color - so what is she? Self-doubt is something that can happen so easily to kids, and often, as it happens with Pink, it is the result of a something that wasn't even said to be mean.  Hopefully, adults reading this to children will realize what hurtful words can do to a child's self-esteem, so thy can help kids if they find themselves in a situation like Pink's. And children hearing this story will hopefully be able to see that they are just as important and have things to offer, just like Pink. 

I loved the digitally created illustrations and the bright, colorful palette used throughout. These different colors used add so much to the color characters, and no one color overpowers Pink, since it is her story. One of other things I like is that the colors are represented by that little triangle at the end of every crayon.  

Pink is Not a Color will be a wonderful and important book to share with young kids, either in school or at home and should generate lots of good conversations afterwards. I know I can't wait to share it with my young readers when we get back together again. 

What's being said about Pink is Not a Color?

“Ward’s cast of colors, pink-cheeked and wearing accessories, speak in color-coded speech bubbles; appropriately, pink hues dominate the exuberant art. A rosy take on selfhood.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Meet the Author: Lindsay Ward is the creator of the Dexter T. Rexter series as well as Between the Lines, Scooper and Dumper, Rosie: Stronger than Steel, This Book Is Gray, Brobarians, Rosco vs. the Baby, and The Importance of Being 3. Her book Please Bring Balloons was also made into a play. Lindsay lives with her family in Peninsula, Ohio with her husband, three boys, one dog, and eight ducks. When she’s not drawing, Lindsay loves to bake. Pink-frosted cupcakes are her favorite. Learn more about her online at www.lindsaymward.com.

Twitter: @lindsaymward

Instagram: lindsaymward

Check out activities and more here on Lindsay Ward’s website!