Color - Hardcover

Kindergarten-Grade 3—This riotous and bold concept book presents the basic ideas about color with simple text and clear, inviting images. Beginning like many other such books, it opens with an invitation to "Look around you/the world is full of color," followed by spreads of arty photo collages introducing each of the three primary colors. A photograph of finger-painting provides the perfect lead-in to the idea of color mixing, followed by spreads for each of the secondary colors. A large turning wheel allows readers to see what color results when two colors are mixed and is backed neatly by a similar wheel demonstrating complementary colors. On the following pages, black and white provide an introduction to the concepts of shading and tinting. The language of color, including word associations (e.g., blue: cool, calm, sad), and different shades printed in their appropriate hues are included as are some craft activities and a few trompe l'oeils. The title concludes with an eye-catching collage of a rainbow. Children will love this book, but unfortunately some parts, such as the color wheel, may not hold up well through many circulations. Although this entry is a bit overwhelming because of the amount and diversity of material presented, its overall appeal, engaging images, and appropriate language make it a sound addition to libraries seeking to enhance their art sections.—Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA
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