Ruby, Violet, Lime

September 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-Brocket's vivid photos use a variety of foods, flowers, textiles, and architectural details to introduce the concept of color in the world. Strawberries, lemons, and a blue door illustrate the primary colors, as does a single outdoor scene with a red boat and yellow bulldozer against a blue sky. Each color has its own spread with three to four photos and simple text that uses synonyms for the more familiar terms. "Green is crisp and lively. Lime frosting, mint-green striped socks, emerald lettuces, and jade gardens are fresh and zingy." Attributing adjectives to each color helps enlarge the concept for young listeners. Fiery orange features "copper berries, a tangerine sunset, amber peppers, and flame-colored flowers." "Strong and serious" black is illustrated by "jet-black staircases, coal-colored bricks, and ebony iron gates." Metallics and colors in many shades expand the concept still further. Reminiscent of Tana Hoban's photo essays, this eye-catching, language-rich book offers youngsters a sensory, mind-stretching treat.-Mary Jean Smith, Southside Elementary School, Lebanon, TN

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2011

With its focus on color, Brocket's second in her Clever Concepts series is as much a visual and adjectival feast as her first was (Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What Is Texture?, 2011).

Addressing readers directly, Brocket makes kids feel as if they are going on an adventure along with her—a search for colors. While brief, the text accomplishes much: It links colors with emotions and adjectives, introduces primary and secondary colors and shades, names the items found in the photos and gives children some synonyms for the common colors. "Green is crisp and lively. Lime frosting, mint-green striped socks, emerald lettuces, and jade gardens are fresh and zingy." Going beyond Roy G. Biv, brown, black and white, gray and pink as well as the metallic colors of silver and gold are also included. But it is the photographs that steal the show. Isolating each featured color in snapshots (often close-ups) of everyday objects, the spreads are completely filled with a grid of three to five photos that prove to readers that colors can be found anywhere and everywhere. From food and flowers to clothing and buildings, everything has a color, and readers may never look at the world around them in quite the same way.

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