Red Everywhere

February 1, 2010
K-Gr 2-These bold and busy titles discuss where the colors occur in nature, describe their various shades, and discuss the meaning behind popular sayings or "fun facts" about them. Well suited to independent reading, with simple sentence structure and boxed facts that elaborate upon the photos, the books will inform and engage readers. Questions in the text ("Sometimes people say that they are feeling blue. What does this mean?") will promote further investigation. Each page in the first chapter features an item of the highlighted color plus an additional fact (e.g., "A rose makes a beautiful gift for someone you love. Roses are often dark red"). A second chapter presents shades of the color. Surprisingly, of "Blue" and "Red", only "Blue" refers to the fact that primary colors blend to create other colors. These are suitable choices for libraries and classrooms, although the alternation of cut-out and full-page photography, both in bright, patterned frames, lacks the impact of the illustrations in the "A+ Books: Colors" series (Capstone)."Mary Elam, Learning Media Services Plano ISD, TX"

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