A study in nature-based colors, Christina Rossetti’s timeless poem is here represented in vivid, interpretive art by French illustrator Laëtitia Devernay.
The delicate lines of a poem by Christina Rossetti (1830-94) run through and around a series of beguiling illustrations in “Color,” a picture book for children ages 4-7. “What is white? a swan is white, / Sailing in the light,” we read. “What is yellow? pears are yellow, / Rich and ripe and mellow.” French artist and graphic designer Laëtitia Devernay uses pale hues of gouache over stencils to create playful, lightly stippled images that stand out from a white background. Here a lavender mouse pokes its head through the petals of a red poppy; there a glowing orange dangles on its stem, seeming to form the shell of a passing snail. It’s a book as light and refreshing as a springtime breeze.
–Meghan Cox Gurdon, Wall Street Journal, 04/08/2022
Look at nature all around with this gorgeous illustrated children’s book version of a famous poem. The poem asks color-themed questions of readers or listeners. "What is pink?" is the first question, and it is answered in rhyme with a rose by the brink of a fountain. Next is the color red, shown in a barley bed of poppy flowers. The clouds float through a blue sky, and then the white swan sails through water in the light. "What is yellow?" the poem asks, and rhyming texts answers that mellow pears match that color. Grass is green with flowers in between, and violet clouds appear in the twilight. Finally, an orange is the color orange. The poem is whimsical and engaging for young readers. The interpretive art illustrations are truly enchanting! This book could be used as an introduction to colors and poetry for the youngest of learners or even as a coffee table book for adults because it is so beautiful!
–Kristen Bowman, Children's Literature, 01/01/2022