How and why did the names for the almost infinite varieties of colors evolve and enter the English language? Dewey (The Narrow Escapes of Davey Crockett, Morrow, 1993, etc.) makes a lively attempt at tackling this unwieldy topic. She helpfully includes the origins of paints and pigments and mostly succeeds in keeping readers engaged with the aid of her now familiar, humorous paintings. Color is a constant in human experience and Dewey traces the history of and the names for colors from Neolithic times to the present. Black and white are the color concepts universally identified first. Red, yellow, green, blue, brown, purple, pink, orange, and gray follow, although many languages do not have names for each of these. Teachers looking for information on primary colors or the rainbow will have to go elsewhere but the more venturesome will enjoy this far-ranging approach, for Dewey effectively links color with history, the natural sciences, and technology; they will relish the facts not easily found in more staid surveys. An attractive volume; don't miss the index, which includes a brushstroke of each color coupled with its name and page reference. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: March 30, 1995
ISBN: 0-06-021291-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1995
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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