COLORS EVERYWHERE

Hoban (Spirals, Curves, Fanshapes and Lines, 1992, etc.) wordlessly introduces children to the rich color palettes around them in an ingenious way. Each page features a vivid photographic image that dazzles the eye—a peacock in a field of daffodils and daisies. Juxtaposed with the picture are rectangles of color showing the individual hues that dominate the image. Hoban is discerning, selecting these accompanying swatches with precision. The effect on readers is to make them see the component colors in a much more intense way, to see how they are blended together in nature, how brilliant reds and yellows create excitement in the lion dance costume in a Chinese New Year's Day parade. The process is gamelike; children will love matching the swatches to the photos, learning a great deal about color, hue, intensity, and texture without one word of text. A convincing case. (Picture book. 2+)