RAINBOW SHOES

Bouncy verse and clever illustrations help teach kids colors...an ideal mix.

"Rainbow Shoes" is actually the title of the first poem in this collection of 14, each dealing with clothing and color: "Got a case / of deep down blues? / Slip on a pair / of rainbow shoes!" The funny closer, "What If," also uses a spectrum of colors: "What if you woke up covered in spots— / bright candy-coloured polka dots." Pops of color appear not only in the predominantly black-and-white ink illustrations, but also sprinkled through the text; names of colors are printed appropriately. The 12 interior poems focus on a single color to great effect. "Orange Socks" plays on the idea of the citrus fruit as well as the color and features a little boy staring at orange socks tumbling in a dryer. "What Do Pirates Wear at Night?" offers this answer: "pink pajamas!"  "Please..." deals with a specific gift request: "Knit for me with care and love / one ghastly green and gruesome glove." "Purple Pants Poem" has a French twist; the girl wearing them sports a jaunty beret and stands near the Eiffel Tower. "The Top Thing in Toppers" features a brown cowboy hat that is really a tasty frosted cake. There are also punny poems about Dad's old white shirt, dingy underwear and a coat...of paint. 

Stone and Czernecki's text and illustrations are in perfect harmony. Consistently surprising and equally delightful.