“Pink is for crow . . . White is for blueberry . . . Yellow is for pine tree . . .” George Shannon and Laura Dronzek’s inspired color concept book is like a playful guessing game that invites young readers and listeners to ponder one puzzling declaration after another. They don’t have to think about it too long, however. A simple turn of the page solves the mystery by finishing each statement, as in “White is for blueberry . . . when the blueberry is still too young to pick.” In an exemplary marriage of text and art, Shannon’s engaging ideas are enhanced and enriched by Laura Dronzek’s superb, color-saturated illustrations. Dronzek borders each statement’s introductory image, such as the plump purple-blue berry, with the color being introduced. A turn of the page reveals a scene that make the connection between color and object clear. In the case of the blueberry, she has painted a young bear cub in the midst of a thicket of green leaves and young, white, unripe berries. These and other details in the art and book design, such as the way the colors emphasized in the book are repeated on the striped endpapers, echo an idea suggested by the words: there are many surprises that the world can reveal—it’s all in how you look at it. Many children will love discovering their own unlikely connections. Together, Shannon and Dronzek invite children to notice details, and to use their observation skills and creativity to continue to see and express things in new ways long after the covers of this book have been closed. (Ages 2–7)

Is a blueberry blue?

Is a crow black?

Is fire yellow?

Is snow white?

If you think you know,
then think --
and look again!