calistareads's review
4.0
Whoa! So much information is packed into this lovely book in such an elegant way. It's more like a story that will engage kids.
I found this book on some 2023 Mock Caldecott lists and the artwork for this is stunning. The story is amazing and based on facts. What an amazing book.
The author picked out many phrases like :"out of the blue", "true blue", "royal blue", Nothing but blue skies", "Once in a blue moon", "having the blues". So many different emotions for a color. Learning the history of the color helps understand where the phrases come from.
I knew blue was a rare color in ancient times, but I didn't realize that the color was precious all the way until the 1900s when the color could be made with chemicals in a laboratory. Before then, it was not an easy process to get the color blue. Once they discovered the indigo plant it became more ordianry, but still, many people suffered to bring that color. 6000 BC they discovered Lapis Lazuli. They crushed this stone to make the color. Thousands of years later they found a small snail that would produce it. Blue used to be very rare.
I take this color for granted. It's unbelievable to me that blue used to be so rare. It's everywhere now - and thank goodness.
The story even includes how our eyes see wave lengths and that's why water looks blue as does the sky. This was a very beautiful and cool book. It might get some interest from kids. My guess is that the niece would have enjoyed this book, while my nephew would have been bored. Who knows anymore. It's not funny.
I found this book on some 2023 Mock Caldecott lists and the artwork for this is stunning. The story is amazing and based on facts. What an amazing book.
The author picked out many phrases like :"out of the blue", "true blue", "royal blue", Nothing but blue skies", "Once in a blue moon", "having the blues". So many different emotions for a color. Learning the history of the color helps understand where the phrases come from.
I knew blue was a rare color in ancient times, but I didn't realize that the color was precious all the way until the 1900s when the color could be made with chemicals in a laboratory. Before then, it was not an easy process to get the color blue. Once they discovered the indigo plant it became more ordianry, but still, many people suffered to bring that color. 6000 BC they discovered Lapis Lazuli. They crushed this stone to make the color. Thousands of years later they found a small snail that would produce it. Blue used to be very rare.
I take this color for granted. It's unbelievable to me that blue used to be so rare. It's everywhere now - and thank goodness.
The story even includes how our eyes see wave lengths and that's why water looks blue as does the sky. This was a very beautiful and cool book. It might get some interest from kids. My guess is that the niece would have enjoyed this book, while my nephew would have been bored. Who knows anymore. It's not funny.
msgabbythelibrarian's review
4.0
I rate this book high because I think it is going to get some award come January. (Well maybe, it's only August and it might not be remembered....not sure how the timeline works)
What a gorgeous pictorial history of the color blue. How it has been used throughout cultures and history. How it used to be reserved for the rich and now all have access.
My favorite illustration is like the second page with this irises. You'll see.....
What a gorgeous pictorial history of the color blue. How it has been used throughout cultures and history. How it used to be reserved for the rich and now all have access.
My favorite illustration is like the second page with this irises. You'll see.....
shighley's review
4.0
With blue as my favorite color, I had to read this book! I really liked the history of finding ways to make things blue, the many sayings with blue in them, like "true blue,""out of the blue," "feeling blue." The back matter was a bit hard to read in places, and much was a repeat of the text, which is fine. I also read this because I have seen it on some potential Caldecott books; the illustrations are outstanding.
ainay's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
constantcatreader's review
5.0
Gorgeous picture book describing the history behind a beautiful color!