Author: Jorge Luján
Illustrator: Piet Grobler
Publisher: Groundwood Books, bilingual edition (February 28, 2008); Translators:
Age Level: 5-9
Themes: colors, children’s poetry, Spanish American, English
Opening: Rocked by the tide, beige fell asleep on the sand. El beige se durmió en la arena de tanto que lo arula la marca.
Summary: (From Amazon) Noted Mexican poet Jorge Luján and South Africa’s illustrious illustrator Piet Grobler have teamed up again to produce this exquisite celebration of color. As day turns into night, young readers see fleeting, evocative glimpses of the qualities inherent in a range of colors. An antelope and a group of children are pictured inhabiting this delicate world. This bilingual book presents a gorgeous vision of a planet in which nature, words, and the rising and setting of the sun and the moon exist in harmony.
Why I like this book: I found another treat sifting through the world languages section of my library. If you didn’t know colors could sing, you will after reading the short poems bursting at the seams with image-inducing emotion. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for this skilled watercolorist to do the same thing with his images – they look simple, yet are able to lift you into a dream.
Resources/Activities: Now who doesn’t want to pick up a brush? A class could also make a list of objects of a certain color, shape, taste, touch – explore all the senses!
This will be the last PPBF pick for the summer – see you in September! For more PPBF picks go to Susanna Hill’s blog – any day!
julie rowan-zoch 
Great review, Julie, and you have found another absolute gem! What visual and audible delight!
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This book is so you, Julie! Your review was excellent and I just enjoyed looking at the illustrations. I’m not familiar with the author and illustrator, and want to own this one. Great choice!
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Funny, I was thinking that myself – yet this time I was not captured by the cover (lazy judge!), but the first poem grabbed me.
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Gorgeous illustrations, Julie. . . I can see why you like it. My father was a commercial artist who left me his 400 watercolors after his death. They are a treasure!
MakingtheWriteConnections
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Some treasure! Hope we get to hear more about that sometime.
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So pretty – love the illustrations!
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I think you’d enjoy the text too!
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LOVE that cover! and the book, as you describe it, sounds beautifully evocative and dreamy. I know I would be able to get lost in this one. Thanks, Julie!
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Might be just the thing to read before nodding off.
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This sounds right up my street, possibly at my front door lol. Thanks so much for sharing!
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Nothing better than having a poet comment – front door!!!
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We’re ALL poets
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I like your thinking!
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beautifully evocative, as a dabber in art, this is right up my ally! Thank you, Julie for sharing.
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I hope you find it!
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I love seeing your PPBF choices. This book is no exception. “Exquisite” does not seem to be too strong a word. And bilingual! My heart is singing too after looking at the review. I can only imagine how the book itself will sing to me! Thank-you.
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They have made more books together – I hope I can check them out through my library system. Glad you like this too.
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Cool! I’m lovin’ it already! 😉 Bilingual AND great illustrations!
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Lovin’ how you’re lovin’ it!
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I’m not into the color notion so much. I hear that dogs are color blind. I don’t really know what that means but so be it. Outside of that this looks like a lovely book! I like bilingual and rhymes and the illustrations are “dreamy” as others said. In whatever color. I’ll have to check this one out! Thanks for finding it!
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Hope you enjoy, in spite of it all!
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