Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews

Charley Harper's Book of Colors

Charley Harper's Book of Colors

Zoe Burke
Illustrator:  Charley Harper 
Board Book
For infants to children age 4
Pomegranate, 2015   ISBN: 978-0764972614

Charley Harper was an artist who loved to create images of birds and animals using simple shapes and bright colors. In this charming book some of his memorable illustrations are paired with Zoe Burke's rhyming verse to introduce children to some of the colors that make our world more beautiful.

We begin with a “red bug with black spots,” and see a wonderful looking insect with spindly legs and antennae that is moving across a green background. Then we see a cat sleeping on a branch in a tree and we notice that is has “orange spots” on its body. The cat is not the only animal that is orange in the book. On another page there is an orange fox, which is “watching you!” and that is certainly what we see when we look at the picture. There is a fox’s face looking out at us from the page. The sharp-eyed animal has an orange mask with white ears and a white snout.

Little children are going to love exploring the unique artwork and delightful rhyming text in this special book.