As the song goes,
‘Everybody loves a rainbow’. Well
this body does and Penny Harrison’s colour-filled picture book, Rainbow Is My Favourite Colour conveys
this impression beautifully from cover to cover.
If there is one go-to question that is easiest to ask when getting to know something about someone it’s, ‘What’s your favourite colour?’ You either have one or you, like me, love a rainbow of them.
The
little girl in this story (Bronte) definitely thinks ballerina-twirling-pinks
are pretty special. Jelly greens and party swirling purples are pretty cool
too. She loves a splat of black as
well especially for its ability to hide a Boo!
and scare you.
So what’s her favourite colour?
Harrison’s evocative, gently rhyming text introduces
young readers to a mixed palette of shades each connecting the reader to the
environment or event or other easily recognisable scenario, like building cubby
tents in the backyard with your best mate. Evie Barrow’s crayon-textured
illustrations provide blends and variations of each of the colours in question;
orange for instance is depicted in a colourful confusion of autumnal hued
leaves: russets, burnt oranges, melons and deep salmons. Words and images work together
to suggest atmosphere and mood; rugged up
warm and woolly orange, brave and daring rescue red. Repeated use of the
colours’names reinforces colour nomenclature and ensures a meaningful read
aloud experience.
Colours promote emotional responses that may be
subtle or heart-stopping. As the harbingers of emotion, they have important
roles in picture book creation, each hue designed to trigger empathic reaction,
sympathy, understanding and that all important page turn. Therefore this book all
about colours works on a multitude of levels making it a jolly experience to
enjoy but also an excellent conduit for discussions about art, creativity,
imagination, and colour related emotions. Experience a little of its rainbow
magic, soon.
Oh and Bronte’s favourite colour…well I’m sure you’ll
work it out!
Title: Rainbow Is
My Favourite Colour
Author: Penny Harrison
Illustrator: Evie Barrow
Publisher: Little Hare Books, Hardie Grant Children’s
Publication Date: December 2020
Format: Hardcover
ISBN: 9781760505844
For ages: 3 – 6
Type: Picture Book
