You Are a Burst of Color

Color becomes an emotional language in this empathic picture book that demonstrates how feelings “are as colorful as a rainbow and change all the time.” From the “dazzling white” of morning’s blank slate to evening’s “mysterious black,” first-person comparisons relate a day’s worth of feels, many loosely propelled by social interactions, while a mixture of pencil-gray drawings and semi-monochromatic scenes highlights each hue. First, the protagonist finds a friend and feels “tickled pink,” but when that pal joins with another, the speaker cascades through “puzzling purple,” “fiery red” anger, and more until a caregiver’s embrace conjures “a fresh, new blue.” The kaleidoscopic range of sentiments suggests that as feelings ebb and flow, each can be named and processed. The protagonist is portrayed with pale skin and dark hair; background characters are shown with various skin tones. Ages 2–5. (Sept.)