Off The Wall: Making Stuff Together, by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 4 and up

 

"Look how dirty my hands are! 

Wait!

Let's pick up this chalk.

Let's put them on the wall! 

Our handprints look like pigtails! 

Look who we made! 

She's beautiful!"

Oh, what fun! Two dear friends write a book about friends making art together! The five kids, one dog and one cat love to make stuff and to play. As one starts a tic-tac-toe game, another joins, and then the cat shows an interest. The children include the cat in their fun, just as a leashed pup and another kitty-loving child arrive at a brisk pace. Chaos ensues. Two other participants arrive to lend their helping hands and add to the 'making stuff' event. Perhaps together they can make everything even better. They do! 

The backdrop of Brown Kraft paper gets more and more beautiful as they discover what colors look good with each other. The more they add, the more excited they get about the resulting artwork. By using everything they have at their disposal, their imaginations can run wild. And then ... an accident that changes the tone of their encounter. One group of children takes umbrage and threatens to leave with various parts of the work they have done. Such a rumble they create. 

Finally a brave and very loud voice makes itself known with the command to STOP! 

"All of this is OURS. 
Remember?"

They do remember and life becomes better again. With everyone helping, their masterpiece is the best they can make it. BRILLIANT!

Two artistic styles, skin colors Green, Chartreuse, Vermillion, Robin, and Bubblegum for the kids and orange and pink for the pets, double-page spreads that showcase movement and action, and charming dialogue between characters will have readers basking in the joy shown in the creativity shared.  Art truly is for everyone here!
                                                                                         

Indigo Hands,nwritten by Sita Singh and illustrated by Maithili Joshi. Anne Schwartz Books, Penguin Random House. 2026. $26.99 ages 7 and up

"And so we head to the studio at last. 
In front of its carved wooden doors, 
we take off our shoes
and step inside. 

I've never seen so many shades of blue! 
Hanging on the walls are fabrics the 
color of the sunny sky, of the little 
flycatcher that sings outside my 
window, of the vast ocean."

Once her eyes open, Neela is excited to realize it is the day she and her Dadu are going to her grandfather's indigo studio. It's a long walk. As they go along, they pass the indigo patch where women in colorful saris work at trimming the branches of the tamarind trees. They carry those branches to the water tanks at the farm where the leaves will be soaked: it is a process Dadu calls fermentation. 

Neela does not understand where the beautiful blue comes from. Dadu explains oxidation which is the second part of the process. As they eat the lunch Dadu has brought along, they listen to the men singing and watch them work. After a nap, Neela and her grandfather press on to the studio where she sees the many wondrous shades of blue hanging all around them. It's time to get started creating Neela's own indigo cloth. It takes time again; the end result is magical. 

With indigo hands, the two show patience. Dadu tells his granddaughter about all the people around the world who grow indigo as they have done. When the cloth is finally ready to carry, it is time to make their way home after a very exciting day. It is a gift for her baby brother, given knowing that one day Neela will introduce him to dipping his hands in a pot of indigo as she has done. 

This is an important cultural tradition in Neela's family. That is evident as her grandfather leads her (and the book's readers) through every step of the process. Told from a child's perspective shows the importance of being introduced to an age-old tradition. Digital artwork does real justice to the many facets of the work done to create the depth and beauty of the lasting blue color. Backmatter includes an author's note, facts about indigo and its history, a glossary and a list of resources for further reading. 
                                                                                   

Matisse Magician of Color, written and illustrated by Derek Desierto. Feiwel and Friends, Macmillan. Raincoast. 2025. $25.99 ages 4 and up

 

"And that's how Henri started painting from 
his heart. Color took on new meanings for him. 
Green was no longer only for grass; blue was 
not just for sky. 

Henri used color to express his emotions!"

This brief, yet quietly brilliant, homage to Henri Matisse is sure to please young readers. In language that begs to be read aloud, Mr. Desierto introduces him as a young boy living in northern France in a pastoral setting. While young, he was able to channel his creative talent into art that allowed escape from his rural surroundings. His father was not pleased. Henri was meant to aspire to an important role in the business world; it was the future laid out for oldest sons at the time. 

Henri followed the rules, studying law as was expected of him. He was not happy. Illness occasioned a visit from his mother, who brought him art supplies that changed the course of his life. Studying art made him very happy. Misunderstood as an artist in early days, he soon won favor within the arts community. He followed that passion for most of his adult life. 

When severe illness struck for a second time, Henri was confined to bed and a wheelchair. Painting became too much for him. Bedridden many days, he turned to cutting shapes from colorful papers. Now, his drawing was done with scissors; what magic resulted. His studio became a haven for his friends and a delightful place for a visit. When he became well enough to care for himself, he thanked his dutiful caregiver with the most splendid gift using living color. 

A heartfelt author's note explains the impact that Henri Matisse has had in his life - a testament to 'his relentless spirit and extraordinary vision'.
                                                                           

This Is Orange: A Field Trip Through Color, written by Rachel Poliquin and illustrated by Julie Morstad. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 6 and up

 

"The Golden Gate Bridge is also painted 
International Orange, although it is a 
different shade. I would call it red. The 
color helps planes and ships see the bridge 
through San Francisco's famous fogs. 

The Tokyo Tower in Japan is painted yet
another, even redder shade of International
Orange. The tower is repainted every seven
years and takes an entire year to paint. 

I don't know why there are three different 
International Oranges."

I have no Halloween books on my shelves this year. But, this new book by Rachel Poliquin seems to fit the bill perfectly for one worthy of your attention today, and every day. The fact that its is about the color ORANGE is icing on the cake, isn't it? 

It is billed as a field trip! A navel orange is first up; it is followed by a mandarin, a kumquat, and a blood orange, though its flesh is red. In charming conversational text, Ms. Poliquin has her readers engaged from the onset. She explains that six hundred years ago there was no word for orange in English. In the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer described it as a colour 'betwixe yelow and reed.'

Orange is described in terms that are historical, cultural, and as part of the natural world. First planted in groves in the Mediterranean, its name came from the Tamil word naru, then narang or narange, and finally orange in English. Orange soon became a color used in artwork when artists used a powdered mineral called realgar and another called crocoite in various pieces of art. 

A full spread designed by the talented and observant Julie Morstad is awash with young artists using shades of brilliant orange in their paintings.  Other works are described before the writer returns her audience to food. This time it is cantaloupe and cheese that get attention for their orange hues. What birds come to mind when you consider orange as a color to describe them? American astronauts wear International Orange survival suits so they can be easily seen following splashdown. Of course there are pumpkins, robes for monks, turmeric spice, orange t-shirts in Canada on September 30 every year to honor Indigenous children taken from their homes to residential schools, monarch butterflies, flowers of all kinds, and flags. 

Following sharing this entertaining and worthwhile book in school classrooms or at home, get out into your world and see what you can add to the list of orange things already presented. 

Jeffrey Loves Blue, written by Loretta Garbutt and illustrated by Lily Snowden-Pine. Owlkids, 2013. $21.95 ages 4 and up

"When Jeffrey goes to his Saturday 
painting class, he paints only in blue. 

I used it all up last time. 

You did. And Keiko wanted to 
use the blue, remember? 

She was sad." 

You know the young child who only likes certain things; be it food, clothing, book, or color. Perhaps it is someone in your house, or in your classroom. Suggesting other alternatives is often met with deaf ears, and a return to the argument that that thing is the only real choice. 

That is the case for Jeffrey. He loves blue - sheets, socks, underwear, a hat, blueberries, and paint. At painting class, he only likes to use blue. When Keiko is sad that there is no blue paint left for her to use, Jeffrey offers it for the next painting class. Keiko is grateful. 

Jeffrey knows he must keep his word; it is very difficult to accept that. A conciliatory conversation at home helps him realize that blue will always be there. There might be an acceptable alternative. Suggestions are made and considered, then dismissed. Will they find a compromise? You will have to attend art class to check it out. 

At the moment, we have an obsession with leopard prints (7 year old granddaughter) in our family. How about yours? 

The Song of the Nightingale, written by Tanya Landman and illustrated by Laura Carlin. Candlewick Studio, Penguin Random House. 2022. $23.99 ages 6 and up

"She started with the itty-bitty animals, 
dabbing dots on ladybugs and spots
on butterflies. 

As the morning went on, she slicked stripes
on zebras, and painted pentagons on 
giraffes. She popped penguins into sharp 
suits and furnished flamingos with 
feathers of delicate pink."

This lively and lovely tale makes a case for the origin of the nightingale's song. In the beginning, the earth was full of color. Day and night scenes show light-infused scenes of wonder. There are deserts burning with red, yellow and orange. The animals have no color at all. 

The painter decides that must change. When all the animals congregate, their line is long. She gets right to work. She starts with the tiny ones, and moves on to paint stripes, spots, pentagons and feathers. The painter does not rest; the animals continue to make their way to her side. When the painting stops momentarily, a mandrill sits on the paint box and 'ends' up with a colorful bottom. 

The work continues throughout the day. This time the colors are monochromatic: green, gray, red, orange, yellow and blue. The last animal to arrive is a tiny beetle. Her job done, the painter closes her box of paints in preparation for a return home. Wait! One bird is left; a bird who avoided being in the midst of the cacophony of sound made by the others during the long day. What color will the artist use? What she does with the tiny drop of gold paint that is left is what gives such tales an abiding appeal.  

Laura Carlin's paintings are created using watercolor, acrylic, and pencil. They are wonderful, adding both humor and drama to the storytelling. She adds beauty to the author's glorious text at every turn of the page. 

https://youtu.be/XdlIbNrki5o                                                                              

red, by laura vaccaro singer. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House, 2021. $24.99 ages 3 and up

 

"mud red

rust red

blood red"

Previously, Laura Vaccaro Singer has explored the colors Green (2012) and Blue (2018). Both are spectacular concept books for young children. Now, she turns her attention to autumnal red. 

As she has done in the first two books, she uses simple, two-word, descriptive language to describe distinct shades of red. The text is supported by a story of a fox family, and the young kit who falls behind. After a night in the dark red of being alone at night, the kit is warmed by the light red of sunrise. It is then the kit comes to the realization that it is lost red. 

As it wanders about, it is caught in the headlights of a blue truck, intrigued by the rose red of flowers near a yard where a child is playing, curious about a wheelbarrow filled with mud red dirt, hurt by rust red nails which results in blood red. Its travels move it forward past other scenarios that eventually lead it back to its family. 

I love the visual storytelling, the connections from color one book to the next, the emotions evoked, and the absolute beauty of this book.                                                                                   

Violet Velvet Mittens With Everything: The Fabulous Life of Diana Vreeland, written by Deborah Blumenthal and illustrated by Rachel Katstaller. Princeton Architectural Press, Raincoast. 2022. $24.95 ages 6 and up

 

"I was perfectly happy when I was dancing.
That's why I was dancing all the time. 

Along the way, I
found out something 
marvelous. 

Everyone who has style shares one thing: 
Originality! 

That means being you 
and not copying anyone else."

I did recognize Diana Vreeland's name prior to reading this new picture book biography. I knew virtually nothing about her, beyond the fact that she had made her name in the fashion world. Through her imagined voice, I have made new discoveries about her, as will any reader interested in fashion icons and the lives they live or have lived.  

Ms. Vreeland was born in Paris in 1903. It was a time when much attention was given to fashion, art, and music. Diana and her sister flourished in that atmosphere until the family abruptly moved to New York City to avoid the terrors of World War I. Once there, she discovered a devotion to dance. She also dealt with her mother's contention that she was plain. That observation only encouraged her to create her own personal and eccentric style. That decision held her in stead for the rest of her life. 

She speaks honestly about her style and the lessons learned about fashion and color, and about her career - first at Harper's Bazaar magazine, and then at Vogue. 

"I saw things 
other people didn't see. 
Pink grass, 
green sky, 
and a scarlet sea
in a special light. 
Can you imagine?" 

No, I cannot; Diana could and did. 

The author adds further information in back matter and includes resources for any reader wanting to know more about Ms. Vreeland. 

“You gotta have style. It helps you get down the stairs. It helps you get up in the morning. It’s a way of life. Without it, you’re nobody. I’m not talking about lots of clothes.”

 https://youtu.be/Rh8-6PRiyso