cover image Birds of a Color

Birds of a Color

Élo. Candlewick, $12 (20p) ISBN 978-1-5362-0063-8

French designer and textile artist Élo presents a playful gallery of 10 birds, each one dramatically presented on a separate spread. The birds, which range from somewhat silly looking to all-out outlandish, are rendered in black-and-white and set against jewel-toned backgrounds. Each avian subject has hidden spots of color concealed behind flaps that are well integrated into their wings, feathers, and beaks. The underside of a hen’s wing shows the color—and word—yellow, along with a yellow chick. A speckled bird with curvy tail feathers has a bold, blue eye. Another bird wears its flecked wing-like a cape, with a salmon shade of red on the interior. Élo’s artful and eye-catching compositions offer a sophisticated take on the color primer. Ages 2–5. (May)