Full Color

With characteristic irreverence, Delessert's oversize introduction to color theory takes what in lesser hands is often a didactic lesson and carries it into the realm of the fantastical. Bulbous-headed creatures energetically embody the colors of the rainbow and, through simple similes, demonstrate the appearance of color in nature: “Orange like flames” and “Violet like a tulip.” The use of broad white space enhances the intensity of colors, as does the enlarged scale and the eye-level perspective. As the creatures interact, palettes blend. A timid handshake between yellow and blue makes green. Red and blue fuse into purple via a friendly kick in the derriere and, when the players commingle like Cirque du Soleil acrobats, they result in brown. While concrete thinkers may search for a familiar creature in the shape-shifting species, others will appreciate their ambiguity and their joie de vivre. Ages 7–up. (Sept.)