THEY SAY BLUE by Jillian Tamaki - A picture book with an interesting perspective on colors

When I noticed this book was a finalist for a Cybils Award, I realized I'd better hurry up and read it! An interesting perspective on colours and nature.

 Summary from the publisher:

Caldecott and Printz Honor-winning illustrator Jillian Tamaki brings us a poetic exploration of colour and nature from a young child’s point of view. They Say Blue follows a young girl as she contemplates colours in the known and the unknown, in the immediate world and the world beyond what she can see. The sea looks blue, yet water cupped in her hands is as clear as glass. Is a blue whale blue? She doesn’t know — she hasn’t seen one.

Stunningly beautiful illustrations flow from one spread to the next, as time passes and the imagination takes hold. The world is full of colour, and mystery too, in this first picture book from a highly acclaimed artist.

They Say Blue was written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki and published by Groundwood Books in 2018.

Opening:  

They say blue is the colour of the sky.

My Thoughts as a Writer:

This is such an interesting book from a writer’s perspective. Instead of following a traditional approach to telling a story, the writing is almost expressing a stream of different thoughts that connect to colours a child encounters. I like the hints of the narrator’s personality: “It’s just plain old yellow grass anyway.” And I was especially taken by thoughts connected to viewing and touching water.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

I’m curious about how children will react to this story and will have to read it to my students. I think it would pave the way for some interesting discussions about the senses and ways to describe experiences or colours. It would be interesting to use this book with children in grades 2 to 4 who are learning strategies for writing. I think it would be a good mentor text to encourage young writers to capture small moments or to include sensory details.

Ages: 4 - 9

Grades: K – 4

Themes: colors, senses, nature

Activities:

Paint: Choose a favourite page in the story. Create a piece of art using a similar style to the artist. Think of one word to describe your painting and add it as a title!

Think: Choose your favourite colour and think of ten different ways to describe it. If you have time, put your ideas together into a poem.

STEM challenge: Can you build a boat light enough for grass to hold it up? After you build your boat, take it outside to the grass and test it!