Follow Here To Purchase My Blue Is Happy

Author: Jessica Young
Illustrator: Catia Chien
Publisher: Candlewick Press
ISBN: 978-0-7636-5125-1

“My sister says that blue is sad like a lonely song. But my blue is happy like my favorite jeans and a splash in the pool on a hot day,” Jessica Young rhymes in her children’s book, My Blue is Happy.

This thirty-two-page hardbound targets four-to-eight-year-olds or preschoolers to third graders who like rhymes about noticing colors told from first person. With no profanity, the scene of black being scary shadows may frighten young ones. Due to some more complicated words, it would best be read out loud to beginner readers. Full-color, full-page pictures are done in paint and pencil and are easy to decipher.

Learning about colors can be fun and entertaining. In this book, the focus is on how one views different colors such as blue, yellow, red, pink, brown, green, orange, gray, and black. As a little girl explains the color that makes her happy is blue, she divulges how she sees yellow as being worried, red is brave, pink is annoying, brown in special, green is old, etc. Both positive and negative reactions are mentioned in the short one to four-line rhymes.

Some young children may be scared of the black illustration that looks like dark, eerie monsters with sharp teeth. The negativity may be a concern to those who prefer to promote positive, cheery responses regarding colors.

Introducing her debut picture-book, author Young is an art teacher that loves the color blue. She lives with her husband and two children in Tennessee. Illustrator Chien is an artist of several children’s books and lives in California.

Preferring rhymes that are positive and uplifting, I had issues with this book as it may promote the wrong reactions to children when it comes to colors. Loving the color black, I did like the following page stating it is peaceful.

If you are teaching your child about the different colors and the good and bad reactions to them, this may be a good choice. Although I understand viewing colors differently is healthy emotionally, I wonder if noting the negative is warranted in a children’s book.

Thanks to Bookpleasures and Candlewick for offering this book to review for my honest opinion.