 |
Reviewed by: Ana Canino-Fluit, Elementary School Librarian Title: The Color Collector Author: Nicholas Solis Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Year: 2021 Good for Grades: PK-4 Genre/Type of Book: Realistic Fiction
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: Immigration, Grief, Loneliness Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: I was looking for a picture book with a strong SEL connection for a read-a-loud If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be: Moving and tender, Solis and Metallinou's The Color Collector vibrantly illustrate the power of connection to overcome loss.
|
Review:
The Color Collector by Nicholas Solis and Renia Metallinou is a sweet and gentle story about making connections and transforming loss into art. Violet is a new arrival at school, who is quietly lonely, a fact a fellow student notices, but finds himself unable to do more than observe until his curiosity at her strange collection habits (picking up colorful trash on her walks home) breaks the ice. I love how complicated Violet’s feelings are about immigration, her acknowledgement of why her family has left home, what they hope for but at the same time all that she misses and feels she has lost.
The art starts off in mostly gray with only a few color pops, illustrating the depression and loneliness of the new arrival, and then transforming into bright technicolor once she shares her art and her story with a new friend.
The book is great for everything from PK classes just learning colors to older students who would benefit from hearing about a story about processing trauma through art or about the importance of vulnerability and connection in the building of friendships. I will be using it as read-aloud with SEL elements with Lifeskills students who can definitely relate to the otherness Violet experiences in school settings.
Number of party hats:
Find this video and other resources for The Color Collector at Teachingbooks.net
Access this ebook in SORA at NY Reads
Access this ebook in Monroe One BOCES SORA Account:
Access this ebook in Monroe 2 BOCES SORA Account: