“Colors Everywhere” is a book by Irish writer Sam McBratney. The book was illustrated by Anita Jeram. It is part of the “Guess How Much I Love You” series, written and illustrated by the same people. The book was copyrighted in 2007, first United States edition was published in 2008.
In “Colors Everywhere,” Big Nutbrown Hare and Small Nutbrown
Hare go back and forth, picking their favorite items of each color. They are
able to appreciate everything and have a hard time deciding a favorite, except
for when they get to the brown.
This book is really heartwarming. In a world where we are
inundated with decisions, the easiest decision should be the ones we love most.
It also teaches us to appreciate the little things around us each day. The
simplest things can be the most beautiful, and this book highlights the colors
and beauty all around us.
The illustrations are exquisite. They may not be as flashy
and colorful as other books, but they do not need to be. This helps keep a
focus on the overall message of the book. It would be nice for the colors of
each item to stand out a bit more, but this also allows readers to pay closer
attention to the illustrations of the book.
It is unclear if there are other formats, but the board book
version is perfect for the intended audience of kids. The board book is strong
and built well, so if the kids reading the book are a bit rough, it will still
hold up.
The book also allows readers to embrace nature and notice
the natural world around us. This is a huge aspect of Irish and Celtic culture.
Noticing the little things, especially in nature, can help us appreciate the
beauty that surrounds us every day.
As a fan of Celtic and Irish music, I love the use of “Nutbrown
Hare” for the characters. In the song, “Star of the County Down,” the lyrics
talk about a woman with nut brown hair. County Down is located in Northern
Ireland, where the author is from. It is unclear if this reference was
intentional, but it was not lost on me.