No One Owns the Colors

PreS-Gr 3–The oft-heard refrains of “That’s a girl color” or “Only boys like that color” are taken head on with this poem celebrating color in nature and color as a means of self-expression for people. With challenging questions for young readers to ponder (“Do ocean waves argue with sky over blue?”), the stereotypes of color are challenged with an optimistic message that all children should express themselves as they wish. “So what is the name of the color of you? And what does it feel like? Bold, shy, brand new?” The repeated line, “No one owns the colors” will hopefully stick with children long after they have read the book, encouraging them to celebrate their uniqueness however they see fit. Well-suited and boldly colored illustrations bring the text to life and could have children reaching for the biggest box of crayons they can find to capture all the colors that are a part of their own identities.