BOOK REVIEW: How the Finch Got His Colors by Annemarie Guertin

BOOK REVIEW: How the Finch Got His Colors by Annemarie Guertin

Familius
February 2018
Hardcover, $24.99
Reviewed by Steph O’Connell

Picture Books / Folk Tales

7.5/10

Many years ago, before the world bloomed in magnificent colors, the Earth lay stark and gray.

The animals that graced its skies and roamed its lands were the colors of dirt, clay, and stone . . . 

. . . until Rainbow descended to bestow her colors on the creatures of the world. Each bird asked for a bright and beautiful color: green for Parrot, red for Cardinal, and yellow for Canary. But will there be any colors left for little Gouldian Finch? He soon learns the power of patience and the beauty of all creatures.
Based on a Belgian folktale, this beautifully told and illustrated tale is a timeless treasure for every collection.

 

 

How the Finch Got His Colors is a gorgeous little retelling of a mythical origin story, and the illustrations are just stunning.

It has a nice message about sharing, and patience, and it is interesting to speculate with kids as to why certain animals and birds were given certain colours.

It’s somewhat disappointing that they didn’t do an Aussie/UK spelling version as it might cause confusion for readers in these countries who are still learning to spell their words one way (the issue here is with the titular “color” and the word “gray” used many times throughout), but perhaps if they do pick up on it, this could be turned into a teaching moment about how different countries spell different words? Though, to be honest, that is liable to just cause more confusion.

Either way, this is a gorgeous addition to any picture book collection, and is bound to captivate the imagination of kids and grownups alike.

 

Category: Book Reviews, Other Reviews