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The Black Book of Colors

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The Black Book of Colors Hardcover – Picture Book, June 28, 2008

by Menena Cottin (Author), Rosana Faría (Illustrator), Elisa Amado (Translator)

4.6 470 ratings

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Living with the use of one's eyes can make imagining blindness difficult, but this innovative title invites readers to imagine living without sight through remarkable illustrations done with raised lines and descriptions of colors based on imagery. Braille letters accompany the illustrations and a full Braille alphabet offers sighted readers help reading along with their fingers. This extraordinary title gives young readers the ability to experience the world in a new way.

Reading age

3 - 6 years, from customers
Print length

24 pages
Language

English
Grade level

Kindergarten - 5
Lexile measure

520L
Dimensions

11.3 x 0.3 x 6.7 inches
Publisher

Groundwood Books
Publication date

June 28, 2008
ISBN-10

0888998732
ISBN-13

978-0888998736
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Kindergarten-Grade 8—With entirely black pages and a bold white text, this is not your typical color book. Meant to be experienced with the fingers instead of the eyes, this extraordinary book allows sighted readers to experience colors the way blind people do: through the other senses. The text, in both print and Braille, presents colors through touch (yellow is "as soft as a baby chick's feathers"), taste (red "as sweet as watermelon"), smell ("green smells like grass that's just been cut"), and sound (brown "crunches…like fall leaves"). Faría's distinctive illustrations present black shapes embossed on a black background for readers to feel instead of see. One page even describes a rainbow. A guide to the Braille alphabet appears at the end of the book. Fascinating, beautifully designed, and possessing broad child appeal, this book belongs on the shelves of every school or public library committed to promoting disability awareness and accessibility. A feast for the fingers.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* How do you describe the colors of the rainbow to someone who cannot see them? This inventive picture book relates the ways Thomas experiences colors—through his senses of smell, taste, touch, and hearing. To Thomas, red is the sting of a skinned knee or the tartness of an unripe strawberry; green, the scent of freshly mown grass. What is most remarkable about this book’s captivating concept, however, is its execution. Black raised line art is set against black pages that echo Thomas’ spirited imagery and invite readers to explore what it’s like to read with their fingertips. The descriptive, sensory text, which also incorporates white type and Braille, combined with an innovative design, makes this book the perfect starting point for discussions on difference, perspective, and experiencing and describing the world in new ways, topics that are relevant to readers of all ages. Winner of the New Horizons Prize at the 2007 Bologna Children’s Book Fair and originally published in Spanish, the book concludes with a Braille alphabet. Grades K-3. --Kristen McKulski

Review

...simple, sensuous text...The objects described with embossed lines that force readers to encounter them tactilely rather than visually. The shock readers feel will give way to wonder as they lose themselves in sightlessness and imagine the richness...Fascinating, challenging and lovely.-- "Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW"

...this is an elegant and artistic project, and it's sure to elicit some contemplation and discussion from young audiences...[The Black Book of Colours] offer[s] new realms to explore for visually impaired kids left out of the fun of most picture-book pages.-- "Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"

...this non-picture book by a pair of Venezuelan artists reads triumphantly...While the concept is arresting in itself, Thomas' proclamations about color reveal him as a bold, engaging character...It would be a mistake to read the book as a message about how the other senses compensate for blindness: 'compensate' doesn't do justice to all that Thomas offers about what he tastes and feels and hears and smells.-- "Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW"

...unique....-- "Baltimore City Public Schools"

...[a] most intriguing, very black book...-- "Globe and Mail"

Fascinating, beautifully designed, and possessing broad child appeal, this book belongs on the shelves of every school or public library committed to promoting disability awareness and accessibility. A feast for the fingers.-- "School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW"

The Black Book of Colors provides an excellent opportunity for children and adults to explore experiences and perspectives that are different from their own. Through the content and format of this book, readers will begin to understand the experience of a person who can only see through his or her other senses...The content stimulates the imagination...This book also has the value of teaching all readers to appreciate difference and, indirectly, the importance of inclusion. The Black Book of Colors is fully accessible to children who are blind, and it will validate their own experiences and acknowledge them as experts in reading by touch...a very appropriate 'educational resource' in the classroom...[and] a unique and innovative reading experience. Highly Recommended.-- "CM Magazine"

The Black Book of Colors [is] an intellectually challenging, graphically remarkable picture book.-- "New York Times"

This inventive picture book relates the ways the unseen Thomas experiences colors...Black raised line art is set against black pages that echo Thomas' spirited imagery and invite readers to explore what it's like to read with their fingertips. The descriptive, sensory text, which also incorporates white type and Braille, combined with an innovative design, makes this book the perfect starting point for discussions on difference, perspective, and experiencing and describing the world in new ways, topics that are relevant to readers of all ages.-- "Booklist, STARRED REVIEW"

What is most remarkable abuot this book's captivating concept...Is its execution.-- "Booklist, STARRED REVIEW"

About the Author

MENENA COTTIN studied design and illustration at the Pratt Institute in New York where she began writing books. Her most recent title, The Black Book of Colors, was selected as a School Library Journal Best Books of the Year. She lives in Venezuela.

ROSANA FARIA has illustrated many highly regarded children's books. She lives in Caracas, Venezuela.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Groundwood Books (June 28, 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 24 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0888998732
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0888998736
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 3 - 6 years, from customers
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 520L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ Kindergarten - 5
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 11.3 x 0.3 x 6.7 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #208,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #345 in Children's Books on Disabilities

Customer Reviews:
4.6 470 ratings

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4.6 out of 5

470 global ratings

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Dima

I gave this book to a blind friend

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2022

Verified Purchase

Braille is slightly hard to read because of the paper. It was interesting to see if the blind individual could figure out the raised picture. Definitely harder for individuals who were blind from birth to figure out the pictures.

2 people found this helpful

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Tina Allen

Beautiful

Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

Such a beautiful book. I purchased for my classroom when I had a VI student. The words are very descriptive and the idea of the book helped my sighted students understand just a little better.

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R. Foster

More people need to own this book.

Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2021

Verified Purchase

My nephew is learning about diversity. I guide blind and low vision athletes through races. He’s four. I got him this book so he can work on understanding others perspective. His whole world changed when I blindfolded him and said read his book. Then I gave him this book. A light went off in his head.

One person found this helpful

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Just Thinking

Experience in blindness.

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

It is written in both words and in Braille; and the illustrations are embossed for the blind to feel the pictures. I used it as a teaching tool for kids who can see; and it was wonderful to see the lights coming on in their minds as to what it might be like to be blind. It also has the entire Braille alphabet. I paired this book with the book, "Six Dots: A Story of Louis Braille." Both are excellent!

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Clementine Williams

A remarkable and creative approach to colours from the perspective of a child who is blind.

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2015

Verified Purchase

This is truly a beautiful book that can be appreciated by both adults and children. I am a Prekindergarten teacher and one of our units focuses solely on books. One of the things we introduce the children to is braille. Earlier this week I gave them a brief history of Louis Braille and introduced them to Hellen Keller. I brought this book in today to share with them as well as other staff members. It has quickly become a center favourite. The embossed images and braille along with the sensory descriptions of colours allow sighted people to begin to explore the world from the point of view of someone with blindness. An all around wonderful book.

2 people found this helpful

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N.F.

Beautiful

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book is wonderful! However the Braille and embossed images are not very tactile. They could be raised more. Otherwise a great experience for the seeing child to put them in the place of others.

One person found this helpful

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ScotFlower

Wanted to love it

Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2022

Verified Purchase

I wanted to love this, but the raised images and braille writing is NOT raised enough to be read by your fingers alone. It gets the point across to kids about how the blind cannot see colors and have to feel things, but it would have been far more effective IF the pictures you were touching had a distinct different feel or pattern that you could easily distinguish by your fingers. But the images are just normal illustrations of objects that are just printed in a raised form. Ultimately every images feels like a bumpy blob, so with your eyes shut and only using your hands, you cannot identify any specific object. I suggest pairing this book with real feathers, leaves, etc. so they can actually feel the colors in real life. Kids could be blindfolded while doing it. Because you can use the book in that way, I give it 3 stars, but the book alone is only 2 stars. Great concept - bad execution - but still usable.

8 people found this helpful

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Rebecca

The Braille is light but I still love the book

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2021

Verified Purchase

Love the book and how it describes the colors. I was a little disappointed that the Braille was light and not raised more. But overall. Nice book.

2 people found this helpful

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Flavia Ancillotti

what a beauty

Reviewed in Italy on October 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book is beautiful. suggested.

Pablo Rello

Muy interesante

Reviewed in Mexico on February 24, 2018

Verified Purchase

El producto llegó con defectos en las hojas, reporté este error y el recolector nunca se presentó.
El libro es una propuesta muy interesante la cuál muestra ilustraciónes elaboradas con registros de barníz, todo sobre fondo negro.

One person found this helpful

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Estpri

Buen diseño

Reviewed in Spain on December 4, 2019

Verified Purchase

Precioso libro. Aunque podría mejorar si el braille tuviera los puntos más marcados.

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Velvet

I liked the concept

Reviewed in India on March 2, 2018

Verified Purchase

Neat and clean. I liked the concept. But felt it was a bit overhyped, especially for those with normal eyesight. Could have been more flamboyantly described.

Andrea

Great mentor text for teachers

Reviewed in Australia on October 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

Purchased as a mentor text for teaching ‘show don’t tell’ and ‘similes and metaphors’. Inspired the students and they created some amazing descriptive passages to describe colours, foods, emotions, places etc.. At the time we were also creating escape room puzzles and some students used the Braille as part of a code cracker puzzle.

One person found this helpful

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