Blues n' Pinks and Beyond

We went to library last evening for the Family story time and the librarian picked out a theme that interested kids of all ages - from babies to preschoolers – the fascinating world of colors. As fascinating it is, I feel that the kids here however are mainly exposed to two colors…..any guesses? …..Blue and pink of course!! So much so, there is a possibility that babies born in the US will probably have an inborn ability to distinguish between blue and pink! I can’t understand why everything has to be gender specific – from receiving towels to potty trainers!! If you choose to keep your baby’s sex a surprise …..then God help you!!! God help others too who are trying to buy you a gift for the baby shower!!! Imagine....the color pink is banished from a boy’s life? What if the mom loves pink and she has a boy? And believe me ….the only time she has a say in his choice of clothes is when the boy is an infant!! When I first came to the US, Abhay was just over a year and all his shirts were pink (Yes…..pink shirts were okay in India a couple of years ago…..not sure now!). You can’t imagine how many times I’ve had to explain to other moms in the playground!!!:-)

Anyway…..children do manage to realize there’s more to their world than blues and pinks…..so here are some great books on colors. One of the first books that I got from the library when Abhay was a toddler was “Butterfly Butterfly” by Peter Horacek. A must read for anyone looking for a book of colors. In this book, Lucy goes looking for a beautiful butterfly that was spotted earlier when she stumbles upon a colorful range of insect life her garden has nourished. The piece de resistance of this colorful bug collection makes its grand appearance in the end. Abhay loved it as a two year old and wanted the book read every night before bedtime. Sometime ago, Abhay again found the book in the library and was delighted with his discovery and drawn to its bright die-cut images.

Here is a picture of Abhay with one of his first favorites!!

Last evening’s story time also featured an interesting book that is unlike the run-of-the-mill board books on colors. “Why is the blue dog blue?” by George Roderick is a book meant for both toddlers and preschoolers alike. It can be an introductory book on various colors for a toddler and can also scale up to a thought-provoking book for the slightly older kids. The books questions - when painting, why does one choose a color one chooses…..is it because you are thinking of something that is of the same color…..or is it because that color is everywhere? Pretty deep for a kid ........huh? Deeper than pink and blue….at least!!!