Published: 2022
Series: Companion to This Book Is Gray
Author: Lindsay Ward
Illustrator: Lindsay Ward
Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Art, Fiction, Friendship, Young Adult, Humor, Juvenile
Audience (Grade Levels): Elementary school level
Number of Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5 stars)
Goodreads Link: Pink is not a color
Triggers: N/A
Review By: Megan Powell
Publisher’s Summary:
Pink finds happiness right where she always knew it was in this colorful companion to the popular picture book This Book Is Gray. Pink loves her rosy world, from her pink toy dinosaur to her pet flamingo, Phil. But when she sees the Primaries and Secondaries getting ready for the Rainbow Extravaganza, she begins to wonder why she isn’t in the rainbow…and if that means she’s not really a color. Then she meets the Tints, and she’s even more confused. Luckily, a friend shows her the many ways she spreads joy―reminding Pink that she is truly one of a kind, rainbow or not. Featuring the world of colors introduced in This Book Is Gray―and a few new color concepts―this is a tale about appreciating who you are and realizing that only you can decide what makes you happy.
Review:
Lindsay Ward’s Pink is not a color is a delightful, visually engaging picture book that serves as an exceptional resource for elementary school classrooms and school libraries. This is a cute book. It would be a wonderful book to read for Art Class. The narrative introduces readers to a world where colors are personified, bringing basic and advanced art concepts to life through charming character interactions. The book begins talking about how the color pink is not in the rainbow. The color pink (as a character) gets upset and feels that she is not a color because she is not represented in the rainbow. The book goes on to talk about how pink is a color but technically called a tint. It is super cute because each color acts as a character. The other colors of the rainbow go on to cheer up pink and say that the color pink reminds people of sprinkles and cupcakes.
Through this heartwarming dynamic, Ward seamlessly weaves critical emotional themes of belonging, self-worth, and celebrating individual identity. Beyond the social-emotional value, the educational merits of this book are outstanding. The author talks about tint colors (coral, mint, buttercup, lavender, the sky) , colors of the rainbow, shading and other art vocabulary that would be nice for students to learn in an art class setting. For educators familiar with Ward’s previous work, there is another book similar to this book titled “This book is gray” — it has the same concept as this book, where colors are characters. This book concludes with a “color party” talking about how every color has a special representation and welcomed. The bright, eye-catching cover design is sure to immediately attract young readers, while the witty text keeps them engaged from start to finish. I highly recommend this 5-star picture book to elementary school teachers, art educators, and librarians looking for a creative tool to teach both artistic technical language and foundational identity concepts.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Art: This book connects seamlessly to elementary art curricula focusing on primary and secondary colors, rainbow composition, shading, and the concept of “tints” (like coral, mint, buttercup, and lavender).
- SEL (Social-Emotional Learning): It provides excellent opportunities to discuss inclusion, self-acceptance, dealing with the feeling of being left out, and discovering one’s unique purpose within a community.
- Extension Activity / Library Application: Perfect for an interactive elementary art class or library read-aloud session. After reading, students can participate in a “Create Your Own Tint Character” activity. Using white paint mixed with primary or secondary colors, students can create a brand-new tint, name their character, and list three joyful things their color represents in the world to display at a classroom “color party.”
- Diversity & Representation: The book supports diversity and inclusion metaphorically by illustrating that even if an individual or a group (like a tint) doesn’t fit into a traditional or dominant framework (like the standard rainbow), they are still completely valid, valuable, and worthy of celebration.
Readalikes:
- Eraser by Anna Kang
- This Book is on Fire by Ron Keres
- Nothing Rhymes with Orange by Adam Rex
