In a place where colors ran wild, there lived a girl who was wilder still.

Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color by Julia Denos (Balzer + Bray, 2016) is a vibrant story of a young girl named Swatch, who is a color tamer.  In this story color comes to life!

What we love about this book is that the colors are characters, you have Bravest Green, In-Between Gray, Rumble-Tumble Pink, Just-Laid Blue, and so many more.  Swatch is a voracious collector of colors.  Once caught they stirred restlessly in their jars in her room.  One day Swatch is searching for the one missing color Yellowest Yellow.  When she finally finds it, she asks if this color would like to come and live in her jars.  The answer surprises her, and she realizes that colors are wild.  What happens next is so lovely, so gorgeously illustrated, so perfect in ever way that I dare not spoil the surprise – you will just have to read it yourself.  What I will say is that throughout the reading of this story my almost three year old kept saying ohh, and lovely.  Which these illustrations are for sure.  

What I think is so special about this book is how it came to be.  I was recently listening to All the Wonders podcast (which is so much fun, if you are obsessed with kid lit like me I’m sure you’ll love it), and the host Matthew Winner (who has also fallen for this book, too) was speaking with Julia Denos about how this book came to be.  

Julia Denos, who seems completely delightful, talks about how Swatch is all about being yourself, being free and being inspired.  What more could you ask for in a book for children.  I know that I even felt inspired to use more color in my life, inspired to sit down and paint with my girls.  Another component of listening to the All the Wonders podcast is it gives you insight into what the author/illustrators process is – which I LOVE!  In this podcast, she talks about how the book was a three year long process, how her husband played a major role in the naming of this lovable character and how this book really comes alive.  

We have quite a few birthdays coming up and I think that Swatch, plus some paints and brushes would make for the absolutely most perfect gift.  It would be creativity in a box!  

Happy Reading!

Erin

If you enjoyed this post and think that this book sounds like perfection, you might also like this post and this book: Louise Loves Art by Kelly Light