Customer Reviews

Am I a Color Too?

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"When I think of all the people, all those faces in my sight, if people are really colors, there should be more than black and white." - From the book

Am I A Color Too? is a richly illustrated book geared to children ages 4-8. Written by mother/daughter team Heidi Cole and Nancy Vogl-with shimmering, vibrant illustrations by Gerald Purnell-this timely book addresses the concept of race and looking beyond the surface.

The main character, Tyler, is a young interracial boy who wonders why people are labeled by the color of their skin. Realizing that all people dream, feel, sing, smile and dance-regardless of their color-he asks, "Am I a color, too?"

Saying that he'd "like to find a word that fits me a like a shoe", the poignant illustration shows him amidst boxes labeled "White", "Other", "Bi-Racial", "Mulatto", "Black", and "Mixed". Smiling, he has opened a box labeled "Human Being", where rainbow-colored shoes set before him.

Highlighting that he's "a person just like you", he conveys that he's not a color at all. In fact, who we are as people is so much deeper than superficial melanin.

My son really enjoyed this book but I have one misgiving: in our house, we never mention color. It's irrelevant to us. A few weeks ago, we went to a restaurant and upon seeing a family of African Americans, he marveled "Look! Brown bodies!" I answered "Yes!...and aren't they beautiful?" (We live in a rural, predominately white county so I think it surprised him.)

After reading this book, though, he now says, "Mommy, you're white like the clouds!" This bothers me because I don't want him to differentiate color. Maybe this is an unnecessary worry, especially since he loves all people.

However, for children of mixed races or children who encounter different ethnicities, this is a wonderful book emphasizing how we are all alike inside-sharing dreams, song, and smiles-and that people are unique individuals, not a color.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends AM I A COLOR TOO? as a big picture book, superbly illustrated by Gerald Purnell, on a touchy subject: how to explain the "race" of children borne of "mixed" parentage, when "Other" seems so dismissive.

Here, young Tyler wonders why we focus on the color of our skin rather than the person inside. Through his eyes we explore the common labels of Black & White, & if we come in, see, smile, sing, dance in all colors of the rainbow, why do we separate people, like shoe boxes, into only two?

Reaching beyond the response to color, Am I a Color Too? explores the concept of being colorblind with effective results. Heidi Cole and Nancy Vogl carefully crafted a message that didn't just show the differences in color of skin, hair, eyes but attempts to devalue its importance.

This wonderfully illustrated book for children encourages young readers to look beyond those things which are skin deep. Also, it shows the often common confusion a multi-raced child might experience without a label that truly defines who they are. It acknowledges the child's frustration but moves the readers to go to the next level of being `ok' with not having this cut and dry description of their ethnic background. It creates a cultural safe haven for kids.

Although I know many multi-ethnic families will find inspiration in this book, I highly encourage all families regardless of their heritage to consider reading this cultural primer. Cultural understanding of ethnic diversity must be achieved by all children, not just children who find themselves in a diverse household. Am I a Color Too? is a delight to read and will be important to add to a child's library.

Wonderful books for my two grand children. They both loved the book and it helped them to understand their own lives. Thanks from Bonnie, Jabez and Janayah.

This story points out the confusion of a child who was born from two people of different races. By some of the people who know them, this child's mother is described as being white while his dad is described as being black, and therein lies the problem. When the child looks at himself, he doesn't know exactly WHAT he is. There just doesn't seem to be a word for his color, and color must be the most important thing since that is all he has heard about his parents. The whole problem here seems to be that people who know them don't describe his parents as kind, smart, caring, loving, etc. They choose to take note of ONLY their color, leaving the child in a sort of nothingness since there isn't a color that fits him - although there is SO much more than color to take note of in any person.

***** To me, Am I a Color Too points out that we should all strive to be absolutely colorblind and that we should resist putting color labels on people. Why? Because all people are human beings, and they should be judged ONLY by their deeds.

I hope that this beautifully illustrated book will help to teach the oneness of all people to parents everywhere. If that happens, the parents can then teach the wonderful concept of being colorblind to their children, thereby stopping the cycle of only seeing and describing people by what their color is on the outside.

This is a wonderful book to enjoy with your child. It is a moving and poignant story that could possibly affect change for a whole generation. Wouldn't that be awesome? *****

Reviewed by Ruth Wilson of Huntress Reviews.

Everyone should read this to their children. It should definitely open up the lines for communication.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (8/06)

A young boy questions why people look first at another's color rather than the important aspects of being human. This "Christopher Award" winning book is educational and beautifully written. The verse is light and cheerful. The illustrations are beautifully done. "Am I A Color Too?" is a question many children must ask themselves. They hear one person called black and another called white. They look around them and see a rainbow of people as they walk down the street. Heidi and Nancy Vogl do a wonderful job of presenting color to our children

"When I think of all the people,
All those faces in my sight,
If people are really colors,
They must be more than
Black or white."

People are more than black and white, as this book successfully points out, they dance in color and they smile in color. This book should inspire us to look at each other as humans and to cherish those things that make us special.

I recommend this book for young children. It has a delightful message that they will learn from. If we all looked at each other without seeing color we would love each other for who we are.

Book received free of charge.