The Color of Home (Phyllis Fogelman Books) [Hardcover]

Mary Hoffman (Author), Karin Littlewood (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Phyllis Fogelman Books

This remarkably moving picture book follows first-grader Hassan through his first few days at school. Hassan has only recently arrived in the United States after he and his family were forced to flee Somalia, and he deeply misses the colorful landscape of his former home in Africa. But with the help of his parents, an understanding teacher, and a school art project, Hassan finds that by painting a picture of his old home and sharing his story, his homesickness and the trauma of leaving a war-torn country are lessened. And he finds that there are many things to like about his new home in America. The colorful, impressionistic illustrations are a perfect complement to the wonderful text by Mary Hoffman, author of the highly acclaimed Amazing Grace. Together art and text make this poignant story accessible and affecting for a young audience.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Hassan, a recent immigrant from Somalia, is homesick on his first day of school in America. Though the teacher is nice and the children are friendly, adjusting to a new culture, especially a different language, is a struggle. When the teacher distributes art supplies, Hassan discovers a way to communicate. He paints two pictures-one to share the story of his life in Somalia, and another that depicts his hope for a bright future in his new home. Readers gain a realistic child's perspective on what it is like to be forced to emigrate from a war-torn country. The sensitively told story also demonstrates the value of art therapy in helping children to make the transition to a new environment. Littlewood's impressionistic watercolor illustrations, many of them spreads, beautifully convey Hassan's sadness, fear, and ultimate happiness. A title that will spark classroom discussion.
Ajokei T. I. Kokodoko, Oakland Public Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 3. The author of the popular picture book Amazing Grace (1991) tells another moving story here of an immigrant kid in the classroom. Hassan's Muslim family was driven from their home in Somalia by the violent civil war. On his first day of school in America, everything looks gray and strange and he can't speak English. Then in art class he paints a picture of the happy home he remembers before the soldiers came to his village. When he paints a second picture of the nightmares that haunt him--the flames and bullets that killed his uncle and drove his family out--his teacher brings a Somali interpreter to translate for him, and he tells her his refugee story. Littlewood's beautiful impressionistic watercolor paintings reveal the child's memories of his African village: the warmth and light and then the terror. After that there's the flight, and the pictures do a great job of expressing Hassan's sense of dislocation in a gray, unfamiliar place, until, finally, he sees the bright colors of his school and his new home. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Dial (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803728417
• ISBN-13: 978-0803728417
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #808,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crimson, gold, and lavender, January 23, 2005

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Color of Home (Phyllis Fogelman Books) (Hardcover)

When I lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota I found that the community included a large Somalian population. Intrigued by this I tried to seek out children's books that spoke about the Somalian experience and that would be useful to our library collection. I guess I wasn't too shocked to find that there wasn't an abundance of books on the subject, but I was a bit disappointed. Then, in the course of my work, I heard about Mary Hoffman's, "The Color of Home". A beautiful picture book written by the author of the supremely popular, "Amazing Grace", I was both relieved and delighted to find the story exactly what I was hoping for. Better still, "The Color of Home" speaks to any child that has ever left a violent country and moved to America. Combining the slow acceptance of the new and different with an understanding of how talking about things can be therapeutic, this is one of those rare deeply moving picture books.

Hassan is unhappy. Having left bright colorful warm Somalia for cold colorless unfamiliar America depresses him. Though his teacher and fellow students are nice enough, Hassan has to deal with language differences and his own personal history. One day, his teacher asks him to draw a picture. He does, but fills it with the images of the blood and violence he left behind. Through the intervention of a friendly translator and talking about what he's been through, Hassan starts to feel a little better about his experiences. Slowly, he learns to adjust.

Yeah. It's a tearjerker. Mary Hoffman, aided by illustrator Karin Littlewood, kinda goes for your throat with this one. The moment it really got me was when Hassan talks about having to leave his cat behind. You see him, one moment, crouching under the bed as the boots of a soldier pass by, his hand clasping the cat to his chest in fear. The next he's leaving, reaching for the cat that's standing all alone while the family leaves. But this is not to say that the story panders with cheap emotions. If nothing else, Hoffman is entirely respectful of her subject. It's true that the book ends on a happier note. The family is now filling their house with color and Hassan is learning some new words and feeling better about everything. But it's obviously not a perfect situation. Just a better one.

The illustrations are lovely as well. Using broad watercolors, Littlewood draws realistic characters with bright cheerful colors. She's also rather good at drawing Hassan's personal paintings. They're childlike but also, at times, horrific. Combined with Hoffman's words, this book, as I said before, speaks to all kinds of children. Not just the one's escaping from brutality. It doesn't matter what your child's situation is. "The Color of Home" is one of those books that should be read to them so as to open their eyes to the world around them. It's a book that should be better known.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Starting a new life in America., December 5, 2007

By 

Carolyn Wyndom (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Color of Home (Phyllis Fogelman Books) (Hardcover)

The "Color of Home" makes the experience of the Somali refugees come alive through the voice of a young boy who is bewildered as he struggles to adapt to his new home in a strange country. Everything is different here - the climate, the language, the food - everything.

Through art he is able to find a voice to express the deep tragedy of his losing his home and family. And through art he is able to move past the tragedy and remember the wonderful land he once called "home" -- through the color of expansive, cloudless skies... blue.

This book does an excellent job of telling the story of one boy's flight from famine and war and his struggles to adapt in a new land. Readers should be aware that the book tells about the murder of his family - an integral part of the boy's story.

2.0 out of 5 stars There Is Startlingly Portrayed Violence, December 31, 2011

By 

Sandy Peck - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Colour of Home (Paperback)

Muslim children need to have picture books in which they see themselves and families. I read to kindergartners and was glad to see this book on Amazon. It appeared to be just what was missing in their library. You can imagine my disappointment to see pictures of a child hiding under a bed, guns and bullets flying through the air and expressions of fear.

This is not a book for most Muslim children, not one I would read to them anyway.