Customer Reviews

Colors

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ken Nordine, the originator of "word jazz," NPR commentator, and Chicago fixture, has an unbelievably rich voice that makes his musings come alive. I have loved his classic "Colors" CD from the first time I heard it (and I recommend you buy it at once) but had a hard time imagining it in book form without his voice saying the words. I shouldn't have worried. Although nominally aimed at children, the book is beautiful, whimsical, funny, and educational for kids.

In the book, as on the CD, Ken goes through colors in the spectrum, giving each a persona with humorous quirks. Green can be envious (of course,) orange is the silliest color and is by far the most fun, burgundy is fat and drowsy, while purple is all about dignity. These colors and many more are imaginatively rendered in words and in peculiar illustrations by Henrik Drescher, and are sure to delight anyone who revels in the offbeat. I think of it as sort of "Richard Scarry meets Jerry Garcia," and I love it.

I was first introduced to the sounds of Ken Nordine at a concert (The Barenaked Ladies) during their "Maroon" tour. The concert opened up with a spoken word/song called "Maroon." The voice sounded familiar but I couldn't quite place it. I found out it was the famous Ken Nordine from his "Colors" CD. I immediately found it on amazon.com and found that there was a children's book that went along with the CD. Now I don't have children, but since I love Nordine's work, I felt that I should buy the book along with the CD. I am not sorry I did! I don't care how old you are; everyone will enjoy this book and the illustrations.

The book focuses on these colors:

Green ("smack dab in the middle of the spectrum")
Yellow ("you know how green can be - didn't want yellow in")
Azure ("azure is bored with just being blue")
Black ("as the ace of spades is")
Gray ("absolute gray is the perfect gray")
White ("that the whitest white that white can be white")
Lavender ("lady lavender in the indigo house by the purple wood")
Orange ("only one color I think is much fun and that's orange")
Chartreuse ("chartreuse began to tremble just thinking of the trouble rhubarb could make")
Burgundy ("burgundy is fat, sorry to be so blunt but that's burgundy")
Flesh ("which, pure and simple is colorcentric thinking, popular in some corners")
Purple ("Purple, all dignity, all pomp, all put-on")
Olive ("olive, poor thing, sits and thinks that it's drab")
Magenta ("you know how witty and well connected magenta is")
Turquoise ("don't you know what effect you're having on everything? see the flash of you...turquoise...there...")

If you can, purchase the CD with this book. The book is difficult to read since the words go around the page in a fashion where it's hard to follow. I had no trouble following the words in the book while playing the CD. The one thing children will love is that the book is colorful and fun to look at.

My 7 yr. old daughter picked up this book in our local store and INSISTED I buy it, which is something she rarely does. I did buy it, and when I read it to her (it has rather sophisticated vocabulary for young readers) I loved it too. It's an interesting, graphic format, kind of "postmodern" and fun!

This is the book that was made from a radio ad campaign for paint, the client company seems to lie in obscurity. The radio ads were recently re-released on CD on Asphodel records and they are as relevant today as the 1950's. One without the other is only half the picture. I would love to see a blending of these in a multi media presentation. This is a great example of "beat" poetry.

I had no idea until last week that there was a book to accompany Ken Nordine's classic album "Colors!" Of course I ordered a copy immediately ... and I'm not disappointed in the least. As the previous reviewer says, the illustrations are a refreshing change from the trite, predictable work found in too many children's books. They match the words for imagination & dizzy, free-wheeling fun! I wouldn't hesitate to give both this book & the "Colors" CD to a child, but I'm just as happy to own both as an adult. And I'd love to see more children's books from this team! Highly recommended!

i totally disagree with the first review. the illustrations are absolutley fabulous and key to the aesthetic of book and the writing. they are such a refreshing change from the tired, typical watercolors so often seen as the medium of choice in illustrating children's books. the illustrations fall into a category of art on their own. as an art student graduate and a teacher of young children, i can safely say that this book is a great visual for adults and children alike. i think ken nordine chose this illustrator for a reason, and im sure glad he did. it sure beats stale images of watercolored seascapes and pastel sunsets!

I certainly hope Mr. Nordine wasn't the person responsible for picking and approving what this artist did. I loved the Colors CD and had to get the book to go with it. I would have been better off transcribing the work on the CDs than buying the book.

Frankly, I have to wonder what the artist was on when he drew this, then I wonder what the Editor was on when he _approved_ the art. I'm sorry, but I feel like I could do the drawings in my sleep. Had I seen sample pages, I would not have bought the book.

The pictures do not complement the words - they detract from them. If I were to read this aloud to children, I would be totally lost trying to follow the words on the pages.

My recommendation: But the CD, skip the book.