All the Colors of the Earth

Sheila Hamanaka has managed to turn difference of color into pure poetry. In "All of the Colors of the Earth," she begins: "Children come in all the colors of the earth" and describes what she means both in gorgeous illustrations and soaring poetry.

The softly-colored pictures by the author/illustrator show the similarities between the diversity of color on the planet, and those who inhabit it. For example, one girl is described as having a complexion like the "crackling russets of fallen leaves." Two little boys playing on the beach have skin the color of "the tinkling pinks of tiny seashells by the rumbling sea." All children, she avers, no matter what color, are united by love, for "love is amber and ivory and ginger and sweet." show more "Children come in all the colors of love, In endless shades of you and me."

Evaluation: This book celebrates difference, and encourages kids to see it as part of nature itself, and as beautiful. show less

This book jumped out at me with its beautiful illustrations and flowing, poem-like quality. I love how the author-illustrator, Sheila Hamanaka, includes curved, flowing text and muted colors that resemble watercolors; both make the book calming. The book is an "echo structure;" it has the same first line and last line: "Children come in all the colors of the earth and sky and sea." The body text of the book includes beautiful metaphors, similes, onomatopoeia and personification to describe the shades of children across the earth. For example: "The whispering golds of late summer grasses, And crackling russets of fallen leaves, The tinkling pinks of tiny seashells by the rumbling sea." Overall, this is a gorgeous book that celebrates the show more diversity of children and rejoices in their reveling in the beauty of life and the earth. show less

I love this book so much. All the Colors of the Earth is a poetry book that is about all of the different skin colors and combinations of the world. It relates the different skin colors to objects, such as relating golden hair to golden wheat. This book does a great job of expressing the fact that all skin colors and combinations are beautiful.

This was a book that was beautiful in its simplicity. It would be a great introduction for young children to start talking about race, and why everyone looks different on the outside. I like how the author took colors and related them to animals or things children are familiar with. It takes a tricky subject and makes it understandable for even the youngest readers.

This book is beautifully illustrated with oil paintings. The book relates the color of different children's skin and the texture of their hair to things found in nature. Often the words are almost poetic and the way the words sound is similar to the idea they represent For example using crackling in conjunction with leaves. I really enjoyed this book.

A celebration of the variety of skin tones in humans and their equivalents in nature.

One of those books where I like the point of it, but I also find it's rah-rah inspirational tone exceedingly boring to read.

FOR REFERENCE:

#1541 in our old book database. Rated: Indifferent.
Rated "Indifferent" by Adelia.

Awesome picture book with beautiful descriptions of different skin colors. Makes difference something to celebrate and name.