Brew-Hammond, Nana Ekua. Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky. Daniel Minter, Illus. Knopf, 02/2022. [36]pp. Picture Book. GRADES 1 – 4. $18.99. 978-1-9848-9436-6. PLB $21.99. 978-1-9848-9437-3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Selected facts and vibrant illustrations open the reader’s eyes to the diverse history and cultural significance of the world’s favorite color. Readers learn about the ethereal color’s unlikely origins: crushed stones, snails, and the plant family Indigofera. The pigment has been imporant in multiple religions, fueled economies, and drove, in part, the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Its cultural and emotional resonance is embedded in our language. Minter’s saturated, acrylic illustrations take us from ancient Egypt to modern times, using additive techniques, sponge painting, overlays, and washes. The majority of people pictured are of African origin, with a few Asians and one white European scientist. An author’s note includes additional facts and a robust list of selected sources is included. Notably absent are any mentions of the blue derived from European woad or the haint blue that is central to Gullah-Geechee culture.
Melissa McAvoy—Retired