Lacika, Jenny. Cesar’s Cerulean Surprise. Laura Sandoval Herrera, Illus. Storytelling Math. Charlesbridge, 10/2025. [30]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-439-3. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.
Cesar’s younger sister Gabi’s birthday present is a new box of sixty-four crayons, so naturally he wants to use the new crayons instead of his worn-out ones. However, Gabi says she will share only after she figures out which color Cesar wants: Cerulean. Digital media illustrations show off how Gabi tries to figure out the correct crayon, using yes-no questions, in progressively more complex ways, to narrow the choices down. A few Spanish words for colors are intermixed in the primarily English text and defined in the back matter. The back matter also explores the history of blue color dye, along with the type of yes-no logic used in the story, which is the basis of data science. A useful, interactive story for classroom or small group use.
Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library