They Say Blue

They Say Blue is a poetic story about color but not in the usual way one thinks of a poem or thinks of color.  Blue is for sky. Sometimes. But it is also for the ocean. Sometimes. After all, as the little girl tells us when she holds it in her hands, it is clear and she call throw it up to make diamonds. Also, the little girl wonders about things. Such as, is a blue whale actually blue? After all, she has never seen one. Many colors are explored in this manner. The text makes you think outside of the box. They Say Blue will not only be a book to read and enjoy as is, it will also be a jumping off point for discussions you and your child can have.

Jillian Tamaki (illustrator and author) creates a book that also has illustrations that tell another story, too. You can make up your own words to the watercolors. Of course, they are also the perfect addition to the text Tamaki has given the reader. They accent the words perfectly.

This book would be a great gift for a baby shower or first birthday. As well as for children aged five to seven. They could have it read aloud to them, or the reader who could use a slightly higher than beginning read, but a chapter format is still too daunting. However, the adult collector (be it of picture books, art books or of the work of Tamaki) will also find this to be a delightful addition to their bookshelf as well.