The Colors of Us

Fall is filled with beautiful colors we see on trees, bushes, grass, and even in the sky.


Fall is also a great time of the year to remind us that people come in the most beautiful colors. And that we should love the skin we're in.

The book, The Colors of Us by Karen Katz, illustrates this so beautifully.

The story begins with Lena, who is seven, she is the color of cinnamon. Her mom is the color of French toast. Lena's mom is an artist and teaches Lena about colors and how delicious they are.

Lena's friend Sonia is light yellow brown, like peanut butter. Jo-Jin is the color of honey and Kyle is reddish brown, like the leaves in fall.

All the people in Lena's life have special beautiful colors.  Colors that sound so delicious and look so lovely.

Lena decides to paint pictures of everyone. She happily calls the pictures, "The colors of us!"

FREE - Extending the Reading Experience

This book is a fabulous story about celebrating diversity. Children enjoy listening to the vivid, wonderful adjectives that describe Lena's family and friends.

The illustrations are great. This book opens a terrific discussion about finding the beauty in all people.

After I have read the story to my students, and we have a classroom discussion, then we complete the response to literature page, I am thankful for my friend.

I remind the students that we are all friends in the classroom and we appreciate each one of us. We put everyones' names into a container and then each student picks one name. It is then their responsibility to talk to that person and find the answers to the statements about their friend and complete their paper. This is a great way for students to get to know each other.

Then the students color the palette. We share everyone's work and hang it up in the classroom. You can have your students cut out the palette before you hang it up. Make sure they write their name somewhere on the palette. I have my students write their name in the hole in the center. I have them leave it white so their name can be seen.

Please click on the picture below to print a FREE copy. It will link you to teachers pay teachers where you can download a free copy from Picture Book Reviews With Writing Connections.

Take Care and Enjoy Life!

Kathy

For more great book ideas please click on the picture below!