In captivating paintings full of movement and transformation, Caldecott Honor winner Jillian Tamaki follows a young girl through a year or a day as she examines the colors in the world around her. Egg yolks are sunny orange as expected, yet water cupped in her hands isn’t blue like they say.
Playful and philosophical, They Say Blue is a book about color as well as perspective, about the things we can see and the things we can only wonder at.
⭐ "The free-association nature of the child narrator’s interaction with her surroundings seems utterly familiar, and approaching it with observational, sensory language lands it firmly in territory children can relate to. This poetic, off-kilter little book has enigmatic power, and observant children will likely be enchanted."
—Booklist (starred review)
⭐ "Thinking, imagining, noticing—these, Tamaki suggests, are the tools we have to understand our world."
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A reminder to slow down, savor the present, notice small details, and relish childlike wonder."
—Kirkus Reviews
⭐ "Attuned to a child’s psychology and patterns of critical thinking, this visually stunning work is a must-purchase for libraries."
—School Library Journal (starred review)
Jillian Tamaki is an illustrator and comics artist best known for her graphic novels Skim, which was named a New York Times Best Illustrated, and This One Summer, both cocreated with Mariko Tamaki. This One Summer was awarded a Caldecott Honor, Printz Honor, and Eisner Award.
