5 Captivating Picture Books on Color to Inspire You

Press Here, by Hervé Tullet
We are huge Hervé Tullet fans, and Press Here and this was the first of his books we added to our library.
“Ready?” the narrator asks, urging you press the yellow dot on first page, and follow the directions. This story is perfect for younger children who are just beginning to learn colors because it’s playful, fun, colorful, and interactive. Kids love to press the dots, and it offers a great way to practice physical developmental skills, like clapping, shaking, rubbing, and blowing. My preschooler loves feeling like she’s in control of what happens on the pages. Watch these dots grow, now watch those ones shrink. Tullet’s books make me happy. And they’re so much better than an iPad game because this is what imagination is really about.

Mix It Up!, by Hervé Tullet
The primary-colored dots from Press Here (2011) are back, which means that Mix It Up is the perfect companion book on our shelves. The title says it all: it’s time to mix it up. First, dip your finger in a smudge of blue and rub it into smudge of yellow. What happens? The paint actually looks wet on the page as it “turns” green. I love how the colors squish and splatter on the pages. (Interactive without the mess!) My preschooler really took to Mix It Up! when she turned three, and I’ve noticed that after a long day, painting solo before dinner really soothes her.

The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds
I’ll admit it, I have a literary crush on Peter H. Reynolds, after a teacher-friend gave us The Dot. His stories are always full of feeling without being preachy, and I love his spare watercolor, ink and tea illustrations. In this story a girl named Vashti sits with a blank piece of paper in art class and says, “I just can’t draw.” The teacher asks her to “make a mark and see where it takes you.” Vashti angrily jabs the paper and makes a dot; her teacher asks her to sign it. The next day, Vashti sees her dot “All framed in swirly gold!” When Vashti sees her framed art, she mutters, “Hmmph! I can make a better dot than THAT!” Then she starts to fill sheet after sheet with glorious arrays of splotches and blotches. This story is great for older preschoolers, or younger kids in elementary school. After all, there’s how there’s no right way to express yourself. We are all creative.

Sky Color, by Peter H. Reynolds
Meet Marisol, a girl who loves to paint and wants to save the ocean. So when her teacher asks her to help make a mural for the school library, she can’t wait to paint the sky. But Marisol can’t find any blue paint. How can you paint a sky without any blue? On the way home, as Marisol looks out the bus window and watches the sky turn color. Once again, Reynold’s wispy watercolor illustrations pull you into this story, as Marisol takes in the brilliant oranges, yellows, and pink sunset “sky swirling with colors.” This story is a gentle reminder to keep your eyes open and look around. I love the message here about letting go of disappointment and being receptive to the world around you. Like The Dot, Reynolds reminds us that everyone is an artist and sometimes finding your creativity means doing something surprising.

Beautiful Oops!, by Barney Saltzberg
Here’s another interactive story about how making mistakes might mean discovering something new. Did you spill something on your drawing? Turn it into a silly animal! Did you accidentally tear your paper? Turn it into the roaring mouth of an alligator! This story has pop-ups, flaps that lift, tears, holes, bends, and smudges. It’s a great reminder that maybe your mistake means the chance to make something new.