Blue

Here’s a very thought-provoking picture book on the history of the colour blue, going back as early as 4500 BC. From using blue rocks for jewelry, to using crushed rocks for painting, extracting blue from snails, iris petals, pea plants, to folktales, blue is indeed steeped in antiquity. Pursuit of the blue eventually led to slavery and abuse. I love that the “indigo revolt” of 1859 in India and Bangladesh (when thousands of peasants refused to grow indigo for European planters) also finds its place in the book.

Daniel Minter’s illustration is equally enthralling – especially the clever use of white lines. This book will be a very different kind of read-aloud for Grades 2 to 6 – simple and informative on the surface but a great discussion starter on the consequences and social impact of the pursuit of a scare substance. The author’s note and the back matter are not to be missed!