Gray Everywhere (Lightning Bolt Books—Colors Everywhere)

By: Kristin Sterling
Publisher: Lerner Classroom
Publication Date: August 2010
ISBN: 978-0761360476
Reviewed by: Deb Fowler
Review Date: January 2011

Gray is one of those colors that is “secret” and “doesn’t always get noticed.” Most children say that their favorite color is red, blue, or purple, but if you look around you, you will see that gray is a very special and exciting color. If you look at the pebbles on a beach you can see beautiful sea washed pebbles and if you are lucky you may even spot a gray whale in the ocean gliding “through waves with grace.” Another favorite ocean creature is the dolphin whose “smooth gray skin flashes against a blue sky.” If you take the time to look around you will find many beautiful gray things to appreciate. How about a cute little gray squirrel that has an acorn in his mouth and stops to wink at you just before scampering up a tree to hide his food? If you think about it, you might want to change your favorite color to gray!

If you live in a city you may be able to spot a dandelion peeking through a crack in gray cement or watch as “gray thunderclouds gather in the sky.” There are many different “shades of gray” with some being very light to those that are “almost as dark as black.” You can find dove gray, slate gray, and charcoal gray things in this book and in your environment. You will also be able to see how to mix paint to make your own shade of gray and then “experiment to discover all the shades you can make.” You will meet a boy named Grant whose favorite color is gray and you’ll get to see many gray things he likes, including his little roly-poly chinchilla!

This is one book of twelve in the series, “Colors Everywhere,” that would be a nice addition to your library or classroom shelves. The layout of the book, along with the well-chosen photographs, makes this color come alive and will encourage children to look around their environment in search of it. The chapter “Black and White Together,” that shows how to mix paint to create gray, would be a fun homeschool or classroom activity. In the back there is an index, a glossary, some “Fun Facts,” and additional recommended website and book resources to explore.

Quill says: This is an engaging book that introduces the color gray to the young student and show examples of where to find it.