Recommended Books
These books and other resources will help children explore the unit’s themes and topics.
Fiction Books
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
A chameleon is sad when he realizes that he will never be just one color.
A Rainbow All Around Me by Sandra L. Pinkney
“We are the rainbow—YOU and ME!” declares a multiethnic cast of children who wear, eat, or hold objects of every color.
Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton
Humorous animal characters introduce the basic colors and common clothes.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr
In this classic rhyming book, children see a variety of animals, each one a different color.
Mary Wore Her Red Dress and Henry Wore His Green Sneakers adapted by Merle Peeke
Each of Katy Bear’s animal friends wears a different color of clothing to her birthday party.
Moo Moo, Brown Cow by Jakki Wood
Children learn about colors and numbers as a lively kitten visits the barnyard.
My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo by Maya Christina Gonzalez
In this bilingual book, a girl shows off the many colors of her Southwest desert home.
Cat’s Colors by Jane Cabrera
A kitten tries to decide which color is his favorite.
Chidi Only Likes Blue: An African Book of Colors by Ifeoma Onyefulu
Nneka’s little brother likes only blue, until she shows him the beauty of other colors around him.
The Lion and the Little Red Bird by Elisa Kleven
A little bird sees a friendly lion whose bushy tail is a different color each day.
The Mixed-Up Chameleon by Eric Carle
A chameleon learns to change his shape as well as his color.
Where Is Green Sheep? by Mem Fox
There are many different kinds of sheep, but an important one is missing.
Nonfiction and Concept Books
Color Dance by Ann Jonas
Graceful dancers use colorful scarves to show how to mix colors.
Color Farm by Lois Elhert
Colorful cut-out shapes are combined to make pictures of farm animals.
Colors Everywhere by Tana Hoban
Photographs show the brilliant colors that surround us. Try to find the colors that match the bars by each photo.
Growing Colors by Bruce McMillan
Photographs of green peas, yellow corn, red potatoes, purple beans, and other fruits and vegetables show the many colors of nature.
Little Blue and Little Yellow by Leo Lionni
When blue dot and yellow dot hug, they turn green. Soon they show others how to mix colors.
My Very First Book of Colors by Eric Carle
This simple book uses nature to introduce colors.
Of Colors and Things by Tana Hoban
This wordless book features photographs of colored objects.
What Color Is It? by Bobbie Kalman
All the colors of the rainbow in nature.
What Color Is Nature? by Stephen R. Swinburne
A look at color all around in the real world.