In this zany, inclusive, and vibrantly illustrated guide to all things color, the origins of today's pigments come alive across continents and history, with oodles of art, tons of science--and extensive interactive backmatter!
So what is color? A red apple? A yellow banana? The purple goo from a squished sea snail?
Once you start digging, color turns out to be a lot of things – it’s messy, stinky, and even a little bit dangerous. You may already know that it’s art, but it’s science, too! What is Color will take readers all over the world, introducing them to talented, brilliant, creative people from scientists to famous artists and everyone in between as we take the color wheel for a spin.
Perfect for curious and creative minds who love paintbrushes as much as microscopes, this clever and eye-catching full-color nonfiction book dives deep into the strange, wacky, silly, and occasionally perilous history behind the colors that paint our everyday lives.
Praise for WHAT IS COLOR?
If your wardrobe, like mine, looks like an open crayon box, you will love this book. Steven Weinberg's zany, thorough, and accessible guide to the wonderful world of color is simply joyous. This book is for kids and grown-ups who are interested in smushing snails, boiling avocado pits, and observing this beautiful, colorful world all around us.
-Emma Straub, bestselling author and co-owner of Books Are Magic
You think you know color? You do not. Incisive, clever, and eye-popping, this is the color book our kids have always deserved but never had until now. It’s incredible!
-Elizabeth Bird, super librarian and author
This book is a color-filled rollercoaster ride weaving through the science, history, and artistry that bring each and every hue to life. The diagrams and step-by-step illustrations for creating colors from natural sources are like mini treasure maps. I didn’t know purple could come from sea snails, or that traditional monk’s robe color came from saffron. For curious artists like me, it’s an inviting, exciting read and also a go-to reference I can turn to again and again.
-Julia Rothman, award-winning and writer and illustrator
There is something for everyone in Steven Weinberg’s What is Color? It’s a delightfully wild ride through history, around the world, into outer space, and back to the ochre dirt we stand on. Defining color is an ambitious task, and Weinberg accomplishes this with irreverent humor; deep knowledge of geography, science, and art; and clever, whimsical illustrations. Middle schoolers will be fascinated by the bizarre and sometimes macabre relationships of color to cow pee, mummies, volcanoes, insects, and even Napolean Bonaparte’s demise.
The Color Toolbox at the end of the book will please all readers, including art teachers and museum educators, providing suggestions for playing with color in our own studios and back yards.
Guided by Weinberg and his canine companion Waldo, readers of What is Color? will laugh and learn and hold Everything Bagels up to the sky in the spirit of scientific inquiry. (You have to read the book to understand that reference!)
-Donna Jonte, Head of Experiential Learning, The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC
WHAT’S INSIDE??
A laugh-out-loud funny adventure full of gross-out facts (like how cow pee can be used to make the color yellow!).
Hilarious illustrations that encourage creativity and fun while learning!
A kid-friendly primer on global art history, from Yayoi Kusama to Van Gogh, Basquiat, and many more.
A dazzling full-color book, with rainbow edges and vibrant info-filled endpapers.
Extensive backmatter full of art and science activities perfect for the classroom and home!
For a full list of all the art collaged from in the book and links please click HERE.