Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Collections
Publication
Groundwood Books (2008), Hardcover, 24 pages
Description
This title invites readers to imagine living without sight through remarkable illustrations done with raised lines and descriptions of colors based on imagery. Braille letters accompany the illustrations and a full Braille alphabet offers sighted readers help reading along with their fingers.
User reviews
LibraryThing member matthewbloome
I liked the idea of the book as much as I liked the execution of it. The similes and metaphors for color are also handy for teaching about those things.
LibraryThing member jeffjackson
A creative book that startles the reader into exploring their senses, the links between words and images as well as the world around them. Rather than a book that might help blind people see, after reading this text the sighted reader is left seeing as if for the first time. A refreshing and warm
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exploration of our world. Show Less
LibraryThing member amartino1208
This book shows a colorless book that also teaches braille to the readers. It has a unique way of describing colors to the readers without actually naming the colors. I enjoyed this book because it taught me how to explain colors without actually explaining it.
LibraryThing member jaelynculliford
I absoluly love this book. It's called the black book of colors. For someone who sees, all you see is black. But someone who had vision impairment, its full of colors. Each page describes a color and pairs it with something. Wonderful book.
LibraryThing member LoniMc
This wonderful book gives a different perspective on what colors are with discriptive words and textures.
LibraryThing member judychadwick
A black book that introduces color concepts. Written in print and braille the colors are introduced by the sensations they are most like to the author. There is a raised impression of that color. Feathers for yellow, strawberries for red and grass for green. Wonderful texture and words.
LibraryThing member beckystandal
Ages 6 and Up - In white print on black paper and raised braille, this beautiful picture book describes the experiences of color outside of sight. It begins, 'Thomas says that yellow tastes like mustard, but is as soft as a baby chick's feathers.' On the right side of each page spread is a raised
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image - of feathers, strawberries, rain - which is great to look at and feel. This is a book about blindness (even colorblindness) for seeing children as well as a book about color for blind children. Includes the braille alphabet at the end. Recommended for picture book and braille collections in all sizes of public and school libraries. Show Less
LibraryThing member Katya0133
This children's "picture" book is about colors from the perspective of a blind person. Each page includes braille and raised pictures of the things being discussed. A thoughtful take on an unusual subject.
LibraryThing member simonl
I enjoyed reading this book. The language used is descriptive, highlighting the different experiences of a colour. This book is in braille, which coveys the message to children that information (including colours) can be shared by all. Touches on the themes of accessibility and inclusion.
LibraryThing member mmleynek
Personal Review:
I loved the use of imagery to describe things that most of us take for granted. Being able to 'feel' the words and pictures made it very tactile. It also allowed me to use my other senses to create a picture in my head.
Curricular Connections:
I teach figurative language to my
I loved the use of imagery to describe things that most of us take for granted. Being able to 'feel' the words and pictures made it very tactile. It also allowed me to use my other senses to create a picture in my head.
Curricular Connections:
I teach figurative language to my
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students and this book is an excellent example of imagery and simile. Show Less
LibraryThing member pmacsmith
This is a very interesting book, designed for those who are blind. The white words are printed on black paper on the left hand side. The right hand side has raised shapes on a black, shiny paper, I wonder if blind children would be able to pick out the shapes imprinted upon the page. I would love
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to hear the feedback of this book for a non seeing child. The words are also in Braille at the top of the printed page. Show Less
LibraryThing member deirdrea
In a mere 32 pages, Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria do the seemingly impossible; they convey how a child born blind concieves of color. The brief, vivid text is replicated in braille, and the beautifully composed black-on-black illustrations have raised textures, so that both blind and sighted
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children can enjoy the book. Remarkably creative and truly illuminating! Show Less
LibraryThing member Bethany1221
This book was very interesting. The whole book was black and at the top of the book there was braille. The book assigns color with the five senses. There are many similes and metaphors throughout this book.
LibraryThing member smoore972
This book encourages readers to read with their hands, feeling textures as a way to see and experience everyday concepts like rain in a new ways. braille text and textural images provide new ways to experience what we might know differently.
LibraryThing member KatherineLo
This is a great book to introduce students to how blind people see color or experience it in the world. The Black Book of Colors is a book done in Braille with subtitles and the pictures are completely done with texture so the seeing person can experience how a blind person experiences color.
LibraryThing member kris0812
This book has an all black background with braille words and raised pictures for readers who are blind or seeing impaired. There are also white print words for seeing readers as well. This would be a good book to use in teaching diversity and understanding differences, especially those with seeing
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impairments. Show Less
LibraryThing member Krguarisco
Loved this book. Great way for someone to have a feel of what it might be like if you were blind. Colors are described by taste, touch, and sound. I thought this book was so creative.
LibraryThing member BarrettOlivia
The Black Book of Colors takes a whole new approach to prospective taking. Rather than a simple story about a person who is blind, this book creates a more dimensional and tangible meaning to taking a perspective of someone who can't see. The book uses brail while incorporating other senses rather
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than sight, such as scent, touch, smell and hearing. The book is black with raised patterns that relate to the description from the perspective of Thomas, the blind boy in the story. Rather than just eating and trying to understand the perspective of someone who is blind, this book creates the circumstances to experience it directly. Empathy is a very important concept for young readers to understand. This way, they can better understand the struggles of others and also appreciate what they have. Show Less
LibraryThing member A.Smith
It is a color concept book but can help students with colors without actually seeing the colors. It is perfect to reading to blind students. This is a creative book to also help children think about texture. I found it interesting out the pictures is hidden and the colors describe to appeal the
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senses rather than the sight. Show Less
LibraryThing member SJKessel
Cottin, M. (2006). The Black Book of Colors. Toronto: Groundwood Books.
0888998732
With a name like "The Black Book of Colors" how could you not want to read this picturebook. I ran out and hunted it down at my library. And by "ran out" I mean reserved it online and wandered on down to pick it up
Appetizer: The pages of this picturebook are almost completely black. The story actually shares its text and illustrations in braille (although the text is also written in white for those who can't read braille yet) as Thomas describes his opinions of the colors. The text shares his descriptions of colors, connecting them to the taste or smell of foods or the feel and sound of certain objects. The illustrations include raised, texturized images on each right page.
I love this book. For readers who can see, this book provides awareness for the experience of being blind. And for young readers who can't see, this story allows readers to envision colors and to still enjoy the experience of having illustrations.
My one issue about this book arises from a personal experience. Several years ago, I took several classes with a professor who was blind. Now, I know this could depend on the cause, but my teacher always hated books that presented blindness as living in darkness. She would say that she saw milky lightness all the time. Now for the concept of this book, it's probably easier to construct the book in black as opposed to white.
I also wished the story had included more information about who Thomas was as a character. Is he based on a specific person? I would have liked to learn more in an afterword.
I particularly liked the page that describes the experience of a rainbow coming out after the rain. Instead of having texturized lines across the illustration page, the page features arches of the different fruits and objects used in the previous pages to describe the colors (there's a line of strawberries to represent red, chick feathers to represent yellow).
My other favorite pages was the one that described rain pouring down. The rain drops felt really cool.
Dinner Conversation:
"Thomas says that yellow tastes like mustard, but is as soft as a baby chick's feathers."
"Brown crunches under his feet like fall leaves. Sometimes it smells like chocolate, and other times it stinks."
"Thomas thinks that without the sun, water doesn't amount to much. It has no color, no taste, no smell."
"He says that green tastes like lemon ice cream and smells like grass that's just been cut."
"But black is the king of all the colors."
To Go with the Meal:
This story provides perspective taking and allows students to understand colors in a new way. In response to reading the book, students could imagine the experience of blindness or try to describe common objects in unique ways to try to understand them in a new way.
This book would be great to use when introducing students to the Braille alphabet. Students could practice reading Braille with this picturebook.
Tasty Rating: !!!!
0888998732
With a name like "The Black Book of Colors" how could you not want to read this picturebook. I ran out and hunted it down at my library. And by "ran out" I mean reserved it online and wandered on down to pick it up
Show More
from my local branch several days later. But I was still excited to see it waiting for me on the shelf.Appetizer: The pages of this picturebook are almost completely black. The story actually shares its text and illustrations in braille (although the text is also written in white for those who can't read braille yet) as Thomas describes his opinions of the colors. The text shares his descriptions of colors, connecting them to the taste or smell of foods or the feel and sound of certain objects. The illustrations include raised, texturized images on each right page.
I love this book. For readers who can see, this book provides awareness for the experience of being blind. And for young readers who can't see, this story allows readers to envision colors and to still enjoy the experience of having illustrations.
My one issue about this book arises from a personal experience. Several years ago, I took several classes with a professor who was blind. Now, I know this could depend on the cause, but my teacher always hated books that presented blindness as living in darkness. She would say that she saw milky lightness all the time. Now for the concept of this book, it's probably easier to construct the book in black as opposed to white.
I also wished the story had included more information about who Thomas was as a character. Is he based on a specific person? I would have liked to learn more in an afterword.
I particularly liked the page that describes the experience of a rainbow coming out after the rain. Instead of having texturized lines across the illustration page, the page features arches of the different fruits and objects used in the previous pages to describe the colors (there's a line of strawberries to represent red, chick feathers to represent yellow).
My other favorite pages was the one that described rain pouring down. The rain drops felt really cool.
Dinner Conversation:
"Thomas says that yellow tastes like mustard, but is as soft as a baby chick's feathers."
"Brown crunches under his feet like fall leaves. Sometimes it smells like chocolate, and other times it stinks."
"Thomas thinks that without the sun, water doesn't amount to much. It has no color, no taste, no smell."
"He says that green tastes like lemon ice cream and smells like grass that's just been cut."
"But black is the king of all the colors."
To Go with the Meal:
This story provides perspective taking and allows students to understand colors in a new way. In response to reading the book, students could imagine the experience of blindness or try to describe common objects in unique ways to try to understand them in a new way.
This book would be great to use when introducing students to the Braille alphabet. Students could practice reading Braille with this picturebook.
Tasty Rating: !!!!
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LibraryThing member DebbieMcCauley
This book is remarkable. Black pages hold lines of braille on one side, with a translation in white writing underneath. On the facing page are raised line drawings which complement the text. Included at the end of the book in the Braille Alphabet. The book allows everyone to explore colours through
I haven't seen anything like this book before. It is a welcome addition to our library and has already been in use with visually impared group visits to the library. Although it is a valuable resource, I would like to see it reissued as a board book with the braille raised so it is more easily read by touch as on the paper pages the braille doesn't seem to be raised enough to facilitiate reading by touch.
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touch and hearing along with descriptions of taste and smell.I haven't seen anything like this book before. It is a welcome addition to our library and has already been in use with visually impared group visits to the library. Although it is a valuable resource, I would like to see it reissued as a board book with the braille raised so it is more easily read by touch as on the paper pages the braille doesn't seem to be raised enough to facilitiate reading by touch.
Show Less
LibraryThing member KarenBall
How does one explain colors to a sightless person? The Black Book of Colors has some answers. All of the pages are black, and the text is simple and white: "Thomas says that yellow tastes like mustard, but is as soft as a baby chick's feathers." The text is also embossed in Braille, and the image
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on the right side of the page is also embossed -- there are no visual colors, but the descriptions and images chosen are imaginative and delightful. This is an incredible book! Originally published in Mexico, it has been translated and published around the world to rave reviews. Appropriate for everyone! Show Less
LibraryThing member SabraR
This book is not a typical picture book. It is barrel and doesn't have color, instead it is filled with many different textures and senses. It explores the different senses of small, hearing, taste and touch which I think is special for students to experience even if they are not blind. This is
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also a good book about a different culture that students should be aware of. Show Less
LibraryThing member Sullywriter
Simply remarkable.
LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
Venezuelan author/illustrator team Menena Cottin and Rosana Faría team up in this innovative picture-book that attempts to communicate the experience of being blind, and of how colors might be perceived by the blind, to young children. Simple but poetic text describes how colors are experienced by
Originally published in Mexico as El libro negro de los colores, and translated into many languages around the world, this lovely, thought-provoking book is really quite unique. I have never really thought about how something like color, which relies on exposure to light, might be communicated to and/or thought about by the blind, but The Black Book of Colors has prompted me to do just that, and to consider how so much of what we think we know is filtered through our method of perceiving it. In this respect, I was reminded of some of the conversations I have had with people who have conditions like synesthesia, and the different ways in which they experience things like words. I really enjoyed Rosana Faría's artwork here, although I am constrained to admit that I simply couldn't perceive much shape, when running my fingers over her raised illustrations, while keeping my eyes closed. It's a shame that the Braille text isn't of a quality that it could actually be read by the blind - apparently production costs would have been too high - but this makes an excellent introduction to the topic for sighted children. Recommended to anyone looking for innovative books addressing blindness, color, and how we look at issues of disability and perception in general.
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a young blind boy named Thomas, while the artwork on the facing page is done in raised clear line drawings on the deep black paper. The text for sighted children is in white text on the black paper, and is also translated into Braille.Originally published in Mexico as El libro negro de los colores, and translated into many languages around the world, this lovely, thought-provoking book is really quite unique. I have never really thought about how something like color, which relies on exposure to light, might be communicated to and/or thought about by the blind, but The Black Book of Colors has prompted me to do just that, and to consider how so much of what we think we know is filtered through our method of perceiving it. In this respect, I was reminded of some of the conversations I have had with people who have conditions like synesthesia, and the different ways in which they experience things like words. I really enjoyed Rosana Faría's artwork here, although I am constrained to admit that I simply couldn't perceive much shape, when running my fingers over her raised illustrations, while keeping my eyes closed. It's a shame that the Braille text isn't of a quality that it could actually be read by the blind - apparently production costs would have been too high - but this makes an excellent introduction to the topic for sighted children. Recommended to anyone looking for innovative books addressing blindness, color, and how we look at issues of disability and perception in general.
Show Less
Awards
Utah Beehive Book Award (Nominee — Children's Picture — 2010)
South Dakota Children's Book Awards (Nominee — 2011)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Nominee — Nonfiction — 2011)
Language
Original publication date
2006
Physical description
24 p.; 11.34 x 6.92 inches
ISBN
0888998732 / 9780888998736
Local notes
This inventive picture book relates the ways a blind boy experiences colors—through his senses of smell, taste, touch, and hearing. Black raised line art is set against black pages that echo Thomas’ spirited imagery and invite readers to explore what it’s like to read with their fingertips. The innovative design also includes descriptive, sensory text, which also incorporates white type and Braille.