The Colors of Us by Karen Katz

Book Genre: Fiction

Publishing Info: Scholastic, 24 pages

Awards or honors received: N/A

Summary: This story is about a little girl named Lena. She is seven years old and has skin the color of cinnamon. Her mom is an artist and has skin the color of French Toast. Mom tells Lena that is she mixes red, yellow, black and white, she will get just the right color brown to match her skin. Sonia, Lena’s friend, is the color of creamy peanut butter. This story goes on and describes the different people in the neighborhood. One girl is the color of a chocolate cupcake, another is the color of peaches. Lena thinks of all the beautiful colors of skin she sees each day. Then she gets out her paints and makes all the different people and names their skin the color of food; cinnamon, chocolate, honey, butterscotch, etc.

Personal rating and reason for rating: **** Excellent book for diverse classes, illustrations are kid friendly

Reading level: 3.9

Interest level: K-2

Possible uses of the text: Social Studies/Art: At the beginning of the year - read the story then use multicultural paper and have students choose the color that is closest to their own skin color. Students trace and cut out a “child”. “Dress” the child with pieces of fabric or cloth. Use different colors of string for children to cut up into hair pieces. Read the poem, “A Circle of Friends”. -
We’ve joined together as classmates
As the new year begins…
A year full of learning while,
We become friends.
We’ll share and be kind
As we work and play.
And our friendship will grow
With each passing day!
Write the poem on a circle and put the “children” around the circle. Then students name their own skin color and try to make the color of their skin with paint.


Potential Problems or Difficulties: Some students could get upset that are not “white”, but most students will love this.