Anything But Pink -- a fun picture book about accepting one's own true colors

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and J.C. Benthin and will receive a small stipend for this review. All opinions are my own.

What is your favorite color? Mine is pink. Would you want everything in your world to be your favorite color? I know I wouldn't. I don't even dress completely in pink ever. Today's book is about being a different color from everyone else. I will admit when I heard the title of the book, the first thought I had was of a baby girl. I remember getting a shower gift that was white with ladybugs. My friend who gave it to me said she got it so I would have something nonpink to put on my baby girl since everything for a baby girl is always pink. I figured the book would be about a girl who didn't like pink. I was very pleasantly surprised. This book is so much better than anything I was imagining. The book is Anything but Pink by J.C. Benthin and illustrated by Andy Catling. 

From the Publisher:

Anything But Pink
Written by J.C. Benthin and Illustrated by Andy Catling
Ages 3-8 | 34 Pages
Publisher: Kaleidoscope Volcano | ISBN-13: 978-1733990028

Publisher’s Synopsis: Zinnia is the only pink person in a very gold world. After being told that pink stinks by a golden bully, she goes on a quest to get rid of her pink for good. Along the way, Zinnia learns a valuable lesson. Will she embrace her unique pink, or will she change to be just like everyone else?

About the Author:

J.C. Benthin has been writing since a young age winning a Father’s Day essay contest with the Kansas City Star justifying “Why my Dad’s the Best Outdoorsman” which won a John Deere Lawnmower and a Weber Grill. She has written Timmy the Time Machine, Pink Princess, and Anything but a Prince for a next-generation interactive children’s publisher. She has also written two young adult novels titled Catapult and Slingshot in The Kingston Chronicles Series. She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She resides in Berkeley, California.

For more information, visit https://www.jcbenthin.com/.
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https://www.instagram.com/j.c.benthin/
https://twitter.com/jcbenthin

From Me:

Zinnia is unique. She lives in a golden world, but she is pink. She loves her color and being unique until she goes to school where a boy tells her pink stinks. The rest of the kids join in, and Zinnia is hurt. Her parents try to reassure her. Her father tells her the story of her birth and how the sky turned pink that day. He tells her about the legend of the Crystal Prism that makes all the colors of the world. Zinnia goes off to find the Crystal Prism so she can have it change her color. On her adventure she makes several friends who show her who teach her how great it is to be unique. One even has the message that it is horrible that someone made her feel bad with his opinion. Her own opinion matters more. 

I love how this book makes its characters uncommon colors for people and they are completely those colors including their clothes. I love how the friends she makes on the adventure teach her to lover herself again and she thanks them. This book is so fun and has some important lessons in it. One could focus on the bully in the schoolyard. He told her that pink stinks. In a classroom or at home it would be interesting to discuss how his behavior affected Zinnia and how it would make each child feel in her place. Along the same lines one could discuss skin color. How do kids in the classroom have different skin colors? Explain how the differences make us unique but not better or worse. For more ideas about race and colors be sure to check out this post.

Another focus to go with his book is what each child likes about him/herself and/or what makes him/her unique? Have them write about it or draw a self-portrait. For older kids they could write a poem about themselves like in this post.

Or we can focus on the fun colors. I remember in third grade writing a poem about our favorite color. It had to be a rhyming poem. If your kids are not ready to write a poem perhaps have them come up with words that rhyme with the color. Another fun twist in the book her new friends sniff her and tell her she smells like strawberries and cotton candy. Both of which are related to pink. Can the children come up with pleasant smells related to their own favorite colors?  For more ideas with color be sure to check out our past posts. We even did a series when Hazel was young on exploring colors. 

Giveaway:

Enter for a chance to win an autographed copy of Anything But Pink and a Pink is Unique tote! Good luck!!

One (1) winner receives:

• An autographed copy of Anything But Pink
• A 'Pink is Unique' tote

Two (2) winners receive:

• An autographed copy of Anything But Pink

Anything But Pink: Book Giveaway