HOW THE FINCH GOT HIS COLORS, by Annemarie Riley Guertin

​Review by Annie Cronin Romano

I haven’t come across too many newly-published folktales these days, but HOW THE FINCH GOT HIS COLORS (Familius, 2018) is one that hit the shelves earlier this year and is among the bright spots of recent picture book releases. Using a traditional folktale style, author Annemarie Riley Guertin depicts how the world and its creatures transformed from a monotone appearance to a brilliant expanse of color. Guertin mixes magical storytelling with just a touch of a moral in this narrative inspired by a Belgian folktale. The folk-art illustrations, beautifully done by Helena Pérez García, start off the book in muted tones of gray, black, and brown and transform into a brilliant kaleidoscopic palette. Parents and teachers will love this book for working double duty as both an engaging story and a reinforcer of color concepts. HOW THE FINCH GOT HIS COLORS, a fiction picture book for children ages 4-8 years old, is an ideal addition to bookshelves both in the home and the early elementary classroom. 

On Writing
Annemarie Riley Guertin’s story is a solid mentor text for those writers interested in the folktale style. The language is engaging, rich, and vivid yet accessible to younger readers and listeners.
 
To learn more information about Annemarie Guertin’s work, visit her website at www.annemarierileyguertin.com.
For info on Helena Pérez García's work, visit her website at www.helenaperezgarcia.co.uk/.

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