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My Favorite Color
The Caldecott Honor-winning creator of the Journey trilogy celebrates color and nature with a joyously simple die-cut book.
People always ask for your favorite color. But who said you can only have one? Open this gorgeous board book to find an ode to ever-changing colors, offering a spectrum of hues evoking the sun, the sea, clouds, and dew-dappled fruit. In colorful grids of small squares--some translucent inserts, some painted on the page--Aaron Becker uses layering to make colors shift and transition from spread to mesmerizing spread. As fun to look at as an alluring paint-chip display and as inspiring as an artful concept book can be, My Favorite Color promises to be a favorite, well-thumbed read and a prized art object in itself.
People always ask for your favorite color. But who said you can only have one? Open this gorgeous board book to find an ode to ever-changing colors, offering a spectrum of hues evoking the sun, the sea, clouds, and dew-dappled fruit. In colorful grids of small squares--some translucent inserts, some painted on the page--Aaron Becker uses layering to make colors shift and transition from spread to mesmerizing spread. As fun to look at as an alluring paint-chip display and as inspiring as an artful concept book can be, My Favorite Color promises to be a favorite, well-thumbed read and a prized art object in itself.
16 pages, Board Book
First published September 8, 2020
3 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Becker
13 books423 followersAaron Becker has worked as an artist for such film studios as Lucasfilm, Disney, and Pixar, where he helped define the look and feel of characters, stories, and the movies they become a part of. With Journey, he has created characters and worlds of his very own, using traditional materials and techniques. Aaron Becker lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with his wife, daughter, and cat. This is his first book.
"I’ve made several memorable journeys in my lifetime. I’ve lived in rural Japan and East Africa and backpacked through the South Pacific and Sweden. But to this day, my favorite destination remains my imagination, where you can often find me drawing secret doorways and magic lanterns." — Aaron Becker
"I’ve made several memorable journeys in my lifetime. I’ve lived in rural Japan and East Africa and backpacked through the South Pacific and Sweden. But to this day, my favorite destination remains my imagination, where you can often find me drawing secret doorways and magic lanterns." — Aaron Becker
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 13, 2020
You may be familiar with New York Times bestselling author Aaron Becker's Journey trilogy, or picture book A Stone for Sascha. Outside of the creator's beautiful and acclaimed wordless picture books, Aaron Becker has terrific board books to his name! Following the interactive die-cut You Are Light, the creator's latest board book offering is My Favorite Color: I Can Only Pick One?. A wonderful (and deceptively simple) dive into colours, shades, and more colours, the board book begins with a look at yellow- the narrator's initial favourite!- and follows with a study and consideration of blues, pink hues, purples, reds, and more incredible colour options. With so many colours in the world, and the fact that different things we love are associated with different colours, how can we just pick one colour as a favourite? With straightforward and easy black text on a background of white, small squares of colours on every spread saturate and bloom at every turn. Featuring die-cut technique throughout the book, and at different levels of use, the novelty and joy of its surprise and how it works with light to enhance/modify colours is constant. Pair with Becker's own You Are Light, Tamara Shopsin and Jason Fulford's Find Colors, or Bàrbara Castro Urío's Goodnight, Rainbow Cats, for even more wondrous adventures in colour.
I received a copy of this title courtesy of Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and comments are my own.
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September 10, 2020I'm pretty sure this book is genius. Or Aaron Becker is. I don't have a tag yet named "genius," but I might have to create one. I want to keep opening it and keep looking at all the colors. I think it works better in board book form because you need those thick pages, but I'm glad it's a larger size because this book would be great for anyone. The cover also just feels nice.
October 5, 2020
So awesome. Lovely illustrations and shows all the colors. Very beautiful and nice special effect in the front and back
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November 8, 2020I love how the title of this book asks "Only one?" I feel the same way. I have lots of favorite colors. They usually match my mood. This book is magical.
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January 13, 2023Grand Forks Public Library.
November 11, 2020
Color My World!
PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG: http://bookreadingtic.com/2020/11/11/... THANK YOU!
This isn’t your ordinary board book of primary colors. Instead, the world is a rainbow of hues and this book proves that. Show your child there is a whole spectrum of shades. For instance, look at the page with blue, there isn’t just one choice, but twenty-five!
Besides the wide variety of colors, cutouts that can be held up to the light are scattered across the book. Children will love peering at them to see how the shades can change depending on the amount of light that comes through. They can also see how the colors look with a white or black background.
This large book measures in at 12 ½” by 12 ½” with sturdy pages, that will be enjoyed by children up through three or four years old. As the pages are turned, the colors can change depending on how it is moved. Get ready for a good time as you explore the world of color with the child in your life, you will both be enchanted by this 5-star book!
Candlewick Press has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, My Favorite Color, for the purpose of review.
PLEASE READ THIS REVIEW ON MY BLOG: http://bookreadingtic.com/2020/11/11/... THANK YOU!
This isn’t your ordinary board book of primary colors. Instead, the world is a rainbow of hues and this book proves that. Show your child there is a whole spectrum of shades. For instance, look at the page with blue, there isn’t just one choice, but twenty-five!
Besides the wide variety of colors, cutouts that can be held up to the light are scattered across the book. Children will love peering at them to see how the shades can change depending on the amount of light that comes through. They can also see how the colors look with a white or black background.
This large book measures in at 12 ½” by 12 ½” with sturdy pages, that will be enjoyed by children up through three or four years old. As the pages are turned, the colors can change depending on how it is moved. Get ready for a good time as you explore the world of color with the child in your life, you will both be enchanted by this 5-star book!
Candlewick Press has provided Tickmenot with a complimentary copy of, My Favorite Color, for the purpose of review.
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February 28, 2021This feels like it's trying to capitalize on the success of the die-cut stained-glass-feel of
You Are Light
, but it utilizes that effect only sporadically -- which meant I felt confused as to whether and when I was supposed to hold the book up to the light. And honestly, I think the combo effects work better if you don't hold the book up to the light -- though the times the effect is used for just a few squares on a page it doesn't really feel like a combo effect and could be nice to hold the page up to the light (except that I barely even noticed those because I wasn't holding the book up to the light /o\).
It opens with an assertion of a favorite color, but associations with that color lead to invocation of another beloved color -- and then associations with that second color lead to a third, and so on. Which is neat, and works fairly well -- though sometimes the pivot feels abrupt; and the ending definitely felt rushed to me.
Remaining on-brand, my favorite spread was the black background one with purple tiles. It just felt so suddenly soothing to my eyes after all this white background.
It opens with an assertion of a favorite color, but associations with that color lead to invocation of another beloved color -- and then associations with that second color lead to a third, and so on. Which is neat, and works fairly well -- though sometimes the pivot feels abrupt; and the ending definitely felt rushed to me.
Remaining on-brand, my favorite spread was the black background one with purple tiles. It just felt so suddenly soothing to my eyes after all this white background.
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January 3, 2021You should never underestimate the power of those books conceived to be the first ones held in tiny hands. The best of them fascinate readers of all ages. Using less space and length than other titles, their words, art, and layout are designed with intention to convey specific concepts, often with humor, beauty, and cleverness.
These books caught my attention in 2020.
Sunny days get sunnier when you are holding a book conceived by Aaron Becker. In a companion to his stunning You Are Light (Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, March 26, 2019), My Favorite Color: I Can Only Pick One? (Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, September 8, 2020) is equally extraordinary using die-cuts and frosted acetate to dazzle readers' senses. It proposes possibilities when trying to select one color as your favorite.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
These books caught my attention in 2020.
Sunny days get sunnier when you are holding a book conceived by Aaron Becker. In a companion to his stunning You Are Light (Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, March 26, 2019), My Favorite Color: I Can Only Pick One? (Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, September 8, 2020) is equally extraordinary using die-cuts and frosted acetate to dazzle readers' senses. It proposes possibilities when trying to select one color as your favorite.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
May 5, 2025
Picture book author/artist Aaron Becker, perhaps best known for his wordless
Journey
—a Caldecott Honor Book and the first of a trilogy of picture books telling a fantastical adventure story—here returns to the concept board book, after his first foray into the form, the 2019
You Are Light
. The simple text begins with a declaration of love for the color yellow, proceeding to explore other colors through poetic description, and eventually concluding that it is really impossible to pick just one. The text is paired with a color grid (as on the cover), with some squares being die-cut holes with colored plastic.
Although I didn't find You Are Light entirely successful as an exploration of very basic scientific concepts, I did appreciate its design, so I picked up My Favorite Color with some anticipation, on that score at least. Although the copy I read was rather beat up (being a library book, and clearly having passed through many very young hands), I was not disappointed, finding the simple design appealing, and appropriate to the theme of colors. I enjoyed the range of hues within each color grouping, and liked the fact that some of the squares were die-cut and some weren't. There isn't really much here, but still, I would recommend it to those looking for well-designed books about color for very young children (babies and toddlers).
Although I didn't find You Are Light entirely successful as an exploration of very basic scientific concepts, I did appreciate its design, so I picked up My Favorite Color with some anticipation, on that score at least. Although the copy I read was rather beat up (being a library book, and clearly having passed through many very young hands), I was not disappointed, finding the simple design appealing, and appropriate to the theme of colors. I enjoyed the range of hues within each color grouping, and liked the fact that some of the squares were die-cut and some weren't. There isn't really much here, but still, I would recommend it to those looking for well-designed books about color for very young children (babies and toddlers).
November 3, 2020
I learned early on that when asking children what their favorite color is, it can be as fleeting as the seasons. Today it's yellow and sunny, then blue and free, then green like the sea, then pink and sparkly, then purple and dreamy, then red and fiery...that is the beauty of color...it is in the eye of the beholder. What you see as green, I may see as blue; colors create a deep sense of connection and individuality. This book is absolutely gorgeous and uses a very unique presentation for color exploration. Using colorful grids of small squares with varied translucent inserts and painted squares, the colors shift and transition through each speed. I am fascinated by the way color and light are played with in this creatively-designed board book. The text is simple, but the color play and discussion possibilities with this board book are endless. This is a must-add to your gift list!
November 24, 2020
This is a hard book to describe. It's full of die-cuts, translucent squares of various colors, and incredible layering that causes the colors to shift and change. Indeed, Becker makes it difficult to decide what one's favorite color is as the colored squares change color. Lovely shades of blues and pinks and yellows present the reader with lots of colors to consider. A unique and creative take on a concept book. The book is sure to be enjoyed not only by young listeners but by older readers as well.
October 27, 2021
I love the page format of this book with the peek-a-boo windows to change the colours, hues & spectrums of colour throughout the book. I love the fact that the book is larger than a board book with nice, thick pages. I love how he talks about the colour in relationship to nature & how he leaves us trying to choose our favourite shade of colour throughout the sampling of pages.
Because, if we had to choose, do we really only have 1 favourite colour?
Great introduction to colour & to introducing young children to palettes of different colours!
Because, if we had to choose, do we really only have 1 favourite colour?
Great introduction to colour & to introducing young children to palettes of different colours!
November 6, 2020
Simple words about colors and the difficulty of choosing a favorite.
But the book is magical with square holes cut in the pages and colored transparent inserts in those holes that change color from page to page.
Even if you ignore that, it shows a range of shades of several colors.
So, can be talked about on several different levels -- color names, picking favorites, the science of color, the way certain colors can be used for certain feelings, etc.
But the book is magical with square holes cut in the pages and colored transparent inserts in those holes that change color from page to page.
Even if you ignore that, it shows a range of shades of several colors.
So, can be talked about on several different levels -- color names, picking favorites, the science of color, the way certain colors can be used for certain feelings, etc.
November 16, 2023
Hey, Aaron Becker can use words. He usually tells the most amazing wordless stories.
This isn't a story. It's an exploration of colors in a unique way. Some pages have color gels over the squares of colors so when you turn the page you can see how it changes the color. I can see my nephew being fascinated by that.
He goes through most of the color palette. Simple and for any budding artist.
This isn't a story. It's an exploration of colors in a unique way. Some pages have color gels over the squares of colors so when you turn the page you can see how it changes the color. I can see my nephew being fascinated by that.
He goes through most of the color palette. Simple and for any budding artist.
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September 29, 2020The way Aaron Becker plays with color and light in his thoughtfully-designed board books is really awe-inspiring. This one uses plastic color swatches to play with color blending as the reader ponders which color is their favorite. The text is simple, but the color play and discussion possibilities with this board book are endless. Add to your gift lists if you have young children on your list!
August 30, 2023
This is such a fun book to revisit at different ages! For infants, the colors are mesmerizing. For Toddlers, they get to name the different colors. And for older kids they get to see how colors change when they are mixed together. This and "You Are Light" are great and should be read outside/in a room with a window or using a flashlight at night behind the book.
October 9, 2020
As young readers turn the sturdy pages of this board book they will see their favorite colors. Transparent squares make this a unique chance to explore. A great way to share and talk about changing colors and what they represent.
December 22, 2020
Color and light are played with uniquely in this creatively-designed book. Readers are invited to explore hues and shades galore in an attempt to choose a favorite. This book can be enjoyed many times over by kids and grownups, too!
Reviewer #3
Reviewer #3
April 14, 2021
My Favorite Color is so cool! I’m all about books that allow curiosity and learning, and this book really dives into so many color options to for kids! This book has really neat die-cuts too show more options!
May 26, 2022
A surprisingly clever book. I love the transparent windows and the way the change shades as you move throughout the book. It is a very pretty book too which would be nice if you were looking for cute looking books for a nursery.
October 25, 2022
Really simple book but what a great concept! Kids get asked all the time about their favorite this or that. You can have more than one favorite! It’s ok to like lots of things! Plus, all the colors on every page are so pretty!
July 30, 2025
Brilliant. Yellow through a fuchsia filter looks red; I didn't know that. So many hues and shades to explore! Terrific design, too; I do believe it will hold up to quite a few loans from the library.
November 13, 2020
LOVE LOVE LOVE this companion to YOU ARE LIGHT.
November 29, 2020
Calling all artists! Gorgeous use of cutouts and color to create stunning palettes of color. Lovely thoughtful text accompanies.
November 30, 2020
This would be a spectacular book for wee ones! You could also have a lot of fun with this book as an art teacher. There is a magic to the color squares that I could look at all day!
December 15, 2020
they keep changing their favorite colors. you have to guess what color it will turn when you turn the page. would be fun for a storytime. it's a board book.
January 4, 2021
Great intro for discussing colors. See through windows change the colors using the colors on the pages behind.
January 8, 2021
Aaah! This book is gorgeous! I love the concept and everything about it. Simple but lovely.
January 28, 2021
The color mixing behind how this book physically works is so cool.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews