German and UK Writers and UK Illustrator
Andrew Fusek Peters & Polly Peters, illustrated
by Karin Littlewood
The Colour Thief
Wayland 2014 $29.99hb 28pp
ISBN 978 0 7502 8052 5
Themes: Depression/ Family stories/ Fathers and Sons
The small boy who narrates this story has been
put in an intolerable position as he watches his father sink into a deep
depression and feels it is his entire fault. He describes how his father feels
all the colours in the world have gone and he draws a picture of his dad enclosed
in an ice-block. Eventually, after months of counselling, Dad returns to his
normal happy state and he and his little boy are back to enjoying life together
again. Were I buying for a school collection this would not be a book I would
put on the open picture book stands or boxes as I feel it needs a wise older
person to be on hand to answer the many questions it will generate. However, it
would be a wonderfully positive story to share with a child or family who was
in the same situation – just the return of the colours at the end is a cause
for feeling better. It would also fit comfortably in the Health Resources at a primary school. It is a book to share and take slowly.
Year 2 up/ Age 6 up (but shared with a dispassionate
adult)
