Colors of Habitats

"An invitation to see and appreciate how 12 generic habitats exhibit distinctive color schemes. Konečná's painterly approach comes through strongly, as each spread features a populous array of finely brushed images of flora and fauna topped by a row of 12 large, labeled daubs that identify most of the hues found beneath--though not all of them, which rather vitiates the thesis. Within the crowded "polar regions" habitat, for instance, the artist uses seven different blues, three whites, and, visually adjacent to both, "frozen grass" and "winter breath," but warmer reds, browns, and yellows in both flora and fauna go unremarked. Also, in severe contrast to the sober, respectful tone of the art, the succinct narrative (in an uncredited translation from Czech) tends toward rhapsodic fancies more ludicrous than lyrical: "A-oo, taiga, the cold beauty of the North--we fall at your feet!"; "Fragrant oranges put their ears to the lips of olives." (Italicized words refer to depicted plants and animals.) Like the colors, the wildlife is all labeled...if in a florid cursive script that less-confident readers may struggle to decipher. Still, none of the highlighted colors (or at least their names, which are standard ones) are used more than once, and their very arrangement atop each spread offers lessons in color harmonies that are reinforced by a discussion and color wheel on the final pages. Thematically moot but likely to fascinate both budding painters and lovers of wild creatures and spaces. (Informational picture book. 7-10)" —Kirkus Reviews

"This is not a little children’s picture book, but one for children who are a mature age ten and up, and who have a real interest in art and prose poems. This is a beautiful and unusual guide for people interested in working in any kind of colors for drawing or painting subjects from nature. Twelve habitats are featured on a spread apiece: Polar regions, Taiga, Peatbog, Deciduous forest, Lake, Meadow, The Mediterranean, Coral reefs, Desert, Savannah, Rainforest, and Cave. Each spread has a dozen circles across the top showing the color palette used in that habitat. There is also a prose poem about the habitat and the flora and fauna living there, as well as many illustrations of the flora and fauna, many more than mentioned in the poem. In the back of the book, there is a spread with a color wheel and some instruction about how to combine colors, which are warm and cool colors, and how to look to nature for guidance in the use of color. This is a perfect book to engender experimentation in color and illustration for young people and even adults who are dipping their toes in drawing and painting." ―San Francisco Book Review

"The oversized Colors of Habitats is a lovely survey of world habitats and their colorful appearances, and will appeal to young naturalists with good reading skills who want to learn about different habitats and their inhabitants. Gorgeous colors throughout create eye-catching pages that invite leisure browsing as well as research, as these creatures and their worlds come to life. There are plenty of picture books on the market about habitats; but few offer the artistic and visual attraction of Colors of Habitats, which lends particularly well to attracting reluctant readers and whose who find superior visual displays essential for learning. Colors of Habitats is also ideal for inspiring budding artists!" ―Midwest Book Review, Children's Bookwatch

"The brand-new sequel to a well-reviewed bestseller that has been translated into fifteen languages, this time focused on bright colors and various habitats. Every habitat in the wide world has been painted by nature’s unique color palette. The frosty polar landscape glitters with blue-white tones, the jungle dances wildly in the colors of tropical fruits, and the grassy savannah silently hides in beige and khaki. Take a walk with us through the farthest places and discover colors that are connected to them. With our book, you’ll have them right in front of you! Throughout this colorful adventure, you will imagine all sorts of sounds, tastes, and smells. Can you hear the mud bubbling silently right in the middle of the bog? And do you feel the sun warming up every stone in the desert? We had better cool ourselves down in the ocean! And after a walk, whenever you want, you can learn to match colors as harmoniously as nature can." ―YA Books Central

"COLORS OF HABITATS is a beautifully illustrated oversized book of inspiration for artists. The book walks through different habitats from the artic to coral reefs to deserts. Each page spread gives a short poem about the habitat and features illustrations of different animals who live in each habitat with some background and a list of colors that are used in painting that habitat.
What I loved: This book would be fantastic inspiration for budding artists, with so many animals and beautiful illustrations. The diversity of habitats is great with lots to view and think about. For young painters, this would be a great guide to recreating the world around them. I appreciated that the animals are all labeled so that children can search for those they are particularly interested in, and the labeled colors at the top add to the fun and make a start towards creating a palette for each habitat. The poems on each page spread are cute.
What left me wanting more: It would be great to have partnered these gorgeous illustrations with more facts and information about each habitat so that it could have a broader audience, but it still makes a great tool for artists and coffee table style book. The font chosen is also a bit hard to read in places (it is the cursive used for "colors" on the cover), which is really curly with flourishes.
Final verdict: A gorgeously illustrated artistic guide, COLORS OF HABITATS features a diversity of habitats along with animals in each and key colors to use when creating artwork. Would recommend to budding artists looking for inspiration. " ―YA Books Central

"The beautiful painted illustrations of nature can help children learn where many colors come from. I love that the author is teaching not only colors, but animals and their habitats. Children may find this a soothing read for when they need to calm down. Animal-loving children and art-loving children should both enjoy this book." ―Jean Ladden, Librarian