Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy

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Young Readers 4 to 8 years

Illustrated by Ekua Holmes

“Joy’s words and Holmes’s art are a perfect pairing where the verse is as vivid as the paints and collage. Children (and parents) of all colors will be rereading this one plenty.” —Washington Post, "Best Books of 2020"

A child reflects on the meaning of being Black in this moving and powerful anthem about a people, a culture, a history, and a legacy that lives on.

Red is a rainbow color.
Green sits next to blue.
Yellow, orange, violet, indigo,
They are rainbow colors, too, but

My color is black . . .
And there’s no BLACK in rainbows.


From the wheels of a bicycle to the robe on Thurgood Marshall's back, Black surrounds our lives. It is a color to simply describe some of our favorite things, but it also evokes a deeper sentiment about the incredible people who helped change the world and a community that continues to grow and thrive.

Stunningly illustrated by Caldecott Honoree and Coretta Scott King Award winner Ekua Holmes, 
Black Is a Rainbow Color is a sweeping celebration told through debut author Angela Joy’s rhythmically captivating and unforgettable words.

Hardcover book

Roaring Book Press, 2020

Awards:

An ALSC Notable Children's Book 2021
An NCTE 2021 Notable Poetry Book
A 2021 Notable Social Studies Trade Book of the NCSS/CBC
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2020

Washington Post Best Book of 2020
Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
A 2020 Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honoree