THE BOY WHO SPOKE COLORS - Hardcover

Gifaldi, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395650259 ISBN 13: 9780395650257

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1993

Synopsis

Felix, a young boy who "speaks" in colors rather than in words, is kidnapped by an evil king who plans to use the boy for his own greedy purposes, and only Felix's magical gift can save him.

About this title

About the Author:

DAVID GIFALDI is the author of seven books for young readers, including TOBY SCUDDER, KING OF THE SCHOOL, which he based on his experiences as a classroom teacher. Mr. Gifaldi currently teaches fifth grade in Vancouver, Washington and is on the faculty of the MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults program at Vermont College. He and his wife, Marita, live in Portland, Oregon.

From School Library Journal:

Kindergarten-Grade 3-- Felix is born to poor but loving parents who accept his slow start in learning to talk. When he finally tries to speak, it comes out as mists of colors, and the king orders the boy to come to the castle so that he can bottle the hues and sell them. It is a lucrative business for the king, but a lonely one for Felix, whose only friend is a young serving girl. The two finally escape, only to be recaptured as Felix sees his parents. This leads to feelings of such joy and anger that Felix spouts out a huge rainbow of color. When the king and his men follow it for the gold at its end, they are blinded by their greed and fall into a ravine. This original tale has many elements of a traditional folktale, with the love and goodness of peasants triumphing over the greedy king. The text flows easily and could be used for storytelling. The illustrations have a mystical quality, combining the reality with the magic of the colorful mist. It is unfortunate that there are several double-page spreads of text without illustrations, which make the book difficult to read aloud to a group of children, and the text is too difficult for beginning readers. --Nancy A. Gifford, Schenectady County Public Library, NY
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0395650259
• ISBN 13: 9780395650257
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 28
• Illustrator: Greger C. Shana