The Boy Who Spoke Colors

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.

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.

Protective of their only child, Pavel and Jobina keep Felix wrapped in a multi-colored scarf, pieced together from Jobina's scraps. When the time comes for the youngster to learn to talk, however, "he opened his mouth to speak, and out came a puff of color instead." News of this unique talent reaches the greedy king, who locks Felix up in the castle and forces him to bottle up his various colors. The despondent lad is befriended by Katya, a servant girl, and together the two outwit the ruler, finally reuniting with Pavel and Jobina. Gifaldi deserves plaudits for his fresh and original concept--language taking visual form--but his narrative often becomes bogged down in lengthy descriptions and overblown language. ("The colors joined like strips of a wondrous garment and took flight, arching higher and higher to the very belly of the sky, then began their descent, spilling back to earth far to the west.") In Greger's picture-book debut, light-drenched watercolors exhibit a liquid fluidity, allowing color to spill across the page as it forms images. The ultimate effect, however, is too advanced--and even abstruse--for a picture book. Ages 7-10.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.