Download high-resolution image Look inside
Listen to a clip from the audiobook
audio pause button
0:00
0:00

Blue

A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky

Illustrated by Daniel Minter
Look inside
Listen to a clip from the audiobook
audio pause button
0:00
0:00
Hardcover
$18.99 US
8.88"W x 11.31"H x 0.42"D  
On sale Feb 15, 2022 | 40 Pages | 9781984894366
Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile AD1060L | Fountas & Pinnell U

See Additional Formats
Discover a world of creativity and tradition in this fascinating picture book that explores the history and cultural significance of the color blue. From a critically acclaimed author and an award-winning illustrator comes a vivid, gorgeous book for readers of all ages.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR New York Public LibraryChicago Public Library Kirkus Reviews

For centuries, blue powders and dyes were some of the most sought-after materials in the world. Ancient Afghan painters ground mass quantities of sapphire rocks to use for their paints, while snails were harvested in Eurasia for the tiny amounts of blue that their bodies would release.
 
And then there was indigo, which was so valuable that American plantations grew it as a cash crop on the backs of African slaves. It wasn't until 1905, when Adolf von Baeyer created a chemical blue dye, that blue could be used for anything and everything--most notably that uniform of workers everywhere, blue jeans.

Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond's riveting text combined with stunning illustrations from Caldecott Honor Artist Daniel Minter, this vibrant and fascinating picture book follows one color's journey through time and across the world, as it becomes the blue we know today.
Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is the author of Blue which recieved numerous praise and accolades. It was named one of the best books of 2022 by NPR, The New York Public Library, The Chicago Public Library, and Kirkus Reviews, nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and won the Orbis Pictus award for nonfiction in 2023. She lives in California.

James E. Ransome’s highly acclaimed illustrations for Before She Was Harriet received the 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. His other award-winning titles include the Coretta Scott King winner The Creation; Coretta Scott King Honor Book Uncle Jed’s Barbershop; and Let My People Go, winner of the NAACP Image Award. He is also a recipient of the ALA Children’s Literature Legacy Award. James lives in New York’s Hudson River Valley region with his family. View titles by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
  • WINNER | 2022
    NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
  • AWARD
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2025
    Georgia Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2025
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2024
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • AWARD | 2024
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2023
    Texas Bluebonnet Master List
  • AWARD | 2022
    Chicago Public Library Best Books
"Sumptuous art that never stops surprising." —NPR

★ "Entrancing... A vibrant historical picture book that will leave readers curious about other colors." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Stunning and informative—and as profoundly rich as the color blue." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Brew-Hammond’s graceful prose and fluid organization, coupled with Minter’s emotive illustrations, set synapses firing." —The Bulletin, starred review

About

Discover a world of creativity and tradition in this fascinating picture book that explores the history and cultural significance of the color blue. From a critically acclaimed author and an award-winning illustrator comes a vivid, gorgeous book for readers of all ages.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR New York Public LibraryChicago Public Library Kirkus Reviews

For centuries, blue powders and dyes were some of the most sought-after materials in the world. Ancient Afghan painters ground mass quantities of sapphire rocks to use for their paints, while snails were harvested in Eurasia for the tiny amounts of blue that their bodies would release.
 
And then there was indigo, which was so valuable that American plantations grew it as a cash crop on the backs of African slaves. It wasn't until 1905, when Adolf von Baeyer created a chemical blue dye, that blue could be used for anything and everything--most notably that uniform of workers everywhere, blue jeans.

Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond's riveting text combined with stunning illustrations from Caldecott Honor Artist Daniel Minter, this vibrant and fascinating picture book follows one color's journey through time and across the world, as it becomes the blue we know today.

Author

Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond is the author of Blue which recieved numerous praise and accolades. It was named one of the best books of 2022 by NPR, The New York Public Library, The Chicago Public Library, and Kirkus Reviews, nominated for an NAACP Image Award, and won the Orbis Pictus award for nonfiction in 2023. She lives in California.

James E. Ransome’s highly acclaimed illustrations for Before She Was Harriet received the 2018 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. His other award-winning titles include the Coretta Scott King winner The Creation; Coretta Scott King Honor Book Uncle Jed’s Barbershop; and Let My People Go, winner of the NAACP Image Award. He is also a recipient of the ALA Children’s Literature Legacy Award. James lives in New York’s Hudson River Valley region with his family. View titles by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond

Awards

  • WINNER | 2022
    NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
  • AWARD
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2025
    Georgia Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2025
    New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2024
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • AWARD | 2024
    New Mexico Land of Enchantment Book Award
  • NOMINEE | 2023
    Texas Bluebonnet Master List
  • AWARD | 2022
    Chicago Public Library Best Books

Praise

"Sumptuous art that never stops surprising." —NPR

★ "Entrancing... A vibrant historical picture book that will leave readers curious about other colors." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ "Stunning and informative—and as profoundly rich as the color blue." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "Brew-Hammond’s graceful prose and fluid organization, coupled with Minter’s emotive illustrations, set synapses firing." —The Bulletin, starred review

Mental Health Awareness Month Resources

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and addressing student wellness and mental health is critical to help children learn how to manage emotions, develop healthy identities, empathize with peers, and pursue individual goals. We created thematic guides and book lists to help foster important conversations to build an inclusive environment where emotions matter. Explore our social emotional

Read more

Books for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Each May, we honor the stories, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Below is a selection of acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators to share with your students this month and throughout the year. AANHPI Creators – Elementary School titles  

Read more

Books for Black History Month

Join Penguin Random House in celebrating the contributions of Black authors, creators, and educators. In honor of Black History Month, we’re sharing stories that highlight Black history, excellence, and joy. Browse the elementary collection   Explore additional books by Black creators that will educate, empower, and inspire students in the classroom all year round:  

Read more

Celebrating Juneteenth

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce the freedom of the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in Texas. The newly freed Black Americans observed Juneteenth as a celebration of freedom and

Read more