Follow the Yarn

A spirited black kitten plays with yarn to teach children colors in this work from author and illustrator Sper (What on Earth Can We Do?, 2016, etc.).

The radiant cover gives a preview of what this concept book contains: a black kitten, surrounded by 10 different colors of yarn, appears on a spare white background. When readers open the first two-page spread, the feline—almost entirely black, but with gray highlights to depict features such as ears and paws—tackles a red ball of yarn. The word “red” is the only text. On the second two-page spread, the red ball has left a yarn trail, and the kitten cuddles a yellow ball, his blue eyes small enough that they don’t distract from the “yellow” of the object. On each two-page spread, trails of the previous yarn cover part of the white background, joined by a new ball with its own strands; the only text is the new color word. By the time the animal reaches the sixth ball, the page begins to get crowded with colors, and the yarn starts to entangle the kitten as well as filling the page. But the intrepid feline never gets tied up, and the text color and the ball of yarn are always clear. On the final two-page spread, the background makes a dramatic shift; suddenly all the trails and the kitten, surrounded by a blue glow to reveal his position, are bright against a black background, as the animal bats a white ball of yarn. Beginning readers should have an easy time identifying color words because of the text’s isolation and the clear visual cues. Toddlers should be able to point to each color and its word, printed in the same hue it represents, to help learn the palette the book offers. Pet lovers and youngsters will likely be charmed by this wonderful work that remains simple to follow.

The tangle of yarn on each page makes this delightful volume feel more dynamic than many typical concept books, with the frisky feline an energetic guide.