What do you think?
Rate this book
Magic Colors
It's magic! With an eye-popping design and see-through pages to flip back and forth, these clever books introduce children to basic concepts in the most delightful way!
What happens when you mix two colors? Kids can find out the answer with this wonderfully tactile, imaginative, and interactive book. When they flip the see-through acetate over the different-colored pages, they'll see a transformation happen right in front of their very eyes as new colors and new pictures emerge!
What happens when you mix two colors? Kids can find out the answer with this wonderfully tactile, imaginative, and interactive book. When they flip the see-through acetate over the different-colored pages, they'll see a transformation happen right in front of their very eyes as new colors and new pictures emerge!
28 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2011
About the author
Patrick George
15 books6 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 2, 2020
This innovative book is simply and truly a wonderful and magical read! Young readers on their own or families together can flip the translucent pages to see a transformation happen right in front of their very eyes, as new colors and new pictures emerge. When you mix two colors, what will happen? Readers can find out the answer with this imaginative, interactive book. Each page turn engages with minimal text and colorful images in this innovative concept picture book for readers young and old.
If you enjoy this book, Magic Opposites is another title from this very creative author/illustrator that you may also want to read!
Suggested ages are 3 to 6.
Check this book out from the Villa Park Public Library!
If you enjoy this book, Magic Opposites is another title from this very creative author/illustrator that you may also want to read!
Suggested ages are 3 to 6.
Check this book out from the Villa Park Public Library!
July 22, 2018
Patrick George's acetate books are works of art that children love—and for autistic kids, who often get more out of a multi-sensory experience, they are a kind of nirvana. His books feature transparencies that reveal surprises as you flip the pages. The graphic art is bold, colorful, and appealing, and the visual trickery is endlessly joyful and fun to share with others.
I was lucky enough to interview Patrick for my blog, Line Up the Books, which explores picture books from the perspective of a parent of twins with autism. That interview includes a detailed discussion of "Magic Colors."
https://www.lineupthebooks.com/interv...
I was lucky enough to interview Patrick for my blog, Line Up the Books, which explores picture books from the perspective of a parent of twins with autism. That interview includes a detailed discussion of "Magic Colors."
https://www.lineupthebooks.com/interv...
January 13, 2021
This is a cool book for little kids learning colors.
August 23, 2022
An excellent book about colors and blending colors. The plastic pages fit each double spread so colors change on both sides.
Reviewed from a library copy.
Reviewed from a library copy.
April 7, 2023
Läpinäkyvillä kalvoilla pääsee leikkimään värien sekoittamista. Toimi kivasti 3-vuotiaalle.
July 2, 2016
This was another book that we grew to love. I was not enamoured with this book, at first. The pictures are very basic and story non-existent. In the end, that’s what made it great. It was simple and easy to work with in a variety of ways.
The magical thing about the book and why we keep coming back to it, is that each page has an initial illustration and then a plastic overlay that changes the picture using the mixture of colors. So, you’ll have a yellow sky and then an orange sunset or an ice cream cone and then a chocolate ice cream appears on top. The chocolate ice cream is Bug’s favorite. He leans over and pretends to lick it up every time.
The difficulty that could arise with Colours is confusion over the pictures since the plastic overlay must be used for two different pictures it can be a bit confusing on some pages for little ones. Each time we get to the page where the bird’s beak becomes the bunny’s ears, Bug looks at me with a slightly incredulous stare. It’s as if he’s saying, “You’re really pushing the limits of my imagination but I’ll play along… for now.”
It’s the overlays that keep him coming back to the book though. They’re unique and make the book more exotic than others we have and it’s easier for him to use. With a flap or pop up book with tabs, he has to find the tab and figure out which way it goes. That’s a lot of cognitive processing power for a little guy. With Colours he can simply turn the page to change the image. It’s simple and allows him to understand that he has the power and ability to shape the world around him. It boosts his imagination, as well. When it comes down to it, that’s what we really need some books to help teach children. Bug loves his Clours book and is already identifying pink, red, blue, green, yellow, brown, and white. I have no doubt that his love of the Colours helped influence this.
Story Tips:
- This is an excellent book to not read. In that you can “picture walk.” Start by describing the scene how it appears and how it changes with the overlay. “Wow, that bird is sitting on a white page all by himself. Now, he’s in a white cloud in a blue sky. I think he’s looking at the sheep at the page next to him.” Children, especially toddlers don’t really need to be asked questions about what they see. They’re asked those constantly. By modeling a narration, instead of an interrogation, of what they see on the pages you’re teaching and preventing crazy “Why?” phases from popping up later on. This also great in just everyday life.
The magical thing about the book and why we keep coming back to it, is that each page has an initial illustration and then a plastic overlay that changes the picture using the mixture of colors. So, you’ll have a yellow sky and then an orange sunset or an ice cream cone and then a chocolate ice cream appears on top. The chocolate ice cream is Bug’s favorite. He leans over and pretends to lick it up every time.
The difficulty that could arise with Colours is confusion over the pictures since the plastic overlay must be used for two different pictures it can be a bit confusing on some pages for little ones. Each time we get to the page where the bird’s beak becomes the bunny’s ears, Bug looks at me with a slightly incredulous stare. It’s as if he’s saying, “You’re really pushing the limits of my imagination but I’ll play along… for now.”
It’s the overlays that keep him coming back to the book though. They’re unique and make the book more exotic than others we have and it’s easier for him to use. With a flap or pop up book with tabs, he has to find the tab and figure out which way it goes. That’s a lot of cognitive processing power for a little guy. With Colours he can simply turn the page to change the image. It’s simple and allows him to understand that he has the power and ability to shape the world around him. It boosts his imagination, as well. When it comes down to it, that’s what we really need some books to help teach children. Bug loves his Clours book and is already identifying pink, red, blue, green, yellow, brown, and white. I have no doubt that his love of the Colours helped influence this.
Story Tips:
- This is an excellent book to not read. In that you can “picture walk.” Start by describing the scene how it appears and how it changes with the overlay. “Wow, that bird is sitting on a white page all by himself. Now, he’s in a white cloud in a blue sky. I think he’s looking at the sheep at the page next to him.” Children, especially toddlers don’t really need to be asked questions about what they see. They’re asked those constantly. By modeling a narration, instead of an interrogation, of what they see on the pages you’re teaching and preventing crazy “Why?” phases from popping up later on. This also great in just everyday life.
October 29, 2014
I thought Magic Colors was creative. It has lots of pages with lots of images that have the words describing what is on the page but is not complete by themselves. Inbetween each two pages is a clear sheet that has a colored item on it but alone is not complete either but when placed on top of one of the two pages it completes that image. For example one page is fully orange with four black circles. It says brown bear at the bottom. When the clear sheet is placed on top the colored part on the clear sheet which in this case is a clear green, it forms the head of a brown bear. Green from the clear sheet and the orange from the page with black circles create the brown bear. Now the next page is a full yellow sheet with black circles. Alone it doesn't form the image of the green frog which is listed at the bottom of the page, but when the clear sheet with a green iamge is placed on top it forms a green frog.
It is fun to see what is being created. I loved the vibrant primary colors used throughout the book. Circles and rounded edges were dominant on on all pages. The illustrator said that the illustrations were created digitally. The end pages were black with colored raindrops. I believe that symbolized colors were coming together to create new colors. I would recommend this book to anyone not just small children.
It is fun to see what is being created. I loved the vibrant primary colors used throughout the book. Circles and rounded edges were dominant on on all pages. The illustrator said that the illustrations were created digitally. The end pages were black with colored raindrops. I believe that symbolized colors were coming together to create new colors. I would recommend this book to anyone not just small children.
December 19, 2013
Interesting concept at work here: transparencies convert the color to create the intended artwork. Not all of the pages work really well, though the spread with the brown/green leaves and the green/purple grapes make the book worth reading.
Turning the pages is mildly frustrating as they stick together a bit, but the creative approach to color and the use of simple shapes to create the artwork is pretty neat. PreK-2.
Turning the pages is mildly frustrating as they stick together a bit, but the creative approach to color and the use of simple shapes to create the artwork is pretty neat. PreK-2.
November 4, 2021
Colored images on transparent plastic pages change the colors and shapes of things on the pages to either side of them. This book shows color blending to make not only green, orange and purple, but also many ways to make brown. This is a great and fun book to use with such books as "Mouse Paint" by Ellen Stoll Walsh and "The Color Kittens" by Margaret Wise Brown when introducing color blending to young children.
February 4, 2014
Super cool book that allows kids to experiment with color mixing and change one picture into something new with the flip of a page. Downside? The color pages are likely to be quickly damaged/destroyed by grasping, gripping, tearing little hands. But it'll be fun while it lasts. It really does seem like magic.
November 13, 2014
I really loved the concept of this book, but I did struggle with the fact that for it to make sense, you have to read the right page first and then turn the transparency to read the left page so the color/object is correct. But I think I would still use this in storytime because it's just so cool. And I don't know how you could change that issue.
February 15, 2012
Fun & very, very clever.
July 26, 2016
This is a VERY cool book. It's creative and a good way to teach kids about color mixing.
February 18, 2015
Like magic, new colors and pictures emerge when children flip the see-through acetate over the pages. A most delightful way to learn basic concepts. (reviewer #7)
May 19, 2014
Fun color concept book!
June 14, 2014
Very simple yet clever book. Only two words per page describing the picture. The fun is in flipping the tinted plastic pages to reveal the images.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews