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Mixed: A Colorful Story
The reds, the yellows, and the blues all think they're the best in this vibrant, thought-provoking picture book with a message of acceptance and unity.
In the beginning, there were three colors . . .
Reds,
Yellows,
and Blues.
All special in their own ways, all living in harmony--until one day, a Red says "Reds are the best!" and starts a color kerfuffle. When the colors decide to separate, is there anyting that can change their minds?
A Yellow, a Blue, and a never-before-seen color might just save the day in this inspiring book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences.
In the beginning, there were three colors . . .
Reds,
Yellows,
and Blues.
All special in their own ways, all living in harmony--until one day, a Red says "Reds are the best!" and starts a color kerfuffle. When the colors decide to separate, is there anyting that can change their minds?
A Yellow, a Blue, and a never-before-seen color might just save the day in this inspiring book about color, tolerance, and embracing differences.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2018
24 people are currently reading
1008 people want to read
About the author
Arree Chung
19 books113 followersArree Chung makes picture books but he didn’t always do so. Once he made spreadsheets all day long and he decided that he wanted to make pictures instead. Arree learned how to draw, paint and think a little bit differently at Art Center College of Design.
Arree is represented by Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content. http://www.rpcontent.com
Lots of cool stuff at: http://arree.com
Arree is represented by Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content. http://www.rpcontent.com
Lots of cool stuff at: http://arree.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 408 reviews
August 15, 2018
As a mixed race person, I continue to hate the idea that the way to solve racism is by having mixed raced kids.
April 11, 2019
Wonderful book that teaches young children tolerance of others who may be different!
March 21, 2021
Sorry, this doesn’t teach “tolerance,” it teaches the lie that race is real and rooted in biological difference! And does so in a way kids wouldn’t even realize it was doing that.
In reality (not the reality explored in this book, which reality is suspiciously similar to the one middle class white America likes to believe in), one group (the people who now call themselves “white”) invented race and used it for dominance by naming others “black,” and then white people named other groups following that. But the book misses all that, and ends up making it seem like racism is just natural, inevitable, and has equal consequences for all groups, none of which is true. The end of this book acts like fetishizing mixed bodies is somehow the solution, since it helps us all see how “we’re really all the same.”
It’s cute enough as a children’s story: why not take 10 minutes and create a narrative that actually speaks to the way race really works?
In reality (not the reality explored in this book, which reality is suspiciously similar to the one middle class white America likes to believe in), one group (the people who now call themselves “white”) invented race and used it for dominance by naming others “black,” and then white people named other groups following that. But the book misses all that, and ends up making it seem like racism is just natural, inevitable, and has equal consequences for all groups, none of which is true. The end of this book acts like fetishizing mixed bodies is somehow the solution, since it helps us all see how “we’re really all the same.”
It’s cute enough as a children’s story: why not take 10 minutes and create a narrative that actually speaks to the way race really works?
July 16, 2018
I dunno you guys. This book didn't really work for me. It's not a great color-concept book because it doesn't spend a lot of time on "yellow and red makes orange" etc and some of the color combos are just wrong like "green plus orange makes...green?" It also didn't really work for me as a diversity story because the story treats the blues, yellows and reds as if they were all treated equally. It'd work a little better if it was like "and then Red decided that it was the very best color and decided to oppress the other colors. It took blue away from it's homeland and forced it into years of slavery" Or is that too much for a children's picture book? Anyway, in the end it is fine. The illustrations are adorable. For preschool-age children.
July 5, 2018
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Our book today is Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung, a wonderful lesson in the importance of community diversity.
At first, there were only three colors: the Reds, the Yellows, and the Blues. The Reds were the loudest and most opinionated, the Yellows the brightest and most cheerful, and the Blues were the coolest by far. At first, they all lived in harmony, until a disagreement broke out about which color was the best. The negativity spread to every citizen in the city, and soon the colors had segregated themselves, building walls to keep those different from them out. But one day a very special Blue met a very special Yellow, and found that their differences complimented each other. Despite the disapproval of others, the two mixed together their lives, getting married and creating a new color: Green. She has a mix of her parents’ traits, and yet is a color all her own as well. The other colors begin to take notice, and realize that by reaching out, accepting, and loving those different from them, they are creating a stronger and infinitly more interesting world.
Wonderful! Creating a simple narrative to examine the causes and effects of prejudice, this story can help children to understand why diversity – not only of color, but also culture, ability, faith, gender, sexuality, etc. – helps communities to thrive and grow. The symbolism of the colors is easy to grasp yet still conveys the dangers of separatism with gravity. The text is lovely, honest yet hopeful; the length is great, and JJ loved identifying the colors and watching their world grow and change. A timeless story with timely applications, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!
(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
August 18, 2018
I was impressed with how the author approached a challenging topic with grace and humor and in such a relatable fashion. The use of primary colors--red, yellows, blues--painted with black India ink and acrylics makes the images stand out and the message very clear. I had to smile at how he characterizes Reds, Yellows, and Blues, each with their own personality attributes. Although the colors live right next to each other, eventually there's a conflict, and they decide to claim different parts of the city for their own. But when one Yellow and one Blue happen to meet, become friends, and marry, despite all the naysaying of others, they give birth to a Green. Others become fascinated by her, and they decide that maybe mixing it up might be a great idea. The neighborhoods become quite diverse, and life goes on it own colorful fashion. Obviously, this one can be read on its own merits, as an adorable picture book about colors, but also on a deeper level, as readers consider the diversity and possibilities around them. This is a clever and unusual approach that pushes against the idea of racial purity.
August 2, 2018
A concept book that is funny, delivers a satisfying message, and has loads of visual appeal. It’s kind of an origin story for non-primary colors! At first, Red, Yellow and Blue live in harmony, but then there is a rift. Luckily, for humanity and art, Blue and Yellow fall in love and have a baby, who is named Green. More colors mix, and more non-primary colors are born, with new names like Jade, Lavender and Amber. It’s such a clever idea to anthropomorphize the colors, and then have a solution for solving the problem of difference. I love the cute gender-indeterminate color characters and the delightful black and white world they live in, which is made so colorful by the mixing of their clans.
The only thing I didn't like about it was that the paper chosen for this picture book seems thin, and is transparent enough to show what’s on the reverse.
The only thing I didn't like about it was that the paper chosen for this picture book seems thin, and is transparent enough to show what’s on the reverse.
July 3, 2018
This book is so cute, simple, and powerful! Only downside, I wish I wrote it myself.
August 25, 2018
Such a wonderful book about diversity using colors!! Small children and adults will find the value in the book’s message!
March 4, 2019
In the beginning there were three colors. Red, yellow and blue all lived in perfect harmony. Reds were loud, yellows were bright and blues were just cool. When the three colors start to have conflict with each other, they decide to segregate. All the yellows have their own part of the city just like the reds and blues, no mixing allowed! That is until one day a yellow and blue fall in love, they don't let others ideas of mixing get in the way of them being together. Gradually more and more colors come to the realization that their colors should not separate them but should be widely celebrated with everyone! Soon their world is filled with all beautiful new colors such as violet and orange.
The theme of this story is acceptance. Our society has a history of segregation and even though that may be gone, racism still exists in our world today. This book is a good representation of the importance of accepting one another and celebrating all of the different colors in our world.
I enjoyed this book because of the different approach it took to our societies issues. I had seen many books about segregation/desegregation as well as books on race, but never one like this. Because the characters are not humans, it allows the reader to have a different view of seeing differences in others.
I would recommend this book to others because the message in this book is always going to be important for students to be exposed to. I think that because the characters are dots of color, students are drawn to this book and in turn are exposed to a moral that they may have not expected they would learn about.
The theme of this story is acceptance. Our society has a history of segregation and even though that may be gone, racism still exists in our world today. This book is a good representation of the importance of accepting one another and celebrating all of the different colors in our world.
I enjoyed this book because of the different approach it took to our societies issues. I had seen many books about segregation/desegregation as well as books on race, but never one like this. Because the characters are not humans, it allows the reader to have a different view of seeing differences in others.
I would recommend this book to others because the message in this book is always going to be important for students to be exposed to. I think that because the characters are dots of color, students are drawn to this book and in turn are exposed to a moral that they may have not expected they would learn about.
June 19, 2019
The Red, Yellows and Blues always got along, until the day that the Reds declared that they were better than the others, setting in motion a balkanization of the color world. Suddenly the different shades didn't want to mix, each one asserting its preeminence. Until the day, that is, that a Yellow and a Blue fell in love, got married, and produced Green - an entirely new color. The beauty and novelty of this new hue convinced the existing colors that mixing wasn't so bad, leading to a far more diverse, colorful city...
Mixed: A Colorful Story is the first picture-book from author/illustrator Arree Chung that I have read that isn't part of his Ninja! series, and overall I was favorably impressed. It's clear that the use of color here is allegorical - although I did run across one online reviewer that seemed to think it was an actual "concept book" meant to explains colors - and that the story is an exploration of race and racial prejudice. Read in this way, the message the story imparts, about each color having its own good qualities, and about the beauty produced when the colors mix, is a welcome one. The story itself is engaging, and the artwork appealing. All in all, this was a fun, low-key examination of the concepts of race and racism. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books that they can use to explore these issues with the children in their lives.
Mixed: A Colorful Story is the first picture-book from author/illustrator Arree Chung that I have read that isn't part of his Ninja! series, and overall I was favorably impressed. It's clear that the use of color here is allegorical - although I did run across one online reviewer that seemed to think it was an actual "concept book" meant to explains colors - and that the story is an exploration of race and racial prejudice. Read in this way, the message the story imparts, about each color having its own good qualities, and about the beauty produced when the colors mix, is a welcome one. The story itself is engaging, and the artwork appealing. All in all, this was a fun, low-key examination of the concepts of race and racism. Recommended to anyone looking for picture-books that they can use to explore these issues with the children in their lives.
August 13, 2018
This is a wonderful, fresh take on the usual colour mixing story. Even though I could predict that the colors would mix together, I didn’t realize it would happen in such a fun and visually exciting way. I really loved the way the author didn’t dumb down the text and used lovely words such as “vibrant” and “fascinated” and “possibilities.”
In a way, this reminded me of a modern take on Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches, but without the rhyming and the machine. (Maybe a good opportunity for comparing and contrasting themes?) I loved how the author drew attention to the feelings of the characters in different situations, through the text and the colours. There is lots to discuss here about friendship, community, inclusion and feelings.
In a way, this reminded me of a modern take on Dr. Seuss’s The Sneetches, but without the rhyming and the machine. (Maybe a good opportunity for comparing and contrasting themes?) I loved how the author drew attention to the feelings of the characters in different situations, through the text and the colours. There is lots to discuss here about friendship, community, inclusion and feelings.
August 8, 2018
I’m probably being overly critical, but I find this book to be problematic. I don’t like the oversimplification that “mixing” will solve all of our divisions--multiracial Americans continue to face racism and isolation. From an art perspective, I’d rather it was more explicit about how colors mixed and what they create. All that being said, my multiracial children loved it.
May 20, 2020
A great book all about accepting other who look different or come from different cultures. This book has a great community feel about it and sends the message that if we work together we become one bigger and stronger community. It can also teach children about mixing colours and have cross curricular links with principles in the art curriculum.
July 23, 2018
A young child’s first look at segregation and integration. Good for opening up discussions.
May 10, 2018
MIXED is a great new concept book that makes learning about colors fun for kids and adults! In the beginning there were three colors: Reds, Yellows, and Blues. Each of them had their own qualities and they lived in perfect harmony. One afternoon Reds decided to declare that they were the best color of all. This didn’t go well with the other colors and after that they decided to live separate lives and moved to different parts of the city. Then one day, Yellow and Blue started to hang out and become friends! They were inseparable. The other colors showed their disapproval, but in the end love prevailed and Blue and Yellow decided to MIX. The illustration for their MIX is their wedding day with family and friends. Together, they created a new color they named Green! Everyone loved Green so much that the other colors decided it was a good idea if they mixed too. In the end, there was a variety of happy colors living together and they filled the city with color.
This bright new picture book not only introduces the concept of color to kids, but it also has a powerful message about acceptance, tolerance, and respect for others. What a great new addition for your library to share with children!
This bright new picture book not only introduces the concept of color to kids, but it also has a powerful message about acceptance, tolerance, and respect for others. What a great new addition for your library to share with children!
September 9, 2020
Mixed: A Colorful Story is a wonderful picture book that deals with the topics of diversity and inclusion through the lens of color theory. It tells the story of three groups of primary colors-- the Reds, the Yellows, and the Blues-- who live together in color harmony until the day when a Red declares that Reds are the best. This causes the different colors to put up walls and fences and live in three separate areas of the city: Redville, Blue Town, and Yellow Heights. They stay segregated until a Blue befriends and eventually marries a Yellow. Soon Blue and Yellow have an adorable little baby named… wait for it… Green. It’s adorable. You’ll have to read it yourself to see what happens next.
Mixed is a fantastic book to read aloud to preschoolers and elementary-age children. Kids will enjoy the engaging story, the playful illustrations, and the unique lesson about mixing colors. Better yet, Mixed provides parents with the perfect opportunity to discuss diversity and inclusion with their children.
-John D.
Click here to find the book at Prince William Public Libraries.
Mixed is a fantastic book to read aloud to preschoolers and elementary-age children. Kids will enjoy the engaging story, the playful illustrations, and the unique lesson about mixing colors. Better yet, Mixed provides parents with the perfect opportunity to discuss diversity and inclusion with their children.
-John D.
Click here to find the book at Prince William Public Libraries.
September 4, 2018
Wow! The kids and I loved this book. The kids had huge smiles on their faces when we got to the end, and voted to give this book 5 stars.
I love how it is both a book about colors (and different colors you can get from mixing - yellow + blue = green) AND also a book that shows how beautiful life is when people choose to appreciate diversity and live peacefully together.
Highly recommend this one!
I love how it is both a book about colors (and different colors you can get from mixing - yellow + blue = green) AND also a book that shows how beautiful life is when people choose to appreciate diversity and live peacefully together.
Highly recommend this one!
October 11, 2017
Mixed is a must-have PB from @arreechung. Powerful message in simple picture book. Life lessons around acceptance, tolerance, respect for others. Masterful use of primary colors to illustrate the beauty of diversity and acceptance for all. Great book for difficult and necessary conversations esp in our scary world.
January 15, 2019
it's a sweet and simplistic story about different colors finding harmony through mixing. it's literally about color theory, but it's also obviously a story about segregation based on physical characteristics, with literal RBY color standing in for race, so i worry about planting the ~metaphorical~ seed that interracial relationships are a magic bullet to racism, y'know.
February 13, 2019
This is a great book to introduce diversity and discuss how and why people favor those who are like them... we read it this month to tie in with Black History month. My students picked up on that association without me mentioning it.
November 21, 2018
An absolutely adorable book, with a much deeper meaning you'd appreciate again, and again.
April 11, 2025
I think some of the reviewers are critical of the author for presenting segregation and racism in a way that lacks nuance. But the thing is the book is for preschoolers. So with that in mind, I think this is a wonderful little book with very fun illustrations that introduces the idea that some individuals think they’re better than others because of how they look. I don’t think the author is trying to communicate that interracial marriage is the silver bullet for racism. Maybe I am reading into it as a child of an interracial marriage, but I feel like the author’s focus is more on desegregation and the beauty of mixing ethnicities rather than how to generally fight racism. Overall, I found this book to have a very uplifting and encouraging message. If I had read this as a child I know it would have made me feel special. Good for the 3-6 crowd.
July 20, 2018
This book explores tolerance, discrimination, and segregation in a fun, accessible manner that will make an impact on kids and adults alike. The bravery of two dots to defy their community's segregation by color (red, blue, and yellow), results not only in the creation of a new color, but transforms their town into something amazing. The simplicity of the black and white town and the expressive faces and fun headgear of the dots bring these issues to a child's level without being condescending or preachy. It is a beautiful book about acceptance and individuality. One that should be a part of every library.
July 30, 2018
4 1/2 stars
Nobody is the best, but one day a Red announces that Reds are the best and starts the whole color war. Soon none of the colors are getting along; all of go their separate ways. Until, a small change happens! Sometimes that is all it takes, for one person to make a small step to take a big change.
This is a concept book about colors quite unlike any other that I've ever read, or maybe it is a book about something else entirely? You should read it for yourself and decide! I look forward to reading it to all sorts of different ages and seeing what they think.
Nobody is the best, but one day a Red announces that Reds are the best and starts the whole color war. Soon none of the colors are getting along; all of go their separate ways. Until, a small change happens! Sometimes that is all it takes, for one person to make a small step to take a big change.
This is a concept book about colors quite unlike any other that I've ever read, or maybe it is a book about something else entirely? You should read it for yourself and decide! I look forward to reading it to all sorts of different ages and seeing what they think.
September 2, 2018
A tale of three colors; red, yellow, and blue, who lived in harmony, until discord was caused to bring about isolation and separation. But one day a Yellow, and a Blue met, married, and had a Green, Soon discord was replaced by love, tolerance and the embracing of differences which led to other colors that mixed, and mixed, and mixed, until there were so many new colors, and a lot of new names.
March 7, 2019
This came across my desk at work as I was scanning in returned books and I just had to take a moment to read it. I'm biracial and it's rarely something I see in children's picture books.
I absolutely love this. It approaches a topic that normally comes with a lot of heavy history and as a result is often put off until a child grows up a bit more, and makes it fun, accessible, and easy to understand.
I definitely need to grab a copy of this for my niece's shelf.
I absolutely love this. It approaches a topic that normally comes with a lot of heavy history and as a result is often put off until a child grows up a bit more, and makes it fun, accessible, and easy to understand.
I definitely need to grab a copy of this for my niece's shelf.
July 13, 2018
Was reading this at #nerdcampMI and in the middle of reading it a teacher turned around to tell me that the boys in Thailand had all gotten out of the cave; I was reminded that there is potential for good in this world.
July 18, 2018
This book reminds me so much of Leo Lionni's classic book from 1959, "Little Blue and Little Yellow."
The timeless themes are reinvented using bold and humorous illustrations. A great way for children to learn about colors, while getting an introduction to inclusion and diversity.
The timeless themes are reinvented using bold and humorous illustrations. A great way for children to learn about colors, while getting an introduction to inclusion and diversity.
July 2, 2018
A book that can be used with a variety of ages and have different conversations about how we’re all special.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 408 reviews