I Am a Rainbow

by Dolly Parton, Heather Sheffield (Illustrator)

Have you ever been tickled pink? Green with envy? Or just plain blue? Well, it?s good to know that we all have a rainbow of feelings inside. Beloved music legend Dolly Parton provides children with a fun way to talk about their feelings in this colorful, upbeat picture book. And by understanding their own feelings, they can learn to respect the feelings of others. I Am a Rainbow will encourage children of all ages to acknowledge their feelings and take control.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Emotion, Kids, Storytime, Nonfiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Dolly Rebecca Parton is a Grammy Award-winning country music singer/songwriter, author, actress and philanthropist. To date, she remains one of the most successful country artists, with 25 number-one singles (a record for a female performer) and 42 top-10 country albums (more than anyone else).

She is known for her distinctive mountain soprano, sometimes bawdy humor, flamboyant dress sense, and her voluptuous figure.

Reviews

[Donovan · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of my least favorite books ever that I have had to read to my two-year-old daughter a hundred times. She loves it because it has rainbows and kids and rhymes. But the rhymes are terrible and awkwardly forced. The illustrations are rough and amateur at best. And the point of the book is vague: the obvious and literal idea that we have many diverse emotions which fall on the figurative spectrum of the rainbow (red angry, blue sad), we need to be kind, we need to be in control of our emotions. I’m just not sure. Too many ideas are thrown out but none seems to stick.

[MARB · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am counting this as my read aloud for Book Riot this year (even though I read aloud "professionally") . The illustrations leave a lot to be desired, but the message about feelings is one I am comfortable sharing with the kiddos. Also - life goal of incorporating Dolly Parton into storytime met!

[Misty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this as more a 3.5. It was cute with vibrant illustrations, and it had a nice message, but what knocked it back from being a four was the didactic quality and some of the rhyming. I know that simple rhymes are good for small kids; they can remember them and feel like they are reading the book themselves. However, I feel like there are still standards, and I hate forced rhymes. I f you are going to write a rhyming book, I expect them to be clever and well done. If they are forced, I want to put it down. As I said, I can let this slide somewhat in a kid's book, but I still had to take it into account when rating this. Though I must say, I was very pleased to be reading a book by Dolly Parton!

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read about Dolly's book on her Imagination Library website. First let me say that Imagination Library is a great idea for getting books into the hands of children who might otherwise not have them.

I think the concept of this book is exciting. Tickled pink, green with envy, feeling blue. However, I was really disappointed in the execution, which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 3. The rhymes seemed awkward for someone with such great song-writing skills. And I am not a fan of those cartooney illustrations.

(Sigh!) I was hoping for something much better.

[Megan Denney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a Rainbow is a book that is about girls and boys being made up of different colors and the emotions that come along with them. Similes are provided as the author shows examples of times that the reader would feel this emotion. An example in the book is on the blue emotion page the text tells the reader that your mom may tell you time out and you start to feel sad, bored and maybe even blue. The book ends my reminding readers to be mindful because everyone has feelings.

I would keep this book in my library because of the lesson that this book will be able to give to young readers. It has fun, vibrant colors that will keep them interested, but also is good for young readers learning colors as well.

A teaching point for this book would be for students to make connections to feelings to the different colors. After reading the story, students could write about what color they are feeling right then or a color that they have felt.

[Rosita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy this book it has vibrant illustrations. It was upbeat picture book provide a a simple approach for talking about feelings. It will encourage children at early age to adults to acknowledge their feelings. I rate this book at five. It was so happy spirit this book can be use for social emotional behavior to set a child to smile again.


Learning Experience: make different colors of circles with face express on them. Blue circle with a sad face, red circle with an angry face, yellow circel with an exciting face and etc. This is can be an one-to-one activity and a small group activity that the children can interact each other as each child can act out the face on their own.

[Mindy Michaelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really disappointed in this book. The rhymes were forced, the illustrations lacked effort and looked like they had been drawn in Microsoft Office paint. I appreciate the idea of encouraging children to share emotions and labeling them, but saying that we are all rainbows because we have feelings is lame. My children were bored with this story. I usually like Dolly Parton's books, and certainly love her Imagination Library, but this was a weak attempt at writing. I suspect it was only published because Parton herself wrote it.

[Rosa Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dolly Parton does a really good job at explaining to the children (on their level) how you can feel all sorts of emotions and how they go with the colors of the rainbow. Red for anger, green for jealousy, etc. But in the end she also explains that sometimes we can't control how we feel but we can control how we react and act. A really well done book to help explain to little ones emotions and how we need to be aware of them.

[Maggie Mattmiller · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I probably won't use this with my students because it doesn't match our mood meter colors, I like the idea of this one a lot. This stresses what I stress, that while all feelings/emotions are okay and do happen, our actions/behaviors are not always ok. And while we remember that we feel all these things, we must remember that others do as well. Really sweet, idea. Could also be used with a lesson on idioms with colors (tickled pink, green with envy, etc.)

[Zainab · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IT CHANGED MY LIFE

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and simple book teaching children about feelings through the use of colors. Be a rainbow and shine for others and realize that everyone is going through something. A sweet message of love and tolerance.

[Cheyenne Baril · Rating 4 out of 5]

We got this book in the mail from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and we love it! This book allows my daughter to learn not only colors but different feelings as well and connects them. We read this book about seven times in a row!

[raccoon reader]

Awww.... Dolly is the best 🌈💓🧡💛💚💙💜💗

[Patrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another sweet book by Dolly Parton explaining feelings and how children can learn to express them.

[Olivia S · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay, nothing too exciting, the rhyme was sometimes a stretch.

[Shaquita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading Dolly Parton's, I am a Rainbow. This book is a good book to read to children because it teaches children a new way of expressing their feelings. I liked how the book uses colors to express; I also think children will love to know that colors can also be used to feelings. Instead of a child just saying, "I'm sad," he or she can say, "I'm feeling blue." This book is also full of other fun and descriptive words that children can learn. The pictures were also vibrant and full of details. I think children will have as much fun as I did myself reading this book.

Learning Experience: I will hand out colorful moody puppets, and while I am reading the book the children can hold up their puppets when they hear their part and say, "I am tickled pink (or whatever the color and feeling may be)." After reading the book we can discuss the different feelings talked about in the book. We will also discuss all the different feelings we can feel and how we can our colors to describe our feelings.

[Josh Kittleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that we received from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. my boys have read this book many many times and we love going through each of the colors and the emotions that they represent. any book that helps children recognize and identify their feelings is worth the money in my opinion. Some of the rhyming is contrived, but that is to be expected with a book like this. Overall my son gave this book 5 stars.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I should have guessed that a woman who created a generous child-lit centered non-profit would create a sweet, entertaining, and lesson-filled book. My toddler loved the colors, and as she grows, the lessons about feelings and actions will certainly seep in more and more. The computer-generated illustrations are disappointing; I wish the illustrations were more appealing. An Imagination Library book.

[Miss Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dolly Parton!! She is amazing as a songwriter & performer, and she's doing a bang-up job of being a good person, too. This book on emotions is just another foray into her creativity.

Connecting commonly used color-emotion connections, she paints a rainbow of emotions for each of us. It can be extremely helpful to show a kid that feeling all of these things is natural!

Also, for some reason, the simple line and solid color illustrations remind me of Schoolhouse Rock. This is a good thing. :-)

[Moore, Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book “I Am a Rainbow” by Dolly Parton is classified as fictional book, targeting ages between 3 to age 5. The illustrations are rainbow colorful. The story is in a sing-song rhyme format with an inspiring message that encourages children to act through love no matter how they’re feeling. This book is a good social/emotional companion for teaching children about different emotions and that we all experience the same rainbow of emotions.

[Ten_zillions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again, who knew that Dolly Parton wrote books?! I had no idea until now. This is a great and colorful book with a beautiful message. I love how the book uses the colors of the rainbow to teach various feelings giving children permission to express themselves. A teacher could simultaneously teach children about colors and various feelings. It also teaches children a new way to express or associate their emotions through color. This book would be appropriate for preschoolers and up.

[Audra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Dolly Parton - it would be my dream come true to have lunch with her! I wasn't sure my daughters would love the book - some of the rhyming seems a bit off. But they loved it! They loved the colors with the moods and act out each page. They turn to this book again and again - so for 2 small girls - it is amazing - the "wainbow bwook"!

[Shanaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows colors feelings and emotions. I like how she gave an example of what may possibly cause the feeling. The best part of the book in my opinion was when she said "Its not always up to you, the way that you feel. But how you act is a different deal."


make a rainbow of feelings using words or pictures

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about emotions and shows children that we can have a rainbow of emotions. It teaches children about the different emotions that they may feel while using different colors to help explain the emotion. This is a good book for teaching children about emotions and has really good illustrations.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dolly's book is terrific! It teaches children (and reminds adults) that people come in all different shades and with all sorts of different feelings. It is an entertaining read and a fun way to teach about emotions and diversity without being the least bit preachy! Teaches colors, rhyming and feelings. Bright and fun colorful book!

[Maliha Arman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very sweet and to the point. The children can relate to some of the actions in the book. This book expresses feelings and emotions and relates it to the color of the rainbow. Teachers can relate activities to this book by having colors within the classroom and allow the children to go to a color when they feel a certain way.

[Sue Pak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Talks about different colors and emotions.

Each child has a color of their own, so they can relate to it.
There are words that rhymes with the colors.

Lesson on colors. Appropriate for Kindergarten.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book to show that everyone is similar and that we all feel different things. It is also a great way to provide an additional method for children to express themselves. Definitely one to include in Early Childhood classrooms.

[Siskiyou-Suzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book makes no sense. It starts with the theme of a rainbow, smashes it into the theme of emotions, mixes them up erratically and then dumps them haphazardly onto the skeleton of cliches that make up the writing.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. It is one of my daughters favorite books, she likes the bright colors. I also like how it describes feelings, and teaches kids how to handle them.