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What Makes a Rainbow? Mini edition
A rainbow of ribbons magically appear when you open the pages of this innovative book! Toddlers will love listening to the charming story and seeing a different colored ribbon with the turn of each page. The last page is sure to delight with all the colors of the rainbow. What a fun way to learn colors!
14 pages, Board Book
First published February 1, 2000
19 people are currently reading
1009 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
January 4, 2020
This was read in Spanish to the kiddoes--- revista en inglés!
This was a cool library find. A bunny ponders what a rainbow is made of and momma Bunny suggests he ask his friends. All suggest the color they are. As you turn the page a new color ribbon joins the rainbow. That is the coolest part. And finally a full rainbow with all the colors appear at the end.
I tend to ask for translations on certain words and colors and they are getting better except the 2 little ones can't roll their 'R's. The middle will say velde instead of verde. At least they enjoy the challenge so far...
This was a cool library find. A bunny ponders what a rainbow is made of and momma Bunny suggests he ask his friends. All suggest the color they are. As you turn the page a new color ribbon joins the rainbow. That is the coolest part. And finally a full rainbow with all the colors appear at the end.
I tend to ask for translations on certain words and colors and they are getting better except the 2 little ones can't roll their 'R's. The middle will say velde instead of verde. At least they enjoy the challenge so far...
March 22, 2014
I gave this book 4 stars because the last page with the cardboard pop-up does not fit with the rest of the books quality and feel.
Betty Schwartz and Dona Turner have provided me with a wonderful tool for teaching colors. This story follows the white rabbit who is looking to learn the colors that make up a rainbow. Each page turn greets you with a different color and other creatures, flowers and plants that share it.
My favorite page is Orange... " "Mr. Fox, what makes a rainbow?" asked Little Rabbit. "ORANGE," said Mr.Fox, swishing his ORANGE tail. "You need Orange to make a rainbow."
Each page turn also includes a matching ribbon on the top. The first page is red, and there is a single red ribbon. The second page is orange and now there is a red and an orange ribbon. This continues through to purple, and the very last page has a pop up cardboard cutout of a rainbow. At least, I think so. It was ripped out almost immediately at our house! Personally, I liked the ribbons better anyway.
Betty Schwartz and Dona Turner have provided me with a wonderful tool for teaching colors. This story follows the white rabbit who is looking to learn the colors that make up a rainbow. Each page turn greets you with a different color and other creatures, flowers and plants that share it.
My favorite page is Orange... " "Mr. Fox, what makes a rainbow?" asked Little Rabbit. "ORANGE," said Mr.Fox, swishing his ORANGE tail. "You need Orange to make a rainbow."
Each page turn also includes a matching ribbon on the top. The first page is red, and there is a single red ribbon. The second page is orange and now there is a red and an orange ribbon. This continues through to purple, and the very last page has a pop up cardboard cutout of a rainbow. At least, I think so. It was ripped out almost immediately at our house! Personally, I liked the ribbons better anyway.
December 26, 2008
What Makes a Rainbow by Betty Ann Schwartz teaches children about colors and about the basic science of what causes a rainbow to appear and it does it in an engaging way.
A young bunny and his mother are caught in a summer rainstorm. The mother comments that soon there will be a rainbow and her child wants to know why she knows this. She tells him to ask all the other animals "what makes a rainbow?"
Each animal (appropriately colored) answers with a color starting from red and going through to purple. For each color, the page is illustrated in shades of that color so that the robin's page is mostly red: a red bird, a red flower and so forth. Besides seeing the different animals and colors, the child gets to help build a rainbow. At the top of the page there is a ribbon and with each new color comes a new ribbon so by purple, the entire rainbow is stretching across the top of the book.
Both my children love the book though it's more Harriet's favorite than Sean's. She likes naming the colors and the animals and of course the "magic ribbon" at the top.
A young bunny and his mother are caught in a summer rainstorm. The mother comments that soon there will be a rainbow and her child wants to know why she knows this. She tells him to ask all the other animals "what makes a rainbow?"
Each animal (appropriately colored) answers with a color starting from red and going through to purple. For each color, the page is illustrated in shades of that color so that the robin's page is mostly red: a red bird, a red flower and so forth. Besides seeing the different animals and colors, the child gets to help build a rainbow. At the top of the page there is a ribbon and with each new color comes a new ribbon so by purple, the entire rainbow is stretching across the top of the book.
Both my children love the book though it's more Harriet's favorite than Sean's. She likes naming the colors and the animals and of course the "magic ribbon" at the top.
December 30, 2019
I love this book as a baby I think you would love it too
February 26, 2021
Again another favorite of my child, I love this kind of books
February 18, 2018
Loved this book! Great for kids.
June 8, 2020
Lovely and interactive story. My daughter loved it.
March 25, 2024
A favorite color book for my son and I!
September 9, 2024
I love the ribbons! As you turn each page, a new colored ribbon appears, until you see the whole rainbow.
A sweet story, to learn the colors of the rainbow!
Very recommended!
A sweet story, to learn the colors of the rainbow!
Very recommended!
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January 31, 2018In this book the animals are building a rainbow. They are using all the colors of the rainbow one by one and building the story line. The book features pop out and colored ribbon connecting pages. The content is color themed and animals in the illustrations. I feel that this would be appropriate for infants through early childhood. It is an all around good read for early learning. The colors are bold along with the pop outs it would be interesting for a wider age group.
September 18, 2014
In What Makes A Rainbow by Betty Schwarts we learn about a little bunny curious about what makes a rainbow. The young bunnys' mom makes him go out and exploring to find the answer. He meets different animals along the way an they each give him the reason their color is a part of the rainbow. I won't say every single one but two examples are a fox for the color orange and a butterfly for the color purple. This is a cute way for children to learn the colors of the rainbow and learn about different things in nature as what their colors are. In the end, the bunnys' mom is content with what her child has learned and the bunny is happy to be full of new knowledge.
The thing that immediately drew me to this book was the interactive quality. There is a ribbon for every color and it opens when you open that colors page. For example, when you flip to the red page, a red ribbon crosses over the fold of the page. When you flip to orange, not only does the red continue, but the orange ribbon will appear. This visual element is fun for children who may not be able to read yet and gives them something to look forward to as you flip the page.
The last element I would like to touch on is the use of vibrant colors. The illustrator used an insane amount of color and to be honest the text barely shows up on the page. For example, on the purple page the author used black text and the illustrator chose to make the purple a deeper purple tone. I feel like this was done to emphasize the color over the text. More often than not, this book will be read by parents to children who cannot read yet. I would recommend this book and I feel like it is applicable to all age groups. It is a very fun and interactive way to learn the rainbow and it has a cute story to go along with it.
The thing that immediately drew me to this book was the interactive quality. There is a ribbon for every color and it opens when you open that colors page. For example, when you flip to the red page, a red ribbon crosses over the fold of the page. When you flip to orange, not only does the red continue, but the orange ribbon will appear. This visual element is fun for children who may not be able to read yet and gives them something to look forward to as you flip the page.
The last element I would like to touch on is the use of vibrant colors. The illustrator used an insane amount of color and to be honest the text barely shows up on the page. For example, on the purple page the author used black text and the illustrator chose to make the purple a deeper purple tone. I feel like this was done to emphasize the color over the text. More often than not, this book will be read by parents to children who cannot read yet. I would recommend this book and I feel like it is applicable to all age groups. It is a very fun and interactive way to learn the rainbow and it has a cute story to go along with it.
March 8, 2018
Summary:
What Makes a Rainbow is a story about a little rabbit who, one day after a rainstorm, asks her mother about what makes a rainbow. The mother rabbit responds by telling the little rabbit to go ask her friends. The little rabbit learns from her friends, who are each a different kind of animal, the different colors of the rainbow. By the end of the book, the little rabbit learns what makes a rainbow, not only colors, but also rain and sunshine.
Major Themes:
The major themes in this book include types of animals and different types of colors.
Star rating: 4
Personal Response:
This was one of my favorite books to read when I was younger. It is very easy to understand and has very colorful illustrations. Each page clearly portrays a specific color of the rainbow using different animals and objects to help engage children and increase their understanding.
Why do you recommend this book?
I would recommend this book because it is an easy, straightforward, and fun way to teach young children about different colors. This book includes a new ribbon that appears on each page, which makes the book more interactive and exciting for children. Additionally, this book not only teaches children about different colors, but it also incorporates different types of animals for them to learn about as well.
What Makes a Rainbow is a story about a little rabbit who, one day after a rainstorm, asks her mother about what makes a rainbow. The mother rabbit responds by telling the little rabbit to go ask her friends. The little rabbit learns from her friends, who are each a different kind of animal, the different colors of the rainbow. By the end of the book, the little rabbit learns what makes a rainbow, not only colors, but also rain and sunshine.
Major Themes:
The major themes in this book include types of animals and different types of colors.
Star rating: 4
Personal Response:
This was one of my favorite books to read when I was younger. It is very easy to understand and has very colorful illustrations. Each page clearly portrays a specific color of the rainbow using different animals and objects to help engage children and increase their understanding.
Why do you recommend this book?
I would recommend this book because it is an easy, straightforward, and fun way to teach young children about different colors. This book includes a new ribbon that appears on each page, which makes the book more interactive and exciting for children. Additionally, this book not only teaches children about different colors, but it also incorporates different types of animals for them to learn about as well.
August 23, 2018
As you can see from my profile picture, our family owns bunnies, including a white rabbit with a pink nose and pink inside her ears. So my girls love to pick out library books featuring bunnies, especially ones that look like ours.
In this board book, a young rabbit asks his mama what makes a rainbow, and she says to go ask his friends. Each friend is a different color, and on each page, a new colored ribbon is cleverly threaded through the pages to appear. In the end, all the colors appear together in a beautiful rainbow of ribbons. A pop-up rainbow is a nice surprise on the last page.
Yes, this is a board book but I find that sometimes the ones that tell an actual story are great for my emerging reader. She is young enough that they still can hold her interest, and she is old enough that she can start picking out sight words and learn some of the text herself because of all the visual prompts.
This is also a nice tactile book for younger readers, with the silky but sturdy ribbons in bright, cheerful colors.
In this board book, a young rabbit asks his mama what makes a rainbow, and she says to go ask his friends. Each friend is a different color, and on each page, a new colored ribbon is cleverly threaded through the pages to appear. In the end, all the colors appear together in a beautiful rainbow of ribbons. A pop-up rainbow is a nice surprise on the last page.
Yes, this is a board book but I find that sometimes the ones that tell an actual story are great for my emerging reader. She is young enough that they still can hold her interest, and she is old enough that she can start picking out sight words and learn some of the text herself because of all the visual prompts.
This is also a nice tactile book for younger readers, with the silky but sturdy ribbons in bright, cheerful colors.
January 27, 2019
Genre: Picture Book-Interactive Book
Awards: None
Audience: Ages PreK and lower
A. I know that this book is an interactive book because it has ribbons that pull out with every flip of the page. A new page introduces a new color of the rainbow, and a new color of a ribbon is added to match the rainbow.
B. Schwartz uses bright and fun rainbow colors throughout the book to enhance the points and meaning behind learning about a rainbow. Each page is a different color that goes along with the rainbow. This is fun and inviting for young children.
C. In my classroom I would read it to a whole class, but I would also keep it in the book area. I would read this to Pre K and lower to teach them about the colors.
D. Question: Name some things on a the...(name a color) page. Answer: Red- lady big, strawberry, a flower. Orange- fox, carrots, oranges. Yellow- baby chick, yellow flowers. Green- leaves, grasshopper. Blue- blue bird, bird bath. Purple- flowers, butterfly.
Awards: None
Audience: Ages PreK and lower
A. I know that this book is an interactive book because it has ribbons that pull out with every flip of the page. A new page introduces a new color of the rainbow, and a new color of a ribbon is added to match the rainbow.
B. Schwartz uses bright and fun rainbow colors throughout the book to enhance the points and meaning behind learning about a rainbow. Each page is a different color that goes along with the rainbow. This is fun and inviting for young children.
C. In my classroom I would read it to a whole class, but I would also keep it in the book area. I would read this to Pre K and lower to teach them about the colors.
D. Question: Name some things on a the...(name a color) page. Answer: Red- lady big, strawberry, a flower. Orange- fox, carrots, oranges. Yellow- baby chick, yellow flowers. Green- leaves, grasshopper. Blue- blue bird, bird bath. Purple- flowers, butterfly.
April 20, 2010
Okay, the ribbon thing really does seem like magic. And I imagine it's a good way to teach your kid colors -- right now it's more of an instructional device for our daughter to learn how to yank on loose objects.
But I enjoy reading the story to her. The first page, which sets the scene, runs a little long, and she usually opts to skip it.
After that you're into the narrative of a bunny asking his forest friends what comprises a rainbow. Not surprisingly, each animal seems to hype his or her own personal hue as essential, but the logician in me appreciates the phrasing:
"'ORANGE,' said Mr. Fox, swishing his ORANGE tail. You need ORANGE to make a rainbow."
I like how the fox (and the grasshopper, bluebird, et al) list their respective colors as *necessary* conditions for a rainbow, but not *sufficient* conditions.
But I enjoy reading the story to her. The first page, which sets the scene, runs a little long, and she usually opts to skip it.
After that you're into the narrative of a bunny asking his forest friends what comprises a rainbow. Not surprisingly, each animal seems to hype his or her own personal hue as essential, but the logician in me appreciates the phrasing:
"'ORANGE,' said Mr. Fox, swishing his ORANGE tail. You need ORANGE to make a rainbow."
I like how the fox (and the grasshopper, bluebird, et al) list their respective colors as *necessary* conditions for a rainbow, but not *sufficient* conditions.
March 28, 2015
I found this, I believe, at a library sale. Even though both kids (3 and 6) are kind of past cardboard books, I grabbed it immediately because bunny. Then I opened it, realized what I had, and immediately bought it.
I read it to them last night, along with another. They were both amused by the first red ribbon, then when I turned the page and another ribbon appeared, Allison gasped loudly. Since the first line on each page is, "What makes a rainbow?", and the kids are, you know, intelligent, they would immediately answer with the color of the new ribbon.
When we got to the end, the final pop-up, Allison spotted the sun element immediately, and it made the whole thing even better. She then asked for it to be read again.
Very, very successful. Such a great idea.
I read it to them last night, along with another. They were both amused by the first red ribbon, then when I turned the page and another ribbon appeared, Allison gasped loudly. Since the first line on each page is, "What makes a rainbow?", and the kids are, you know, intelligent, they would immediately answer with the color of the new ribbon.
When we got to the end, the final pop-up, Allison spotted the sun element immediately, and it made the whole thing even better. She then asked for it to be read again.
Very, very successful. Such a great idea.
March 14, 2020
Genre: Modern Fantasy
Grade Level: PreK-2
This is a really great book for children to learn about rainbows! I like how this book goes through each color in a rainbow in order, and how a ribbon is added for each color on each page. The illustrations are really great, and each page of the book is filled with the color of the rainbow that is being told about. I also like how the rabbit talks to different animals that are all the colors that go along with the rainbow, such as the red ladybug. I think this is a educational book for young children to not only learn the colors of the rainbow, but also to learn the colors and names of different animals. I like how the story ends with an illustration of the full rainbow and a review of each of the colors. Great book!
Grade Level: PreK-2
This is a really great book for children to learn about rainbows! I like how this book goes through each color in a rainbow in order, and how a ribbon is added for each color on each page. The illustrations are really great, and each page of the book is filled with the color of the rainbow that is being told about. I also like how the rabbit talks to different animals that are all the colors that go along with the rainbow, such as the red ladybug. I think this is a educational book for young children to not only learn the colors of the rainbow, but also to learn the colors and names of different animals. I like how the story ends with an illustration of the full rainbow and a review of each of the colors. Great book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2014
This book wasn't what I was expecting it to be. I opened the first page and thought it was so weird that there was a red ribbon that connected the two pages. Then I turned the page and gasped. I realized there was a ribbon rainbow! I love all of the rainbow colors together, so naturally I appreciated this book. I have never seen something like that in a book before, and it made me really happy. The story wasn't the best I had ever read, but to be honest I was paying more attention to the ribbon anyway.
March 10, 2013
What Makes a Rainbow illustrates, using threaded ribbons on each page, all the colors in a rainbow. The story follows little rabbit as he asks fellow animals what makes a rainbow. Each animal, of course, has a different answer. Preschoolers and toddlers enjoy this book and it is a great way to talk and reinforce learning about colors.
At the very end you have a rainbow. We really enjoy this book and it is an easy /fast read.
At the very end you have a rainbow. We really enjoy this book and it is an easy /fast read.
September 16, 2016
The little bunny is going around to his different animal friend to find out what colors make a rainbow. With each friend he goes to, a new color is added to the rainbow, by turning the page, a new colored ribbon is added to the page. Good for young children, around ages 2 years-1st grade between the information about weather, but also the sensory it contains.
Neat way to make the book come alive that will excite children each page turned.
Neat way to make the book come alive that will excite children each page turned.
September 7, 2015
This hardcover book with hard cover pages is a perfect way to teach children the colors of the rainbow. Each page clearly illustrates the individual colors of the rainbow. It would go along perfectly with the cute rainbow song that most children are taught growing up. It's a personal favorite because this book was given to me by the Easter Bunny.
March 6, 2016
A preschool teacher introduced me to this book, and I'm so glad she did. I absolutely love that it incorporates tangible ribbons for kids to visualize and understand each layer of the rainbow. The color scheme reinforces the concepts incredibly well on each page. If you are looking for a unique book gift to add to a little one's collection, this is it!
September 15, 2016
This book was fantastic and would be great for younger kids (ages 3-K). Because it involves bright colors and the interactive element of the ribbons, all kids would enjoy this. This is also a great book to use when introducing colors, animals, and other things a child may find outside.
I gave this a 5 star rating because I would definitely use this with my own children.
I gave this a 5 star rating because I would definitely use this with my own children.
August 16, 2017
What a cool book! The ribbons slowly form the colors of the rainbow as you turn each page. I read it to a group of kids who sometimes have trouble focusing. They were riveted (even after coming off of some scuffling and a crying jag). Plus, I personally just really enjoyed reading and experiencing it with them. I'll definitely be doing this one in storytimes again.
March 15, 2018
Love this book! What a BRILLIANT idea having a new ribbon of colour on each page. The wording is perfect. I love the repetition of the same sentences on every page and the way the colour is mentioned three times in capitol letters! I think this would really help kids learn their colours and to learn words as well. Plus added fun and beautiful ribbons.
October 1, 2018
This very clever picture book is great for learning colors! Each page that is turned a new color appears on the page! This interactive story is great for preschoolers and early elementary learning colors and the rainbow. At the very end there is a magical pop up suprise! My baby cousins absolutely love this book!
June 9, 2009
My daughter loves this book! My heart melted at B&N when she begged and begged for it, and the book has been well worth the money that I paid for it. She knows it by heart and loves to read it to her baby brother!
June 29, 2009
We got this book as a gift when our son was born. It is WONDERFUL!!! My 7 year old likes it as much as the 2 year old. The pictures and ribbons are so much fun. It is worth the purchase to have at home, if you have little kids. It is a great gift, too!
May 9, 2010
This is a fun and innovative book that incorporates a sequence of ribbons that together form the colors of the rainbow. It's a simple board book, fairly sturdy for multiple readings and is highly entertaining for young readers.
July 8, 2010
We got this one when my almost 4-yr-old was a baby. It has been one all of my kids love reading. Cute illustrations. The ribbon rainbow that you build through out is a lot of fun, too. A fun way to work on colors with your littles.
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