Lemons Are Not Red

Lemons are not Red. Apples are red. Lemons are yellow. . . . Clever cutouts in the pages make a simple, original, and utterly beguiling introduction to color. Laura Vaccaro Seeger, whose The Hidden Alphabet dazzled critics and readers alike, introduces young children to color in this unique concept book with die cuts. The opening spread features a big, bright red lemon and the simple text, "Lemons are not RED." When the spread is turned an equally bright yellow lemon appears ("Lemons are YELLOW") across from a luscious red apple ("Apples are RED"). And so it goes, from carrots that are not purple through reindeer that are not white, et al. The book ends with "The moon is not BLACK / The moon is SILVER / The night is BLACK / Good night! And the reader sees a tranquil night landscape and a house with the lights turned out.

Laura Vaccaro Seeger is an award-winning graphic artist whose work has appeared on numerous television programs. She lives on Long Island, New York

"This creatively designed volume combines an introduction to colors with a bedtime story"  --Booklist "Vaccaro once more delivers a compositionally faultless primer." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "The creator of The Hidden Alphabet (Roaring Brook, 2003) offers another visual treat.... Illustrated with richly colored yet simple oil paintings, this offering will delight preschoolers."--School Library Journal  "The heavy paper should stand up to multiple readings and pokings.... the colors and textures are nearly edible." --Horn Book "Seeger has done marvelous things with her brushwork, from impasto to shimmering smoothness...Clever, imaginative, and utterly beguiling."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Cleverly designed concept book uses brilliant colors and die-cuts."--2005 ALA Notable Book (American Library Association)  "Kids will adore righting the wrongs of carrots painted purple and flamingos gone gray."--Child Magazine Best Book of 2004 "Artfully placed and shaped die-cuts lead toddlers into an interactive world of bright colors."--New York Public Library Best Book for Giving and Sharing, 2004