Becoming Blue
Written by Ellen Tarlow
Illustrated by Julien Chung
Published by Beach Lane Books / Simon & Schuster, 2022
“Blue wants to be Red. Red is exciting and funny and fascinating. She gets to fight fires and swing from trees and tell cars to STOP. But it turns out trying to be Red isn’t as fun, or as easy, as Blue thought it would be. What might happen if instead of trying to be like Red, Blue tried to just be Blue? Come along with Blue on his journey to self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love.”
Buy this book at your local bookstore or online:
You can also buy it from Ellen’s favorite local bookstore in Brooklyn, NY, Greenlight Bookstore or in Woodstock, NY at The Golden Notebook.
Awards:
Toronto Public Library First and Best Award: Best Picture Books for Under Five, 2022
Reviews
“This wonderful story on self-acceptance is about a blue square, aptly named Blue, who wants nothing more than to be like his friend Red..Becoming Blue is a delightfully fun book that all ages will enjoy reading together. Being different doesn't mean you cannot play with others; instead, it means using your differences to help each other out and even discover new things together. This story offers the perfect opportunity to talk about self-love and openly accepting others’ differences.”
Canadian Review of Materials (5 stars- highly recommended)
“A great message — one that readers will welcome and appreciate. Cute and reassuring. Kirkus
“Blue dreams of becoming Red only to find out how great it is to be himself in Ellen Tarlow’s thoughtful new picture book Becoming Blue. This is the type of picture book that will need no explanation but will open the door to more conversation. It brings emotional intelligence to the forefront without losing the fun and wonder.” Cracking the Cover
