The Blue Velvet Chair

by Rio Cortez, Aaron Marin (illustrator)

A young girl contemplates the passing of time and changing of seasons as she looks out on the world from her favorite chair in this heartwarming picture book by award-winning poet and New York Times bestselling author Rio Cortez.

In the morning, a young child opens her eyes, and, after one biiiiig streeeeetch, heads straight for her favorite place in the the blue velvet chair. Perched from the chair set by the living room window, the child daydreams about each season of the year and the changes that come with them. A now-snowy roof was once pelted by the slick rain of spring showers. Icy windows will once again transform into conveyors of sunshine and warmth against her skin.

And just as the seasons change, the child will continue to change too. But one thing will always remain the the coziness of the blue velvet chair.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, African American, Juvenile, Family, Kids

40 pages, Hardcover

Published August 19, 2025

About the author

Rio Cortez is the New York Times bestselling author of picture books The ABCs of Black History (Workman, 2020) and The River Is My Sea (S&S, 2024). Her debut poetry collection, Golden Ax, is forthcoming from Penguin Poets this August, 2022.

Reviews

[Kate Willis]

Such a cozy book embracing life's changes! 🧡 The art style is absolutely gorgeous!

I picked it up because it reminded me of a book I read when I was a young child about a big overstuffed chair a family saves up to buy. I barely remember that book, but I'm glad it led me to this one.

[Ms. Yingling]

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

A young girl has a comforting routine in her upper floor, urban apartment. There is a comfortable blue velvet chair near a window that overlooks the street, and she enjoys sitting there and watching the changing scenery. Sometimes, it is snowy and cold, and she can draw in the condensation on the window. She and her mother talk about time, and how we not only tell it with clocks, but also pencil marks denoting height. The girl sees the seasons change from rainy to springlike, and sees people and pets on neighboring roofs when it is hot out. She loves autumn best, with its colorful leaves. At bedtime she thinks about all of the wonderful ways that the world might be changed tomorrow.

While adults have seen so many seasons come and go that it barely registered, changing seasons are a big deal for children. Favorite summer clothes are outgrown, and each new flower or falling leaf is a little bit of a surprise. I love that the girl is actively investigating her environment and taking note of how things are different every day. Her mother discussing the concept of time with her is brilliant as well. Even though so much changes, it is good for her to have something that is constant, like the clzy blue velvet chair. She doesn't need to know yet what lots of years will do to the upholstery!

The illustrations are bold and bright, and do a good job of capturing the changes in the world around the girl. It's interesting to see what can be seen from one particular vantage point, and the window is a nice frame through which to view all of the different seasons and activities.

Taking not of the day, season, and weather is a critical skill that kindergartners need to master, so this book would be a good morning choice before starting the day. Pair this with Meisel's My Happy Year, Deng's A Song of the Seasons, Mettler's A Year in Nature: Explore the Countryside, Month by Month, or Toht's lovely Together With You.

[Morgan]

As a new day goes by, a girl remembers watching the shifting seasons through the window from her favorite chair. While both she and the world change, her blue velvet chair remains a constant in her life as this sweet story unfolds. The vibrant illustrations are full of childlike joy.

[Susan]

This sweet story invokes such a cozy feeling. The big, bold, brightly colored illustrations, along with the charming narrative, invite you into the story and help you imagine the sights, sounds and emotions of a city as it immerses you in the little girl’s world.

Every morning when a little girl wakes up, she hurries to her big blue velvet chair in front of her window to the world. She sees the city out that window, sees the seasons change and time go by. Her mama measures time with the clocks on the wall and how much her little girl has grown, but the little girl measures time by what she sees out the window.

[A. Wynter]

The Blue Velvet Chair is a sweet and comforting story that reminds us to slow down and appreciate each season of life.

What I enjoyed most was how gently the story encourages readers to embrace the passage of time instead of rushing through it. Each season has something to offer, and this book beautifully illustrates the joy of watching life unfold one moment at a time.

Although it’s written for children, the message is timeless. It’s a lovely reminder that there is beauty in every stage of life if we take the time to notice it.

I would recommend this book to readers of all ages who enjoy quiet, thoughtful stories with meaningful life lessons.

☕ Tea Pairing: Strawberry + Sweet Tangerine

[Rachel]

Color ST, Season ST. A child notices how the world changes out the window of their apartment when they sit in a blue velvet chair. It discusses the seasons and the various things they see at different parts of the year. Cute pictures that are big bold and very colorful. Also discusses color several times in the items the kid sees.

[Shanna]

A little girl goes to a blue, velvet chair and looks out the window. Each day, she notices new things. The seasons change from winter to spring to summer and fall. She notices that she is growing too. Everything is changing in the world around her every day. This book is so calming. I love the illustrations, which remind me of Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day.

Mia’s 3rd Year of Books: Day 111

[Jennifer]

A sweet story of a young child and her view of the world from her apartment window high in the sky through the changing seasons. The blue velvet chair is the constant in her life that grounds her. Colorful illustrations with interesting details. Love the satellite dishes on the rooftops!

[Caroline]

A quiet picture book about noticing the change in time and seasons and life all from one room in an apartment. The illustrations are rich and full of color. I like this one, but it might be more appealing to adults than children.

[Jennifer]

A young girl gets up everyday and climbs into her blue velvet chair to look out the window. She notices all the weather and changing of the seasons as time pass. A decent, but not outstanding, group read aloud.

[Skylar Temple]

This is a heartfelt book about a young girl discovering her family's history through stories connected to a special chair. It is poetic and has lively illustrations that connect to the theme of the story.

[Victoria M. Sanchez]

Time as a tangible sense.

[Viviana]

"I've rested my forehead against the glass and felt its warm." ..idk if it's being cute with language on purpose or not..That's the only thing I saw that was weird or unedited
..

[Miss Sarah]

A young child loves climbing up on a chair to look out the window. Preschool and up

[Amber]

Preschool and school-age

[Angie Quantrell]

Fun read!

[Lillian]

strange

[Alyssa Mandell]

A warm fuzzy book about a little girl and how she observes the world from her apartment with her family. Best as a one-on-one story.