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Of Colors and Things: A Fun Photographic Concept Book for Kids (Ages 4-8) About the World
What are the colors of your world? Where do you see these colors? Have you seen them anywhere else? Join Tana Hoban for hours of fun and colorful investigations.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 25, 2012
Of Colors and Things
By: Tana Hoban
Hoban , T. (1996). Of colors and things. (8th ed.). New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
1.Concept Picture Book
2.This book is a concept book about colors. It shows various pictures of multiple familiar items and their colors.
3.Color
b. This book has a good variety of color. The book is also very cool because each page is broken into four sections of different recognizable objects that are the given color. Children would love to be able to recognize these items as well as learning their colors. Along with each color page, the author show three pictures of the given color along with a multi colored item to had a splash and help the child to almost assess themselves throughout the book as the learn the concept of color.
c. Color is obviously on every page of the book. One of my favorite pages is on page is the yellow page that contains a picture of a yellow duck, balloon and flower. Then on the fourth picture it is of a red bag with green, yellow and red jelly beans coming out of it. This is a great way to learn the color yellow as well as practicing identifying some of the other colors on that fourth picture.
4. This book would be excellent in the classroom for young readers and students who may be learning the concept of color. A great assignment can also be stemmed off of this book for the student s to create their own color page with pictures of objects that come in all one color.
By: Tana Hoban
Hoban , T. (1996). Of colors and things. (8th ed.). New York, NY: Greenwillow Books.
1.Concept Picture Book
2.This book is a concept book about colors. It shows various pictures of multiple familiar items and their colors.
3.Color
b. This book has a good variety of color. The book is also very cool because each page is broken into four sections of different recognizable objects that are the given color. Children would love to be able to recognize these items as well as learning their colors. Along with each color page, the author show three pictures of the given color along with a multi colored item to had a splash and help the child to almost assess themselves throughout the book as the learn the concept of color.
c. Color is obviously on every page of the book. One of my favorite pages is on page is the yellow page that contains a picture of a yellow duck, balloon and flower. Then on the fourth picture it is of a red bag with green, yellow and red jelly beans coming out of it. This is a great way to learn the color yellow as well as practicing identifying some of the other colors on that fourth picture.
4. This book would be excellent in the classroom for young readers and students who may be learning the concept of color. A great assignment can also be stemmed off of this book for the student s to create their own color page with pictures of objects that come in all one color.
October 6, 2012
1. Genre: Concept (Colors)
2. This book accurately demonstrates the colors of various objects that children will recognize.
3. A. Area for comment: Color
B. Although Hoban's use of color portrays a variety of everyday objects, I found it lacking in that she used some of the same colors more than once and fails to use some basic colors to describe objects. It is brilliant that she includes other colors to encourage the reader to turn the page to see what color is next.
C. Hoban neglects to use the colors purple and pink anywhere in the book. Likewise Hoban uses the colors yellow, red, green, orange, blue, brown, grey, and black at least twice each. I fee like as much variety as is in the pictures, then that variety should be portrayed in the colors as well. Hoban does make use of many colors in the fourth picture on every page so to encourage the reader to keep moving forward. For example, on page 7, she show a picture of a pitcher and two cups all of different colors (red, blue, and yellow). When the reader turns the page to page 8, the color yellow is the most prominent.
4. I would use this book to show students how many objects are colorful. I would prompt them to discuss other objects that are the same color as the ones on the individual pages of the book. I would also use this book so that students can make connections to their own lives.
2. This book accurately demonstrates the colors of various objects that children will recognize.
3. A. Area for comment: Color
B. Although Hoban's use of color portrays a variety of everyday objects, I found it lacking in that she used some of the same colors more than once and fails to use some basic colors to describe objects. It is brilliant that she includes other colors to encourage the reader to turn the page to see what color is next.
C. Hoban neglects to use the colors purple and pink anywhere in the book. Likewise Hoban uses the colors yellow, red, green, orange, blue, brown, grey, and black at least twice each. I fee like as much variety as is in the pictures, then that variety should be portrayed in the colors as well. Hoban does make use of many colors in the fourth picture on every page so to encourage the reader to keep moving forward. For example, on page 7, she show a picture of a pitcher and two cups all of different colors (red, blue, and yellow). When the reader turns the page to page 8, the color yellow is the most prominent.
4. I would use this book to show students how many objects are colorful. I would prompt them to discuss other objects that are the same color as the ones on the individual pages of the book. I would also use this book so that students can make connections to their own lives.
January 15, 2014
At first glance, this is a fairly bizarre book in that it contains no text. But the photographs by Tana Hoban are all carefully selected to engage children, and are presented four per page highlighting a certain color.
I use this book in my K-8 Spanish classroom because it is a great way for children to engage with Spanish vocabulary (los colores/the colors) tied to real world imagery. Art teachers could surely benefit from the book if they were to use it in teaching composition or color theory. Language arts teachers might use the pictures as catalysts for student writing.
The Spanish version is called 'De colores y cosas'.
October 3, 2008
At first glance it appears to be either a terribly simplistic book or a very boring one. Each page is divided into quarters and a photo of a single object is in each section. Why are those four items on that page?
That's the beauty.
And as a bonus, it's great for developing vocabulary.
Recommended ages: birth through age 5
That's the beauty.
And as a bonus, it's great for developing vocabulary.
Recommended ages: birth through age 5
February 4, 2014
My rating reflects how I see its utility to my young grand daughter. At 2 years of age, she knows her colors, and her language skills are strong. Were this a board book I'd give it 5 stars for 0-18 month old children as it's an excellent introduction to colors and objects. A similar book in board book format was very popular with my grand daughter several months ago.
March 31, 2010
No need for text in this book which is a visual delight of brightly colored objects, four to a page.
March 24, 2012
This is a wonderful picture book to use when teaching colors to preschoolers. It will open great discussion about the many objects in the world with their great variety of colors.
November 2, 2013
This book has photos of random brightly colored objects and no words, but I seem to like the books with illustrations better.
April 21, 2015
I like that this book makes children familiar with objects, colors, and the different possibilities to expect of colored objects.
October 4, 2016
A book representing things of certain colors, would be fun to teach describing words with this book since there is no writing involved!
June 19, 2017
this really is just a book of colors and things. no numbers. no words. actually a great concept if there is an adult to guide and ask questions.
April 20, 2021
GREAT for vocabulary development. I see ... and take turns.
February 25, 2025
A child could pour over this book forever, perhaps the precursor to Priddy, but the cover is terrible (and scary, according to my two year old).
April 11, 2025
Great book for me to practice labeling all the pictures!
June 20, 2025
I think in colors.
July 1, 2025
Marcos enjoyed this book, all about colors! I found it a bit long and monotonous, but ok for reinforcing old vocabulary and building new vocabulary, but not especially interesting.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews