black is brown is tan

Title- black is brown is tan
Author- Arnold Adoff
Publisher- Harper Collins Publishers
Illustrator-Emily Arnold McCully
Genre- Children's Picture Book
Readability lexile- ages-4-8

Summary and target audience- This is a story that discusses how people may have different colors of skin tone but on the inside they all love you the same and that is what is important. The target audience would be young children who are facing an interracial family or for those who have not experienced a blended family situation.

Evaluation of Literature- I thought this book was thoughtfully and playfully written. It crosses the lines of black and white. It is written in such a way that young children can understand that the differences that are among us makes us special and should be celebrated.

Literary Elements. The book uses rhyme and rhythm in the opening of the book and throughout the story to help bring a spirit  to the story that would make it for an excellent read aloud.

Illustration- This book has excellent illustrations that help further the story and enhances the written words. You would not necessarily be able to know what the story is about by the illustrations alone, but they are realistic.

Mini-lesson- I would use this story to relate how common behaviors among different racial background.