The Color Collector

When a young girl emigrates to the United States, a boy from her class says hello and notices she lives nearby. He watches her from afar as she puts a variety of things into her backpack––a cookie wrapper, bottle caps, fall leaves––all discarded things. One day, he asks her what she does with it all. In response, she invites him to her house. When she opens her bedroom door, he sees a beautiful mural of collectibles that tell the story of where she’s from, of who she once was. On his way home, he leans down, picks up a red leaf, and carefully places it in his backpack.

This is an original story about kindness, creativity, and culture. It’s thoughtfully written and demonstrates how a few simple acts of compassion can be the catalyst for a budding friendship in which commonalities are found and differences embraced. The ingenuity of the young girl, Violet, in reconstructing her past with an array of odds and ends is remarkable. The illustrations are unique. Minimal color is discoverable in the first few, but as Violet adds to her collection, more hues become visible in the pictures. Children aged five to nine will find this artistic element alluring and will likely treasure this noteworthy pick.