The Mystery of Colour: and how to solve it

The Mystery of Colour: and how to solve it by David Cole, illustrated by Margaux Samson-Abadie (Thames & Hudson)  ISBN 978-1-760-76542-2   RRP $34.99 (HB)

Reviewed by Jude Mullen

This bright, enticing, hardcover non-fiction book by David Cole invites children to become colour detectives – to find out how the coloured paints and materials we use today are made, and how they were first discovered.

The book is divided into chapters, beginning with a chapter about ochre - the first colour used in artworks from as long as 250 000 years ago. This is followed by chapters on each of the six different colours. For each colour, Cole provides information on how it was discovered, its historical origins and uses, and interesting anecdotes about its significance. He then ends each chapter by discussing the ways colour is used in art, referencing the work of well-known artists from around the globe, such as Vincent van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, Katsushika Hokusai and Claude Monet.

Every page of this A4-sized book is colourfully coloured in the colour corresponding to the one being described in the written text. Information is spread out over the page in short paragraphs or text boxes, making it an easy and inviting read for children.

There is a particularly Australian flavour to the book with references and examples of Australian Aboriginal rock art, current works by indigenous Australian artist Timothy Cook, as well as other famous Australian artists such as Ken Done, Margaret Olley and Grace Cossington Smith.

At the end of the book, there is a glossary and step-by-step guides to help children make their own paints and paint binders. It will appeal to children’s natural curiosity about how the world works, giving them real answers and many interesting facts to think about. It is suitable for children aged 7-11 years.