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Table of Contents
About The Book
The colors of Hispaniola burst into life in this striking, evocative debut picture book that celebrates the joy of being Dominican.
If Dominican were a color, it would be the sunset in the sky, blazing red and burning bright.
If Dominican were a color, it’d be the roar of the ocean in the deep of the night,
With the moon beaming down rays of sheer delight.
The palette of the Dominican Republic is exuberant and unlimited. Maiz comes up amarillo, the blue-black of dreams washes over sandy shores, and people’s skin can be the shade of cinnamon in cocoa or of mahogany. This exuberantly colorful, softly rhyming picture book is a gentle reminder that a nation’s hues are as wide as nature itself.
If Dominican were a color, it would be the sunset in the sky, blazing red and burning bright.
If Dominican were a color, it’d be the roar of the ocean in the deep of the night,
With the moon beaming down rays of sheer delight.
The palette of the Dominican Republic is exuberant and unlimited. Maiz comes up amarillo, the blue-black of dreams washes over sandy shores, and people’s skin can be the shade of cinnamon in cocoa or of mahogany. This exuberantly colorful, softly rhyming picture book is a gentle reminder that a nation’s hues are as wide as nature itself.
About The Illustrator
Photograph © Danielle Salloum
Brianna McCarthy is a mixed media visual communicator working and living in Trinidad and Tobago. She is a self-taught artist and aims to create a new discourse examining issues of beauty, stereotypes, and representation as well as the documenting the process—particularly poignant in an ever smaller digitally connected world. Her form takes shape through masking and performance art, fabric collage, traditional media, and installation pieces.
Product Details
- Publisher: Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (November 1, 2020)
- Length: 32 pages
- ISBN13: 9781534461796
- Ages: 4 - 8
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Raves and Reviews
"Discover: A radiant debut that deconstructs colorism and celebrates Afro-Dominicans and the diversity of the Dominican Republic."
– Shelf Awareness for Readers, October 2, 2020
"McCarthy’s stunning art interprets the text with texture and light, her illustrations portraying the diversity and beauty of the Dominican people. The lush foliage, the impossibly blue skies, and the otherworldly pinks and oranges spring off the page with joy and verve."
– Kirkus Reviews
"This book about self-love and the importance of accepting others is a delightful celebration of the differences contained within the vibrant, vivid world and cultures of the Dominican Republic...Also interspersed into the text are various words in Spanish, and as McCarthy utilizes an unrestrained palette to convey the natural as well as the traditional and cultural beauty of this island nation, young readers will be educated and encouraged to see the wonder in varied cultures and experiences."
– Booklist
Awards and Honors
- NCTE Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): If Dominican Were a Color Hardcover 9781534461796
