Coloring the Rainbow: The Power of Connection
Written by Catherine Rose
Illustrated by Jeff Dale
Ages: 3-8 | 32 Pages
Publisher: Beaver’s Pond Press (2023) | ISBN: 9781643436371
Publisher’s Book Summary: Coloring the Rainbow: The Power of Connection tells a story of the magic created when the unique talents of a diverse group of children are shared in a colorful adventure.
The adventure begins when we see through a boy’s window to find a young trombonist pausing his practice to wonder if other musical voices exist. When an alluring treble note wafts through his window, he begins an excited quest to find the answer. Playing his horn through his neighborhood, the boy draws other curious children to play their unique instruments along with him.
Together, they played:
“Lend your voice, play your part!
Something grand is beginning―
join us for the start!”
The procession of music makers is touched with magic when their combined voices, raised in harmony, orchestrate a colorful miracle.
The ease of poetry and vibrant illustrations make this book a perfect keepsake for any gift-giver wishing to explore the values of diversity and inclusion with young, loved ones.
Available for purchase on Amazon and Bookshop.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Catherine Rose is enjoying that time of life when one thinks of creating a legacy. What are the lessons learned from living life’s adventure that would benefit generations to come?
As a pediatric nurse, she wrote therapeutic stories to help children cope masterfully with injury and illness. Her present stories weave tales with similarly empowering messages to support children’s development of resilience, confidence and empathy.
Rose writes from the back porch of her log home, inspired by the profile of Mount Jefferson in North Carolina. Married to her high school sweetheart, they now enjoy perpetual recess with their two grandchildren, whose favorite activity is to read a book written by Nana!
For more information, visit www.catherinerose-childauthor.com.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Jeff Dale’s foray into artistic design began when his boss at a printing shop asked him to design a logo for a client. While the logo was an impressive design, creating the art had an even more impressive effect on motivating a true passion for creative design.
Educated in the design world of Washington, DC, Jeff’s wide scope of interest and talent has inspired him to design, create, and build just about anything one can conceive of creating, including this debut as an illustrator of a children’s book. Jeff is the founder of Dale Design, situated in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he resides with his wife and two grown children.
His varied talent in artistic design can be appreciated by visiting his website: www.daledesign.com.
AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Life Is What It's Called - Why is the message of Coloring the Rainbow important in today’s world?
Catherine Rose - Children are inherently peaceable. But as they grow, they become more aware of messages from the grown-up world to be wary of differences. Instead of embracing something different with a healthy and respectful curiosity, differences are often perceived as a threat to what is known and valued. When we encourage our children to see differences with the same lack of judgment as viewing a garden full of various colored flowers, the idea of differences as divisive is muted by the beauty of inclusion.
Coloring the Rainbow is an allegory for this truth. When a little boy becomes curious about how many different voices there are to be heard, he encourages all sorts of different instruments to join with him in a parade of music making. Honoring the uniqueness of each instrument, their shared connection creates the miracle of a rainbow, a symbolic representation of joy, unity and harmony.
It has been my intention to serve the purpose of peace, by writing a simple tale that opens hearts and minds to the miracles created when we seek connection with one another. When that connection is forged of an acceptance for all, a respect for differences, and an honoring of the worth of each individual, we create peace in our world, one parade at a time.
Life Is What It's Called - How do you think Coloring the Rainbow will help children?
Catherine Rose - The story of Coloring the Rainbow invites children to be curious about what may initially appear to be strangely new and unique. When differences are honored, children invite the possibility of learning something new, growing more inclusive, and contributing to a world of greater unity, harmony, and joy.
Life Is What It's Called - What will children like most about Coloring the Rainbow?
Catherine Rose - Children will enjoy seeing themselves represented by characters from different cultures and of different abilities, as members of the same joyous parade.
Life Is What It's Called - What will parents like most about Coloring the Rainbow?
Catherine Rose - Parents will enjoy seeing the children playing, learning, and growing together without regard for differences, exemplifying a more loving vision for our world.
Life Is What It's Called - How do you see Coloring the Rainbow being used in homes, classrooms, and library programs?
Catherine Rose - I would love to see Coloring the Rainbow being used as a story that opens a discussion about “What’s so great about being different”?! A “Show and Tell” exercise would follow the reading of the story, allowing children to share what makes them feel special about themselves and how that special uniqueness contributes to their home and community. In this way, we can help children begin to equate differences as being special and important rather than as something to be potentially misunderstood and feared.
Life Is What It's Called - Do you have any supplemental activities to go along with Coloring the Rainbow?
Catherine Rose - My illustrator and I are in the preliminary stages of designing a coloring book that includes all the different characters in the book. The coloring activity can be used to augment discussion about differences being special.
Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you?
Catherine Rose - Being a pediatric nurse is literally who I am. Advocating for children to become the best version of themselves is not simply a career choice, but a lifelong passion. This passion has taken many forms over the expanse of my career, but my advocacy for children has remained a steadfast goal.
Although I am new to authoring children’s books, I have been writing as an advocate for children all during my nursing career. I have written health curriculum for chronically ill children, new policies to advocate for the health of children in day care centers, and have designed an innovative approach for well-child care. But what has directly influenced my fictional writing has been my experience writing therapeutic stories (Guided Imagery) for children with health vulnerabilities. The stories that were written to empower vulnerable children to cope more effectively with their health challenges, are now the inspiration for stories with empowering messages for all children to reach their potential.
Of a personal nature, I am married to my High School sweetheart. We divide our time between Florida and North Carolina as yes, “snowbirds”! I sing soprano for university choirs in each location and have been singing in choirs since I was eight years old—another passion. My favorite concert has been singing with the Disney Candlelight Processional at Epcot in Orlando!
Together, my husband and I have raised two children and are now enjoying our two grandchildren; both of whom, are very excited to see their likeness in the book as the trombone and piccolo players!
I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to continue writing for children in this new and joyful way! The messages of the stories are part of a legacy of learning and wisdom that I have chosen to pass along in this season of my life. This book is just the beginning, however: a second book is presently being illustrated and a third book is a whispered aspiration.
GIVEAWAY
Life Is What It's Called - Why is the message of Coloring the Rainbow important in today’s world?
Catherine Rose - Children are inherently peaceable. But as they grow, they become more aware of messages from the grown-up world to be wary of differences. Instead of embracing something different with a healthy and respectful curiosity, differences are often perceived as a threat to what is known and valued. When we encourage our children to see differences with the same lack of judgment as viewing a garden full of various colored flowers, the idea of differences as divisive is muted by the beauty of inclusion.
Coloring the Rainbow is an allegory for this truth. When a little boy becomes curious about how many different voices there are to be heard, he encourages all sorts of different instruments to join with him in a parade of music making. Honoring the uniqueness of each instrument, their shared connection creates the miracle of a rainbow, a symbolic representation of joy, unity and harmony.
It has been my intention to serve the purpose of peace, by writing a simple tale that opens hearts and minds to the miracles created when we seek connection with one another. When that connection is forged of an acceptance for all, a respect for differences, and an honoring of the worth of each individual, we create peace in our world, one parade at a time.
Life Is What It's Called - How do you think Coloring the Rainbow will help children?
Catherine Rose - The story of Coloring the Rainbow invites children to be curious about what may initially appear to be strangely new and unique. When differences are honored, children invite the possibility of learning something new, growing more inclusive, and contributing to a world of greater unity, harmony, and joy.
Life Is What It's Called - What will children like most about Coloring the Rainbow?
Catherine Rose - Children will enjoy seeing themselves represented by characters from different cultures and of different abilities, as members of the same joyous parade.
Life Is What It's Called - What will parents like most about Coloring the Rainbow?
Catherine Rose - Parents will enjoy seeing the children playing, learning, and growing together without regard for differences, exemplifying a more loving vision for our world.
Life Is What It's Called - How do you see Coloring the Rainbow being used in homes, classrooms, and library programs?
Catherine Rose - I would love to see Coloring the Rainbow being used as a story that opens a discussion about “What’s so great about being different”?! A “Show and Tell” exercise would follow the reading of the story, allowing children to share what makes them feel special about themselves and how that special uniqueness contributes to their home and community. In this way, we can help children begin to equate differences as being special and important rather than as something to be potentially misunderstood and feared.
Life Is What It's Called - Do you have any supplemental activities to go along with Coloring the Rainbow?
Catherine Rose - My illustrator and I are in the preliminary stages of designing a coloring book that includes all the different characters in the book. The coloring activity can be used to augment discussion about differences being special.
Life Is What It's Called - What do you want readers to know about you?
Catherine Rose - Being a pediatric nurse is literally who I am. Advocating for children to become the best version of themselves is not simply a career choice, but a lifelong passion. This passion has taken many forms over the expanse of my career, but my advocacy for children has remained a steadfast goal.
Although I am new to authoring children’s books, I have been writing as an advocate for children all during my nursing career. I have written health curriculum for chronically ill children, new policies to advocate for the health of children in day care centers, and have designed an innovative approach for well-child care. But what has directly influenced my fictional writing has been my experience writing therapeutic stories (Guided Imagery) for children with health vulnerabilities. The stories that were written to empower vulnerable children to cope more effectively with their health challenges, are now the inspiration for stories with empowering messages for all children to reach their potential.
Of a personal nature, I am married to my High School sweetheart. We divide our time between Florida and North Carolina as yes, “snowbirds”! I sing soprano for university choirs in each location and have been singing in choirs since I was eight years old—another passion. My favorite concert has been singing with the Disney Candlelight Processional at Epcot in Orlando!
Together, my husband and I have raised two children and are now enjoying our two grandchildren; both of whom, are very excited to see their likeness in the book as the trombone and piccolo players!
I feel very blessed to have this opportunity to continue writing for children in this new and joyful way! The messages of the stories are part of a legacy of learning and wisdom that I have chosen to pass along in this season of my life. This book is just the beginning, however: a second book is presently being illustrated and a third book is a whispered aspiration.
GIVEAWAY
Enter the giveaway for the chance to win a signed hardcover copy of Coloring the Rainbow and a $100 Amazon gift card!
Coloring the Rainbow Book Giveaway
Coloring the Rainbow Book Giveaway
This post is sponsored by Catherine Rose. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view.
