Roo knows blue by Renee Treml

Penguin, 2020. ISBN: 9780143790327.
(Age: 1+) Recommended. From the cute kangaroo smiling at the reader on the front cover to the gorgeous flowers on the end papers this book is a joy to read aloud. Roo knows the colour blue but his friend Possum tells him that there are other colours too.
This is a fascinating and fun look at colours. The rhythm of the story will keep children listening avidly and they will have fun shouting out the refrain
Little Roo hops along,
hops along and
sings this song
Then they will enjoy telling Roo just what is the colour of the objects and animals that he has described.
The illustrations are a joy and children will love the expressions on the faces of Roo and Possum and the bright colours of the backgrounds. Roo stands out on each page, and the reader will have fun finding Possum among lovely details like the red flowers of Sturt's Desert Pea and the yellow of the wattle. The print is large and a bold black except for the highlighted colours of blue, red, pink, green, purple and finally a glorious burst of yellow.
This is a delightful way for young children to learn about colours while older ones will love the repetition and humour. All will enjoy looking for the colours of the different animals and objects and beautiful flowers in a second reading.
Roo knows blue is a keeper. It is sure to become a family favourite. Themes: Colours, Australian animals, Australian flora, Read aloud.
Pat Pledger