Why is Hugh Blue?

Most children's books have full-blown color images. Why is Hugh Blue? does not. Instead, the designer(s) uses the color pop technique. That's a digital effect in which a selected part of a scene or image is shown in color while the rest is in grey or a dull monochrome. At the book's start, Hugh, the shirt-wearing hippo, is the scene's focal point, so he's presented in bright blue color. The text, telling his tale, is highlighted in a lovely shade of red. Each color does POP on the page! As the story progress, readers will notice more and more objects are getting a splash of color. The page where Hugh and his lemonade glowed was especially exceptional. Parents and children will love the artistry and the storyline. 

In life, people have expectations of what they should do, or they should act. Hugh didn't behave like a "typical" hippo. While others like him wallowed in the mud, Hugh wrote poetry. Instead of chewing on the grass with the others, Hugh told stories through his paintings and entertained the skwackle birds with melodies strummed on his ukulele. 

Hugh embraced his uniqueness which gave others the bravery to embrace theirs. Readers will meet another animal in a shade of color they've never seen before, acting entirely out of the norm for their species. Together these two vibrant animals draw a crowd of animals where talents start to flourish, and the swamp goes from drab to explosive of color. 

Hugh is an inspiration to all readers. He demonstrates that it's okay to be different and you should celebrate your uniqueness. Stand proud and stand tall. 

We all come in different shapes and sizes, possessing talents or skills that make us different from the next person. I love that this story encourages young readers to hold their heads up high, love themselves, and not be afraid to be you! 

Small note: I had never heard of a "skwackle" bird. At first glance, I thought it was a misspelling. A quick internet search offered zero results. The name sounds fictional, though, so it may be. Real or imaginary, the images for them were cute as can be. 

This storybook was sensational from cover to cover. I recommend you share it with your 3-9-year-old.