The Color of Your Skin. Desirée Acevedo, Silvia Álvarez, ill. 2021. Cuento de Luz. 32 pages. [Source: Provided via Amazon Vine in exchange for an honest review.]
The Color of Your Skin follows a young artist, Vega, who is drawing a special picture she aspires to have grace her mom’s “gallery” on the refrigerator. She’s interrupted by a friend asking for the “skin-colored” pencil, which sets the story for the rest of the book. The request is an innocent one, yet it prompts the kids to ask exactly whose skin is being represented as the standard when, in fact, they and those they know in their community, have skin of countless shades and tones.
I like the premise of this book, translated from Spanish, and how it addresses the normalization of dominant identities/phenotypes as well as the importance of intentionality in language. Sure, kids might not see it that way, but this book presents a palatable lesson about the importance of both diversity and representation, even in something seemingly as simple as crayons. By having the kids consider the myriad shades reflected in their daily lives, they affirm each other as worthy of being represented in the crayon box. I also appreciated how Vega’s question for clarification about a skin-colored crayon prompted an age-appropriate reflection about who was centered. Together, the characters explore the variety in their own skin tones, highlighting their beauty and uniqueness.
Now, to truly get to the heart of the issue, one would have to delve a lot deeper than is probably appropriate for a 32-page picture book geared toward school-aged readers. As an adult, I know there are big considerations missing here, such as why a “skin-colored” crayon is labeled as such in the first place, and the greater implications in society beyond art supplies (read: white supremacy). That the kids simply chalk it up to a mistake on the part of the person(s) who discovered it is simplistic to a fault, if not outright reductionist. Nonetheless, this book serves as an opportunity to broach the concept with younger kids in a way they can understand. I think it’s also worth noting that the main character, Vega, presents as white. I can’t help but wonder how this story might be told differently if it centered a dark-skinned main character.
I think where this book shines is in its illustrations. They are vivid and detailed, and really tell a story unto themselves. Álvarez describes her art as “colorful, figurative, sensitive, and poetic,” which really comes through in the various pieces in this book. The illustrations are beautiful and fitting accompaniment to this story.
I appreciate that the book is printed using a “demanding ecological certification system,” Cradle to Cradle. While this is certainly a book to keep on your shelf, I appreciate that it can be fully upcycled. This was the first time I’ve encountered this process and think it’s particularly beneficial for a children’s book which may not have the same shelf life as books for older readers.
Overall, The Color of Your Skin, is a good book to have in a child’s library, maybe eve more so if that child doesn’t typically encounter situations where their identity isn’t affirmed in their community or broadly. It can prompt some reflection on their part on behalf of others, but the book does it in a way that’s realistic for someone under 10.
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