One super important aspect of children’s books is the use of color! Color can be a game-changer in telling a narrative and creating a memorable story.

There are four different ways color is important in kids books—

I’m sure there are actually many other ways color helps a story, but I’m just talking about four today.

I’ll be using “Maybe A Whale” (a book I illustrated) as an example throughout this article. (This kids’ book was written by Kirsten Pendreigh and published by Groundwood Books.)

Just to give you some context on the story here is a short synopsis of the book:

Color sets the mood and helps the reader understand what emotions are going on in the story at any given point. Color can communicate what is going on between the lines in the story!

Above, in “Maybe A Whale”, the first few pages of the story take place just after the little girl’s grandfather dies. Even though the text never specifically states the grandfather has passed away, it suggests that he is not there anymore, and that the mother and daughter will be taking a trip without him.

The colors at the beginning of the book are much more muted, darker, and cooler than later on in their adventure. Although there are bright star-lights hanging in the window, the long shadows and evening mood communicate a somber mood.

The turning point in the colors happens when the mother and daughter head out to sea. A foggy morning turns into a turquoise blue ocean with jewel tones beneath the surface and a bright yellow kayak.

From this point on, the contrasts, brightness, and hues are much stronger—ending with a colorful sunset and turquoise expanse of ocean in the last two pages.

In “Maybe A Whale” the mother and daughter are searching for humpback whales—the grandfather’s favorite whales. I used color throughout to hint at what is to come later on in the children’s book.

You can use a certain color throughout the book to clue in the reader that something is important and to keep an eye out for it later on! I used turquoise jewel tones when showing underneath the ocean surface—linking it to the whales when they show up.

Even the stuffed whale that the girl carries with her throughout the book is turquoise—like the humpbacks that show up later.

Sometimes we want the reader to notice certain things on a page, especially when they are important to the story. Color can attract the viewer to people or things in illustrations. It can also direct the reader to notice things in a specific order—which helps the narrative of a story!

Because this story takes place near or on the ocean, the character of the young girl wears warm colors the whole time to make sure she really stands out.

Her reds, pinks, and oranges not only contrast with the blues and purples in the backgrounds, but they are also complimentary colors. Complimentary colors create harmony but still allow aspects of the image to jump out at the reader.

On the double page spread below, the reader needs to see the tent first in order to understand that the characters are camping on the beach, before they spot the spouting whales! The bright orange glow of the tent immediately grabs the viewer’s attention.

A busy page can use color to organize ideas. The jellyfish and seals are swarming in the image below, but a calm stretch of light blue brings the attention right to the kayak—no matter how enticing the deep sea is!

Then: A flash of green at the bottom right—quickly brings the eye from the turquoise above to the lower corner of the page.

You can use color to move the reader through the story in the direction you want! Now the reader is ready to turn the page…

Symbolism is a way to suggest ideas and themes in an indirect way. Color is a fantastic way of creating symbolism in kids books without having to use words!

Throughout the book, warm yellow tones represent the relationship between the mother and daughter. Not only does this bring a happy, safe feeling to these images, but the brightness of this color increases based on how close they are feeling to each other in different scenes.

This culminates in the scenes below, where they are getting ready for bed in their tent and reconnect over the sadness and hope they feel.

The purple in the book often symbolizes the grandfather who has passed away but still feels close-by throughout their trip. The purple sleeping bag covering them as they remember him. The purple whales in the sky.

Color is key. Especially in kids books where images are communicating so much of the story. Words are often brief and carefully chosen!

Use color in your illustrations to strengthen the story, add emotion, foreshadow, create direction, and build symbolism.

Learn more about me as an illustrator or check out the kid’s books I’ve illustrated over on my website here.

Say hello over on BlueSky where I hang out quite a bit!