Black Meets White

"For the child who has ever wondered what happens when one color is mixed with another, this interactive tale demystifies that question by putting it in black and white — literally. Fontes personifies the hues, 'colorfully' illustrating what transpires when they join in harmony. Her playful language enables the colors to embody feelings, actions and other animate qualities. ' 'That tickles!' Black giggled,' when polka dots tumble in; and, when a checkerboard emerges from the dots, ' 'Oh, that's lovely!' White exclaimed.' Black and White act much like precocious children as they frolic and play together. A cutout cloud and foldout stars add a tactile element, inviting little fingers to explore bold imagery that can appear somewhat abstract or larger than life. As the plot crescendos, readers will quickly turn the pages. And yet the story ends on a quiet note, the final poetic verses reading much like the colors' creation, Gray, which Waring paints as a contented feline ('soft as dawn/ gentle as a cloud/ cool as marble.../ lovely as a sleeping cat'). Readers can help close the cat's eyes by pulling on its tail and thereby wind down the story, making this tale a smart choice for bedtime. Ages 1-4. (July)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

What happens when Black meets White? They make polka dots (That tickles! Black giggles.), a checkerboard, stripes, wiggles, and more. And when Black and White come together, get ready for a big-eyed, whiskered surprise! With clever die-cuts, flaps, and a final, satisfying tab, the mischievous Black Meets White proves that opposites can he attractive indeed.

Justine Fontes says, "After briefly wanting to be a cow, because I thought it would be peaceful, I decided instead to become a writer. I figured that working in publishing might give me a clue about how to get published. It also led to meeting my husband, Ron, a lifelong storyteller in words and pictures. Together we have written more than four hundred children's books." This is her first book with Candlewick Press.

Geoff Waring is a graphic designer in London. BLACK MEETS WHITE is his first book with Candlewick Press.