Violet

"In the world imagined by this debuting team, everyone is a person of a single color — specifically, red, yellow or blue — except the eponymous and literally named heroine, the offspring of a mixed marriage (mom is red and dad is blue). Violet, anticipating the first day of school, is nervous about making friends and fitting in. And while her fears are partially founded when students are surprised to discover the color of her parents, Stehlik's message remains upbeat. 'People come in a whole rainbow of beautiful colors,' Violet's mother tells her.... 'Just be yourself. People should like you for who you are, not what color you are.' Readers, especially girls, may find more to love in Jovanovic's digital drawings. Although the setting is clearly the lower grades of elementary school, long-limbed Violet and her peers look like middle schoolers, and the hand-drawn feel of the pictures brings to mind the anime-influenced journal marginalia of an intensely emotional adolescent. If the message is less than subtle, it should still be a comfort to readers, particularly those of mixed heritage, who struggle with belonging. Ages 5 — 8. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Violet is happy that her father has come to pick her up after her first day at a new school. But as she races over to meet him, one of the other kids asks, How come your dad is blue and you're not? Violet has never even thought about this before. Her mother is red and her father is blue, so why isn't she red or blue? Why is she violet? Upset and confused, Violet goes to her mother. Using paints, her mother shows her that when you combine red and blue, you get violet Like many people in the world, Violet is a beautiful mix of colors. But color isn't really that important. After all, it is what's inside us that counts.

Tania Stehlik is of Indian and French Canadian descent and takes great pride in her mixed heritage. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Vanja Vuleta Jovanovic is a multimedia artist and a freelance graphic designer. Born in the former Yugoslavia, she lives in Toronto, Ontario.

The Violet book trailer is now online for your viewing pleasure