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This creatively designed volume combines an introduction to colors with a bedtime story. Cutouts of various items, such as a lemon, a carrot, and a flamingo, show through to the next page, revealing colors these objects are not. Simple, repetitive text provides the names of the items and colors: "Lemons are not red," "Carrots are not purple," and so on. When the page is turned, an object of the correct color is now revealed, for example, a bright-red apple. Backgrounds show textured brushstrokes of thick paint, which contrast nicely with the flat style of the cutouts. There's no cutout at the book's end, just an outlined slice of moon: "The moon is not black / The moon is silver / The night is black / Good night." This engaging presentation invites participation, but the small trim size, although suitable for children's hands, may make group sharing difficult.

0到7岁，是艺术细胞的快速发育阶段，孩子们对色彩丰富性的极度敏感，促使他们不会拘于固定的形状和色彩，而喜欢跟随色彩来想象形状的变化。劳拉•瓦卡罗•希格的这本《柠檬不是红色的》通过镂空重合的有趣形式，将孩子带进色彩和形状巧妙结合的世界里。在翻页中，衬托不同的背景，苹果、胡萝卜、火烈鸟、月亮、灯光的颜色，像变魔术一样发生改变，故意埋下的悬念藏在奇巧的设计里，孩子想象另外一种可能，获得期待中的惊喜。这也包含了图画书的一个重要特性——依靠翻页推进情节，自己翻阅，发现乐趣，得到答案。在触摸中建立人与书的关系，这是只有图画书才能表达的独特艺术。奥妙的“洞悉”，让这本书成为领悟图画书设计趣味的典范。