Blue Paint

Liam Maher

3/27/2004

Review by Molly

John tells the story of a painting job he had as a young man and the grumpy little man who came by to trick him out of fifty dollars. Lucky for John the neighbor lady as well as his boss are smarter than the grumpy man. John finishes his task, the boss does a trick of his own and gets John's money back.

I enjoyed reading Blue Paint. It is a fun little tale sure to appeal to kids. The dilemma faced by John as the grumpy man works his dirty trick will have the youngsters on the edge of their chairs. While the vocabulary used is a tad difficult for most kids in the 3-9 age range, the tale itself and the wonderful illustrations will keep the kids enthralled. This is a read to for the younger set and a read with some help for older kids.

Blue Paint is a book I would be happy to use in my own classroom. The possibilities for discussion offered in the narrative as John faces the dishonest man, learns he has been tricked and ultimately comes out ahead is something children will enjoy, discuss, and offer ideas on how to handle those who would trick them.

Blue Paint will fit well in the home library, in the classroom and as a tool for home-schoolers.

You can find this book at The Writers Exchange.