The Color Catalog

An inviting rainbow-colored thumb index gives readers flexibility in exploring a spectrum of 11 hues. For those who prefer lessons with beginnings, middles and ends, Peppe provides a tidy story line about a cat who sends for a ``color catalog'' to jazz up his natural black-and-white stripes. He gains a pair of purple gloves, a gray bowler hat, etc. Children can also let their attraction to a color determine the sequence--intrigued by a particular tab, they can open to its spread, where, for example, the word ``purple'' appears against a like-colored page and, in the facing illustration, the purple gloves stand out against an otherwise monochromatic background. Where many other color concept-books maximize the contrasts between colors, this board book achieves visual harmony by using warm tones to unify its palette--its pleasing design and thoughtful production values augur a rosy reception. Ages 2-4. (Nov.)