Of Colors and Things

A bright blue comb, a pair of fire-engine red mittens, a vibrant yellow butterfly: the pages of the inimitable Hoban's ( 26 Letters and 99 Cents ; Shapes, Shapes, Shapes ) latest offering fairly burst with glossy, glorious color. The rainbow objects she presents here are at once familiar and fresh, all of them a treat for the eye. And her striking, sumptuous photographs prove once more that wordless books can captivate and entertain children. The layout of the book is simple and elegant: each page is quartered by a ribbon of color, and in three of the four quadrants are objects of corresponding hue--jellybeans, pinwheels and toy dinosaurs; in the fourth quarter is a bright object that combines many primary colors. These pages will undoubtedly provide a satisfying give-and-take between parent and child--this is a splashy offering. Ages 3-up. (Apr.)