Who Said Red?

Irresistible as a clever riddle, this splashy, cheerful concept book introduces primary colors to children with bright swathes of watercolor and a playful, lilting text. ``Who said red?'' asks a girl of her brother. ``You don't mean green? / Look, here is green . . ./a Pickle green, A big frog green, / A leaf, a tree, a green bean green.'' Narahashi ( I Have a Friend ) portrays the two children running through the lush country scenes that are green as spring. They see frogs leap from a pickle barrel, and a translucent collage made of a pale lunar moth and graceful leaves. The ``yellow'' is rich as butter, ``lemonade and daisy yellow,'' and delicate as the etched lace tablecloth that covers a cookie-filled table. ``Did you say red?'' asks the girl on the last page. ``Yes,'' answers the boy as he retrieves his red kite from a tree, ``I said red!'' Ages 3-6. (September)