A simple and profound book that teaches children the beauty of friendship, empathy and kindness. It all started when a boy was intrigued by a girl named Violet collecting colourful trash. He summoned up his courage to ask Violet the reason for collecting the bits of trash. He was floored by Violet’s creation; she had turned the trash into an emotional art display in her bedroom – the ceiling, the bedroom walls and the door symbolised part of her homeland that she desperately missed.
What impresses me the most was how Violet’s grey and gloomy emotions subtly transform into full blown colours as the boy and Violet’s friendship blossom. I think that Nicholas Solis’ words and Renia Metallinou’s exquisite illustrations will encourage children to have the courage to seek and share the truth about identities. Sharing who they are with their peers will help them to connect with their past and embrace it with bravery.