Colour and Me by Michaela Dias-Hayes

Written and illustrated by Michaela Dias-Hayes (illustrator of Sunflower Sisters,) 'Colour and Me' is a 32 page children's book that explores identity and race through colourful pictures and a heart warming story. 

Inspired by Michaela's own son, this book is a joyful take on colour mixing that empowers children and shows them the true beauty of having brown skin. Michaela says, “I wrote this book after mixing paints with my son - when he mixed all the paints together, he looked at me and said “Yuk brown ... I hate brown!” This made me question why. I then explained, “It’s not yuk - it’s beautiful like you and me.”

Colour and Me is a beautifully simplistic way to explore colour and features equally bright and exciting illustrations. "I made orange, green and purple, using yellow, red and blue – and brown from all three colours... What a magical thing to do!"

• 32 pages 
• Colourful picture book
• Explores colours and the beauty of having brown skin
• Empowering story for young children
• Paperback

Published by Owlet Press
Written and illustrated by Michaela Dias-Hayes 

Size: 240 x 240mm

Owlet Press was founded by Samuel Langley-Swain in 2018, working with authors and illustrators with a shared passion – picture books which reflect the true diversity in children’s lives. Focusing on the challenges children face today and packaging these big issues into inclusive and accessible stories for small readers to digest and discuss with friends, families and schools. This indie children’s book publisher aims to change the world one book at a time, along with the best authors and illustrators to tell these stories.

Owlet Press have always published books that are 'incidentally inclusive' from day one and look to push this further with every title. With authors and illustrators from all walks of life - diversity is the driving ethos within this publisher. Owlet believe that it is key for young readers of colour to see children like them (and for white, non-disabled children to see children that don't always look like them) in books experiencing the joy and magic of playful, imaginative stories - a belief that we share at Babipur.