Roo Knows Blue

Infinitely shareable. Roo knows giggles.

From the cute kangaroo smiling at the reader on the front cover to the gorgeous flowers on the end papers this book is a joy to read aloud . . . The illustrations are a joy and children will love the expressions on the faces of Roo and Possum and the bright colours of the backgrounds . . . This is a delightful way for young children to learn about colours while older ones will love the repetition and humour. All will enjoy looking for the colours of the different animals and objects and beautiful flowers in a second reading. Roo Knows Blue is a keeper. It is sure to become a family favourite.

This joyful picture book will have your young child laughing along as they listen to the story and see the illustrations of a young kangaroo who either loves blue too much or doesn’t know his colours very well! . . . This picture book is a marvellous way to explore the different colours in the Australian bush and may even inspire a local bushwalking to see not only the array of colours but the various shades of each one.

Roo is a true blue Aussie. In fact, he couldn’t be anything else because blue is the only colour in his palette. So it’s up to Possum to help his bush pal learn that Aussie wattle, parrots and even rocks are … not blue. Roo and Possum sing a colourful little song that will appeal to toddlers as they loudly practise reciting a rainbow of hues. US expat author-illustrator Renee Treml embraces her new Aussie home to add to the colour in tiny tots’ lives with this fun and funny tale.

If I see Renée Treml’s name on any book (and there have been a few now) then I know I am picking up something special for our youngest readers that will be superbly illustrated and an engaging read . . . The language, rhyme and rhythm of the text will appeal to both reader and listener and make predictions easy while the illustrations support all that is going on, making it an excellent choice for developing those essential concepts about print that are the foundations of literacy development.

Roo Knows Blue is a rhythmic, rhyming and lyrical story about a little kangaroo’s introduction to colours . . . Renée Treml’s illustrations create an adorable Australian setting and work magically with the text. As always, her animal characters beam with delight and positivity.

I loved how the coloured fonts and pages cleverly reinforced the learning. Repetition, and a jaunty rhythm and rhyme make for a fun reading experience; ideal for reading aloud in class, or bonding time between child and carer . . . Author/illustrator Renée Treml’s illustrations are typically gorgeous, and helpful in teaching children to identify iconic Australian plants, animals and landscapes.