Read an Excerpt From the Vibrant New Picture Book, Unnaturally Blue

Our featured title today is an enthralling, inventive picture book by two lauded artists. It's a story about finding your way back to yourself, where the text and art work beautifully to immerse the reader. 

Dorson Plourde's latest work, Unnaturally Blue (Kids Can Press), follows a young swimmer as they find themselves panicking at a crowded community pool. Feeling entirely unmoored and overwhelmed, she swims down as deep as she can, and suddenly enters a swampy, fantastical world "under the under." There, she is able to fully be in her feelings, and settle in to who she truly is even at the murkiest moments. 

It's a dreamlike story with wonderful art from acclaimed illustrator Byron Eggenschwiler, one that shares creative ways for children and adults to process and understand their feelings, and accept themselves as they are.

We've got an excerpt from Unnaturally Blue right here to share with our readers, so let yourself sink in!

An Excerpt from Unnaturally Blue by Dorson Plourde (Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler)

You can’t cry in the pool.

It’s already blue.

Look, it’s one of the rules.

There just isn’t any room … for tears.

Four-cornered.

Squeezed in.

And so many rules.

The pool has no room

for an extra drop.

If I could fit,

I would live in a drop.

Inside looking out,

watching the world swirl.

I’ve been the head of a pineapple,

the very centre of a star …

This buttercream bathing

suit could hold dreams.

But I can’t.

Not here.

There just isn’t any room …

… to be a creature so blue.

So I waded and waited.

                Swam down to the depths

                                and uncorked the bottom plug.

                                             Away I went. Into the deepest deep.

A

journey

so

dark

under

all

that

was

under …

…  until it spit me out.

__________________________________________

Dorson Plourde is an author and elementary art educator. At home, his studio is full of picture books, good tunes and paints … but mostly spots for his cat, Theo, to snooze on. Originally from Portland, Maine, he is now based in Boston, Massachusetts. You can find him online at www.dorsonplourdebooks.com.

Byron Eggenschwiler is an illustrator whose work has appeared on book covers, posters and in publications including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, GQ, the National Post and O, The Oprah Magazine. His work has received awards including those from Communication Arts, American Illustration and the National Magazine Awards.