I Am Violet

In this board book, the narrator, a little girl, observes that the people around her exhibit a variety of skin colours, and that, specifically, her mother is among those who are red while her father is blue. As a result of her mixed parentage, the girl recognizes herself to be violet, and she is quite proud to be so.

This brief board book, written by an author who is “of Indian and French-Canadian descent”, succinctly and effectively speaks to very young children of mixed race parentage who may recognize that, though they may share visible characteristics of both parents, they don’t fully resemble either. The book’s message is one of affirmation and of being proud of whom you are. Colour is effectively employed in the text and Jovanovic’s simple illustrations to reinforce the theme.

In 2009, this author/illustration duo had combined their talents in Violet. (https://umanitoba.ca/cm/vol16/no2/violet.html) In that earlier title aimed at an early years school audience, Violet finds herself being quizzed by some classmates regarding the fact that her skin colour does not match that of her parents. I Am Violet appears to be a reworking of Violet’s mixed race theme but for the toddler crowd.