I See Colours: The Amazing Life of Bolu Davis

I See Colours is told from the perspective of a young, Nigerian-Canadian girl named Bolu Davis. Readers will learn a little about Bolu, such as her favourite food is Amala and Ewedu and Timbits from Tim Hortons, her favourite colour is pink, and she loves making snow angels and having snowball fights in the winter. In her family of four, her father is an artist and her mother is a scientist. Her older brother, Timi, loves to listen to music and play soccer. Readers will also meet Bolu’s best friend Emillie, who also loves pink and has big hair like her. Bolu shares the special time she spends with her dad on wash days where her hair is washed and styled. Together, they will listen to music, and her dad will share stories of his childhood in Nigeria. Bolu’s description of wash day with her dad shows the confidence she has in herself and the love she has for her unique hair. She loves her hair because it is “healthy, soft, beautiful” and is very versatile in how it can be styled. Bolu has a strong sense of self-acceptance and respect for herself and those around her. All these traits are reinforced by her parents who are supportive and appear to take an interest in both their children’s interests.

Most importantly, Bolu’s story explores the diversity of her friends and Canada as a country, not just through race but culturally as well, and how identities are created through the respect of one another. Each of Bolu’s classmates is introduced during culture day at school, and they explain where they are from and provide a fact about their country or what food they love. For example, Harshita is from India and loves panipuri snacks. Nehan is Napalis, and his country is the only country in the world without a rectangular flag. The bright and colourful illustrations show the various traditional outfits that each classmate wears, and Bolu explains how “culture is the way of life of a group of people.” Culture can be expressed through food, clothing, languages, and traditions. Culture should always be “appreciated” and respected. For young readers, Bolu’s story offers a great opportunity to talk about other cultures as well as their own.

Other major themes found in this story are kindness, accountability, and friendship. When one of Bolu’s classmates is judged for being bald, the teacher explains the golden rule: treating others how you would like to be treated. The students learn about a condition called alopecia (another discussion for readers to have), and the importance of kindness towards others. Another example is when Bolu’s brother is teased for his skin condition called vitiligo. The boys who teased him not only apologized but also had to take accountability for their actions. All actions have consequences, good and bad, and Nagbor stresses that lesson throughout the book.

Talking about Timi's condition nicely segways into the reason the book is titled I See Colours. As Ngbor describes, people of African descent usually have darker skin tones due to the intense sunlight where they live. However, people’s skin tone does not automatically determine race. There are many ways to be Black, not just the colour of skin. Bolu’s cousin, Modupe, has a genetic condition called albinism, meaning her body produces little to no melanin. Although her skin is lighter, Modupe is not treated any differently and is one of Bolu’s best friends.

I See Colours offers numerous learning opportunities and great discussions on race, culture, treating everyone with kindness, and self-acceptance. It also shows the importance of family and how having supportive family and friends can make a difference in a child’s life. Ngbor has written a story that celebrates the cultural diversity of Canada while reinforcing the acceptance and respect of everyone’s background and differences.