• Age: 4 to 8
• Grade: p to 3

Joy can be found in the simplest pleasures!

The Weatherspoon household has no color. Queen Victoria wears only black or white, and that is the right and proper thing, according to Mr. Weatherspoon. If it's good enough for the queen, it's good enough for him, his wife, their children, the servants, and even the dog. But young Blanche wants a pink dress more than anything in the world. When no one understands her love of pink, she runs away to the most colorful place she can find - Felicity's flower stand. Blanche and her unwitting accomplice have no idea what an uproar they have created. How will Mr. Weatherspoon react when he finds his daughter decked out in the most shockingly extravagant colors he's ever seen?

A lighthearted story set in Victorian London, Black and White Blanche explores how joy can be found in the simplest pleasures and how one small act of kindness has the power to transform.

Marj Toews has been long drawn to the Victorians, She has a Master of Arts degree, but she has discovered it's more fun to make up stories about the past than to study it. Her commentaries have aired on Canada's national radio, and her work has been published in a number of Canadian literary journals. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Marj Toews' profile page

Dianna Bonder
is the illustrator of many books including A Pacific Alphabet, and Three Royal Tales. Accidental Alphabet, which she wrote and illustrated, was selected for the DOCET exhibition in Bologna, Italy. Leon's Song was shortlisted for the Blue Spruce Awards and the Chocolate Lily Book Awards. Dianna lives on an island off Canada's West Coast, where she paints full time in glorious colour.

Dianna Bonder's profile page

"Bonder's expressive illustrations show the family's demeanor changing from stuffy austerity to playful merriment, and provide a glimpse into a long-ago period. . . young readers will relate to the theme of individuality."
— School Library Journal

"This is a well-written, fun story, featuring attractive artwork.
Recommended."
— CM Magazine

"The black and white illustrations reflect the mood of the family, and everything lights up whenever colour is introduced. It's the characters that are the best though. They are drawn with great detail, especially the flower-seller! Her wild hair, her puffy hat, her voluminous dress, and her colourful array of flowers make her a memorable character!
"Any library and any reader would be lucky to have this great book in their collection.
"Rated: Excellent, enduring, everyone should see it! "
— Resource Links

"Painter Dianna Bonder's illustrations bring this simple story to dazzling life."
— The Georgia Straight (Vancouver)