• Age: 4 to 7
• Grade: k to 2

Inclusion, self-esteem, and the value of true friendship are celebrated in the charismatic art of Lucile Danis Drouot and blithe text of award-winning author Andrée Poulin.

Filippo can’t help that he’s pink. He’s a flamingo, after all. But Zac the zebra and Poncho the panda aren’t having it. They only want to play with fellow black-and-white animals. Filippo is sure he’ll never be content without Zac and Poncho’s friendship. But what would the world be without pink? There would be no roses, no sunsets, no strawberry ice cream. With a little love and encouragement along the way, Filippo sets out to find the value of pink—and of himself.

With Tickled Pink, award-winning author Andrée Poulin delivers a fun, heartwarming tale about finding the confidence to be yourself. Illustrator Lucile Danis Drouot highlights Filippo as the only spot of color in a black and white world, gradually making the journey more vibrant as the little flamingo’s confidence—and the reader’s—begins to soar.

Si pudiera, Andrée Poulin se la pasaría leyendo todo el día. Su amor por la lectura es lo que la llevó a escribir. Después de trabajar como periodista durante muchos años, trabajó en el desarrollo internacional. Ella ha escrito más de treinta libros para niños de todas las edades. Muchos han ganado premios, especialmente el TD Children’s Literature Award (Premio de Literatura Infantil TD, en francés) para La plus grosse poutine du monde, ahora traducido al inglés y publicado por Annick Press como The Biggest Poutine in the World (2016). Sus cuentos tratan sobre la amistad, la empatía, la tolerancia, la pobreza y la solidaridad.

Andrée cree que los libros pueden cambiar el mundo. Al hacer que los escenarios de sus cuentos sean en Canadá, África y Asia, lleva a sus lectores a vivir aventuras que les permiten descubrir otras culturas, como lo hace en Pablo encuentra un tesoro. 

A Andrée le encanta compartir su pasión por la lectura y su placer por escribir con niños. Ella escribe un blog, revisa libros para la Campaña Nacional de Lectura y ofrece talleres para jóvenes en escuelas y bibliotecas. 

Andrée nació y se crió en Orléans, Ontario. Ella ahora vive en Gatineau, Quebec. 

If she could, Andrée Poulin would read from morning to night. Her love of reading is what brought her to writing. After working as a journalist for many years, she worked in international development. She has written over thirty books for children of all ages. Many have won awards, most notably the TD Children’s Literature Award (French language) for La plus grosse poutine du monde, now translated into English and published by Annick Press as The Biggest Poutine in the World (2016). Her stories deal with friendship, empathy, tolerance, poverty, and solidarity. 

Andrée believes that books can change the world. By setting her stories in Canada, Africa, and Asia, she takes her readers on adventures in discovering other cultures, as she does in Pablo Finds a Treasure (2016, available in Spanish in Fall 2018). Her latest book with Annick Press is That’s Not Hockey! (Fall 2018), a picture book based on the life of the inventor of the goalie mask, Jacques Plante. 

Andrée loves to share her passion for reading and her pleasure for writing with children. She writes a blog, reviews books for the National Reading Campaign, and gives workshops for youth in schools and libraries. 

Andrée was born and raised in Orléans, Ontario. She now lives in Gatineau, Quebec.

Andrée Poulin's profile page

Lucile Danis Drouot divides her considerable artistic talent between graphic design and illustration. She has loved children’s books for as long as she can remember, and has illustrated several of them in Europe and in Canada. Born in France, she now calls Montreal home.

Lucile Danis Drouot's profile page

• Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens selection

Praise for Tickled Pink: How Friendship Washes the World with Color

2020 CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens selection

“Poulin offers readers a nice opportunity to reflect on identity and difference while exploring other sentiments, such as jealousy, rejection, sadness, empathy, and building confidence. The jungle settings are gracefully depicted in Drouot's jaunty, cartoonish figures and a grayscale palette that enables pink to stand out strikingly.”—Booklist

“In this heartwarming story, award-winning author Andrée Poulin uses Ludo’s incredible tenderness to remind young readers how important it is to be kind, while also showing how tumultuous a child’s journey to self-confidence can be – especially when their peers see only flaws....illustrator Lucile Danis Drouot masterfully sets the tone for the flamingo’s loneliness.”—Quill & Quire

“[W]ith the friendship of a fun-loving lemur, [Fillipo the flamingo] learns that the world is a much better place because of its beautiful variety of colorations, but especially pink.”—Foreword Reviews

“Filippo is the only spot of color in a black and white world and as his confidence starts to grow so does the vibrant color in the book. This book about acceptance, feelings, and friendship is a wonderful addition to any childrens’ library.”—San Francisco Book Review

“Anyone who has the feeling of ‘not fitting in’, whether constantly or occasionally, will see themselves in Filippo….[A] heartwarming and delightful read on a serious topic, is beautifully illustrated and well-written in delivering a positive message to young children. It would make an excellent addition to libraries, schools and family collections. Highly Recommended.”—CM Magazine

“A delightfully crafted picture book for children ages 4-7 and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections for young readers.”—Midwest Book Review

“Lively and colorful...an amusing and thoughtful picture book.”—Winnipeg Free Press

“I’m tickled pink by any book that supports diversity and acceptance of differences as the norm so I’m especially thrilled about a picture book that supports this message in as subtle and eloquent a way, as well as playful, as Tickled Pink: How Friendship Washes the World with Color.”—CanLit for LittleCanadians

“A sweet French import about being one’s self and making friends.”—Youth Services Book Review

“A good introduction to issues around race and prejudice for young children....I really liked the illustrations and how the use of the black and white with the bright pink was used.”—Canadian Bookworm