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Review: Stolen Colors

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Written by Khushboo Patel
Illustrated by Tara Anand
Montclair, NJ: Levine Querido, 2026. Picture Book.

Shreya loves to paint, loves art class, and loves being her teacher's favorite. When Mr. Rao asks to paint her during recess, Shreya is ecstatic... until she isn't. Everything feels wrong and when Mr. Rao kisses her she feels ashamed for not yelling "NO!" and "STOP!" She doesn't like painting anymore. It takes a classmates bravery speaking up against the teacher for Shreya to find her own courage to tell her mom what happened.

This book addresses sexual assault in a sensitive, yet direct way. It stresses the importance of telling trusted adults if you feel uncomfortable and gives an example of the 'ideal' way to protect yourself. It also validates the uncomfortable and shameful feelings that can cause people to not report and empowers them to be brave enough to confront the feelings and tell trusted adults. The illustrations show Shreya's emotions as the color drains from her life after the assault and how they return after she tells her mom what happened. Complete with resources for parents and a note from a social worker in the back.
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