Nerd Alert! Time to Geek Out Over "Pink Is for Boys" 🩷
What if a picture book could subtly change the way you see color forever? That’s exactly what Pink Is for Boys does—without ever feeling like it’s teaching a lesson
Hola! Welcome to the new Geek Out corner of My Little Cuevita! Today we will be analyzing the first picture book in this series. *Drumroll*
Ok, first things first, credit where it is due! The book “Pink Is For Boys” was written by Robb Pearlman and illustrated by Eda Kaban (Go check them out!)
Due to copyright, I will only be showing the cover of the book and one other illustration, but I totally recommend you to go to your local bookstore or library and take a look at the entire book because I don’t think I can do it justice with just words.
Let’s get started!
One of the most powerful tools in picture book illustration is color, as a storytelling device. Through colors you can shape emotions, themes, and in the case of this book, challenge societal norms. When you first look at the book, it is simple and playful, but the way they uses color in both the text and the art is quite subversive.
The title itself is breaking the stereotype that “Pink is for Girls.” We, as a society, associate the color pink with feminine, soft, sweetness and overall girly things. By stating boldly and without hesitation that “Pink Is For Boys,” Robb is immediately reclaiming the color from outdated gender associations and saying that Pink, like interests, careers, and personalities, doesn’t belong to just ONE gender.
The book doesn’t just stop at pink. It goes through all the colors, showing boys and girls equally engaging with them in different ways, further removing the idea that certain colors are gender-exclusive.
🟦 Blue isn’t just for boys— it’s for painting, playing, and enjoying.
🟨 Yellow isn’t just bright— it’s for crows, creativity and self-expression.
🟩 Green isn’t just for the outdoors— it’s for anyone who loves adventure.
In the end, color is universal and not assigned to a specific gender.
But how does Eda Kaban’s illustrations make it work?
We will talk about her amazing character design a little further down, but right now we are focusing on her use of color to further illustrate the idea that color is universal.
One of my favorite spreads in “Pink Is for Boys” appears right at the beginning—the party scene on the second page.
At first glance, this spread feels warm, joyful, and full of energy. It’s mostly monochromatic, made up entirely of different tones of pink—a bold artistic choice that does something really clever:
✨ It invites you in without hesitation. (I wanted to get up and dance with the kids in the book)
✨ It sets the tone for the rest of the book.
✨ It subtly reprograms the way we see color.
Pink as a Universal, Not a Gendered Color
The party scene doesn’t make a big deal about who’s wearing pink—it simply presents it as normal.
👕 Boys in pink shirts.
👗 Girls in pink dresses.
💖 Everything is pink, and everyone is HAPPY.
Because there is no contrast with other colors, our brain accepts it immediately—pink just exists as the environment, not as a gender statement.
If the scene had been full of contrasting colors (say, boys in blue, girls in pink), our brains might have picked up on it as an intentional "color choice." Instead, by making everything pink, Eda Kaban removes that contrast altogether—tricking us into seeing it as completely normal.
It’s subtle, but powerful. And also strategic! It sets the expectation that the book is not here to argue about color perceptions, but rather to invite you into a world where color is just color.
By the time you turn the page, your brain is already primed to see color as something fun, expressive, and universal—rather than something divided by gender.
And that’s the beauty of Eda Kaban’s work in “Pink Is for Boys”—she lets the art do the storytelling.
Throughout the rest of the book, Eda uses pink in unexpected ways showing it’s versatility. By the time you finish the book, something shifts. You no longer see pink as for someone—it’s just a color. It’s been reclaimed as a tool of joy, self-expression, and freedom.
For kids reading this, it sends a simple but powerful message:
✨ Be who you are. Like what you like. Color belongs to everyone.
To emphasize this point, Eda doesn’t just use color. Her artwork is full of subtle storytelling techniques that enhance the book’s message without relying on words. Let’s dive into how she achieves this.
Character Expression & Body Language Tell Their Own Story
Color isn’t the only thing that tells the story in this book—movement and expression do just as much work. One of the most effective ways to add depth to a picture book is through expression and movement—and “Pink Is for Boys” does this beautifully.
👦 Excitement & Confidence – The children in the book own their color choices. A boy wearing pink doesn’t look hesitant or shy—he’s just having fun. A girl playing with blue isn’t questioning if she should—it’s simply what she loves to do.
🎭 Subtle Playfulness – The characters aren’t just standing there—they’re interacting, playing, and celebrating color through action. Whether it’s racing cars, dancing, or creating art, their body language reinforces the idea that color is part of life, not a gendered label.
**I have to just say that Eda’s poses are exquisite!! She is a master of the line of action, which makes all of her characters feel alive with personality. Not one of them feels stiff**
The body language of the characters is what attracted me to the book in the first place. She is able to tell so much with just the way she poses the characters, and she does so in a very simple way, without over rendering but simply using shape language and breaking the silhouette.
I made some studies to understand the way she thinks and be able to incorporate that into my future characters.
Strategic Composition & Flow That Guides the Reader’s Eye
Many of the spreads feature kids moving from left to right, subtly reinforcing a feeling of forward momentum—as if breaking away from old ideas. This left to right motion also pushes the reader to turn the page.
In addition to this, the color placement guides the story – Eda Kaban strategically places colors throughout the book so that they appear in new ways on each spread. She does this in fun ways through different activities like a baseball game or a car race, which makes you excited to turn the page and see what the next adventure will be. Each spread follows a similar rhythm: a color is introduced, then immediately paired with an activity. This repetition reinforces the theme, while the illustrations add variety to keep it visually engaging.
The Final Spread: A Powerful Conclusion
One of the most effective storytelling moments in the book is the final spread—where all the children are together, playing, exploring, and celebrating every color. This last image cements the book’s message: Colors belong to everyone, and the world is more fun when we embrace them all.
The way the children are positioned, moving, laughing, and engaging with the environment, feels like an invitation for the reader to join in. It’s subtle, but it turns the book into something more than a passive read—it becomes a conversation starter.
“Pink Is for Boys” may seem like a simple book about color, but the illustrations do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to storytelling. Through body language, dynamic poses, composition, and a powerful final spread, Eda Kaban reinforces a message of inclusivity and self-expression—without ever needing to over-explain.
The result? A book that feels natural, joyful, and empowering.
Have you ever read a picture book where the illustrations added layers of meaning to the story? Maybe one where the art told an entirely different story from the text? I’d love to hear about it! Reply to this article and let’s geek out together. 🎨📚