Why the limited palette?

The Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World’s Coral Reefs by Kate Messner (2018) is the story of Ken Nedimyer’s heroic attempts to restore dying coral reefs. There’s more information, references, and vocabulary at the back of the book. A photo of Nedimyer is on the last page. I won’t be creating a Picture Book Talk lesson for this story because Matthew Forsythe’s illustrations are not my cup of tea. In my humble opinion, nothing is brilliant about the scenes in this book.

Fred Stays with Me! by Nancy Coffelt (207) is the story of a child who lives part time with her mother and part time with her father. She takes her dog Fred to both homes. Fred barks at the neighbor’s dog and chews socks, which annoy the parents. But the child reminds them that Fred stays with her. Consequently, they work out solutions to Fred’s behavior. The narrative is brief and to the point. The illustrations by Tricia Tusa are perky, though minimalist. And, again, I’m scratching my head at the limited use of color.

Is the limited palette an artistic choice or economical one? I look for books that beckon readers to spend time with the pictures. These books are quick reads for me. I wouldn’t pick them up again and again to wallow in the illustrations.