Black looks out for all of us.
Yellow always does what’s right.
Purple has hopes and dreams, and
won’t let us fight.
6
Dark Green is very trustworthy.
Pink listens to everyone.
Light Green is always honest, and
Orange just likes to have fun.
7
x
Blue gives all of us hugs
whenever we feel down.
Red does things with everyone,
and then there’s me … just Brown.
8
Sometimes, I complain a lot
to the other colors around.
At times, I’m disrespectful
and I usually wear a frown.
I hardly ever laugh
but the others laugh at me.
It’s hard to be kind to them
and show them empathy.
9
Yesterday, we were doing an art project at school,
and I was the only color in the box that didn’t get used.
Red got used so much that she had to get sharpened again!
Everyone likes Red, but nobody likes me.
I wish I could be more like Red.
10
I went to talk to Blue. She gave me a big hug,
but all she said was, “Making friends is a true art, Brown.
You just need to figure out how to use the right colors.”
11
I had no idea what Blue was talking about,
so I went to find Light Green because
I knew he would be honest with me.
12
“Friendship is one of the most precious gifts that there is,” he said.
“But to have good friends, you need to be a good friend,
and, Brown, you just aren’t a very good friend.
That’s why the rest of us don’t like to hang out with you.”
“What’s wrong with me?” I asked.
13
14
“Brown, you never laugh,
and you always put us down.
You think our opinions are silly,
and you usually wear a frown.
You like to disagree
with everything we say,
and you always complain,
like every single day!
You don’t even try to understand
where we are coming from.
Brown, doing things with you
just isn’t that much fun!”
“Wow! That’s a lot of stuff!” I said.
“My point is, Brown, that in order to have good friends,
you need to be a good friend. Besides, having good friends
can make you a better person.”
I thought about everything that Light Green said,
and then I went to talk to Red.
15
“You’re so lucky, Red! You have so many friends
and you get to color more than anyone.
I wish I was like you!”