6 Flamingo Picture Books to Keep Kids in the Pink

I’m Sad, by Michael Ian Black and Debbie Ridpath Ohi (illustrator)
You’d expect a bird with bright pink feathers to be one happy guy, but the flamingo in this story is feeling blue. His friends, an adorable, grumpy potato and a little girl, try to make him feel better, but the flamingo decides that sometimes it’s okay to be sad, and just experience the depths of what he’s feeling without trying to instantly chase it away. Flamingo discovers it’s also helpful to have funny friends, as a good giggle makes a fine cure for the blues.

Flora and the Flamingo, by Molly Idle
In this lovely book with no words, a graceful flamingo appears on a white background under a blossoming pink tree, striking a pose. Soon Flora, a girl wearing a pair of flippers and a pink bathing suit over her little-kid tummy, appears and begins to imitate the flamingo’s poses. The flamingo evolves from annoyance with her intrusion to an embrace of artistic collaboration as the persistent Flora continues to dance.

Sylvie, by Jennifer Sattler
One of the most interesting facts about flamingos is the one that Sylvie’s mother tells her in this funny book: they’re pink “because the little shrimp we eat are pink.” Sylvie looks around at all the colorful objects on the beach and gets an idea: she’s going to eat her way red, blue, green, and paisley!

Mingo the Flamingo, by Pete Oswald and Justin K. Thompson
Little Mingo is getting ready to head south for the winter for the first time with his parents. But he gets lost in a storm, and crash lands on a snowy farm. Due to a bump on the head, he can’t remember who he is. All the farm animals offer suggestions for what kind of animal he could be as they help him heal and train to regain his strength. But even with his best efforts, he might need just a little more help from his friends to fly in the right direction.

Miss Mingo Weathers the Storm, by Jamie Harper
In this series by Jamie Harper, Miss Mingo is a teacher for a class of students that include a pig, a panda, a beaver, and even a narwhal. She teaches them all about storms in this story through a hike during which they encounter all kinds of weather conditions. Along the way, kids will learn all sorts of interesting facts, such as how you can estimate the temperature by counting how fast a cricket is chirping.

Flamingo Sunset, by Jonathan London and Kristina Rodanas (illustrator)
This vibrantly illustrated nonfiction book teaches kids about the flamingo life cycle. Watch the pink flamingo pair build a cone-shaped nest, guard an egg and nurture their gray-feathered baby until he grows his adult feathers and soars off into the sunset.