Here is the rooster from The Canterbury Tales, a famous collection of stories written more than six hundred years ago.

The rooster is dreaming of a fox whose “colour was betwixe yelow and reed.”

The color between yellow and red is orange, but six hundred years ago there was no word for it in English.

Illustration: Julie Morstad.

Rachel Poliquin is an award-winning writer well known for her visionary approach to nonfiction. Among her books are I Am Wind, illustrated by Rachel Wada, and The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers, illustrated by Clayton Hanmer. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Julie Morstad is the illustrator of numerous acclaimed books for young readers, including House of Dreams: The Life of L. M. Montgomery by Liz Rosenberg, When Green Becomes Tomatoes by Julie Fogliano, and Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder. She has been nominated for the Governor General’s Literary Award three times. She lives in Vancouver.

l to r: Rachel Poliquin and Julie Morstad

Excerpt from This Is Orange. Text Copyright © 2025 Rachel Poliquin. Illustrations Copyright © 2025 Julie Morstad. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, Candlewick Press, Somerville, MA.

This Is Orange publishes on Oct. 21.