Chilly & the Paint Chips – Parent / Teacher Guide

Story Synopsis

When Chilly’s friend, Egg Drop Sue visited Chilly’s home, she noticed the paint on his walls had faded. The colors were no longer bright and pleasing, instead they were dim. She suggested Chilly paint his house. He realized she was right and did so immediately. This is when his troubles began.

Chilly did not know what color to use so he ordered only white paint. Egg Drop Sue thought all white was not the best for him. Chilly painted the house several more times. Each time it was not right. One time his walls looked like an optical illusion. His friends got dizzy and fell down.

Sue suggested Chilly use Paint Chips to help him choose the best colors. Chilly rushed to the paint store. Soupville’s best salesman, Syd, was eager to help. Typically, someone would use only a few paint chips but Chilly requested hundreds of them. That’s where the even bigger trouble begins.

When Egg Drop Sue realizes that Chilly is over his head with his color and painting problems, she calls on Pamela Tone, her friend the art teacher.  In short order things are back on track and everyone is happy in the end.

Painting Houses

People have been painting their homes since ancient times. Sometimes the paint was for protection of the walls and sometimes just for decoration. History informs us that painting walls began with cave dwellers creating scenes of animals and people. They use paints that they created from minerals they found. 

The ancient Egyptians, most notably, continued the practice and decorated halls and tombs and many large spaces they occupied with paint they created. 

Several hundred miles away in Greece, people were painting the outside of homes with whitewash made from minerals local to them. They did this because much of the stone they used to build homes was dark, which made them very hot in the Mediterranean sun.  The color white reflected the heat and made the homes much cooler and comfortable.

During medieval times in Europe, the painting of houses, shops, barges and boats became a profession and the creation of lead-based paints led to numerous colors.

Hundreds of years later, in 1979, Dr. Herbert Needleman MD, a pediatrician discovered that lead and lead-based paint was actually poisonous and very harmful to humans. As a result of his research, different paints were developed that are not harmful to people and the environment.

Characters

What happened when Chilly invited Paula Penguin, Silver Spoon and Walt de Walrus and they saw his black and white painting design?  (They all got dizzy)

When Chilly was in his hammock dreaming of colors, what woke him up?  (A falling apple)

What is the salesman’s name at Soupville Paint and Pizza?  (Syd)

When the paint chips made a mess who did Egg Drop Sue call to help Chilly? (Pamela Tone)

What did Egg Drop Sue and Chilly Wonton Willy go when Pamela Tone began her work? (The beach)

What did Pamela Tone spin to begin her work with the Paint Chips?  (A color wheel)

Discussions

• Do you have a favorite color?

• Did you ever do any paint a house or a room? 

• Did you ever see professional painters work?

• If you could paint your room a new color, what color what it be?

• Do you know anyone who is a professional painter?