Break out your crayon box and indulge in some coloring fun to celebrate National Crayon Day, which takes place on March 31st! This day is meant to recognize the creativity and comfort of this special form of art. Through the booklist below, we’d like to take this opportunity to share some fiction stories with a crayon or coloring theme, as well as some interesting nonfiction books that will broaden your appreciation of the exciting world of crayons!
FICTION
The Day the Crayons Quit (series) by Drew Daywalt
PICTURE DAYWALT
When Duncan arrives at school one morning, he finds a stack of letters, one from each of his crayons, complaining about how he uses them. The humor and adventure continues with The Day the Crayons Came Home, The Crayons Go Back to School, and others!
Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall
PICTURE HALL
Red's factory-applied label clearly says that he is red, but despite the best efforts of his teacher, fellow crayons and art supplies, and family members, he cannot seem to do anything right until a new friend offers a fresh perspective.
The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons by Leanne Hatch
PICTURE HATCH
When Violet gets a super big box of crayons, she can't bring herself to use them because they are so perfect.
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
PICTURE JOHNSON (SMALL BOOKS)
No list with crayons as the theme would be complete without the inclusion of the classic story of the fantastic adventures of Harold, a little boy with a purple crayon that opens up new worlds with each image or scene he draws.
I Don’t Draw, I Color! by Adam Lehrhaupt
PICTURE LEHRHAUPT
An exploration of the power of color and creativity combines lyrical text with evocative images of black-and-white characters interacting with colorful objects while overcoming insecurities about drawing at one's own skill level.
Creepy Crayon! (series) by Aaron Reynolds
PICTURE REYNOLDS
Part of the popular “creepy” series by Aaron Reynolds, in his newest eerie encounter, Jasper Rabbit, who is NOT doing well in school, stumbles upon a pointy, perfect purple crayon, who wants to help him; but things take a sinister turn when the purple fiend tries to take over his life.
How the Crayons Saved the Unicorn by Monica Sweeney
PICTURE SWEENEY
When a shy unicorn becomes so lonely that his colors begin to fade away, a feisty band of crayons offers friendship and generosity to help him restore his colors!
More Than Peach: Changing the World…One Crayon at a Time by Bellen Woodard
PICTURE WOODARD
When Bellen Woodard’s classmates referred to "the skin-color” crayon, in a school and classroom she had always loved, she knew just how important it was that everyone understood that “skin can be any number of beautiful colors.” This stunning picture book spreads Bellen’s message of inclusivity, empowerment, and the importance of inspiring the next generation of leaders.
NONFICTION
The Crayon Man: The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons by Natascha Biebow
BIOGRAPHY BINNEY B
Celebrating the inventor of the Crayola crayon, this gloriously illustrated picture book biography tells the inspiring story of Edwin Binney, the inventor of one of the world's most beloved toys.
The Story of Crayons by Mae Respicio
J681.6 RESPICIO
Red, blue, purple, green – crayons come in a rainbow of colors! And anyone with an imagination can enjoy these easy-to-use art supplies. But when were crayons first discovered? How have they changed throughout time? And how are they made today? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this informational book all about crayons!