Book Cover
Book Summary
In this book, Duncan opens his desk to use his crayons one day only to discover a large stack of letters from his crayons. Each crayon has a complaint ranging from being overused to being underused to an argument over who is the real color of the sun. Duncan proceeds to draw a picture that solves everyone's problems and earns him an A+ for creativity.
APA Reference of Book
Dewalt, D. (2013). The day the crayons quit. New York, NY: Philomel Books.
Impressions
This is a cute book. I like the personification of the crayons and the way that they air their grievances. Everyone has something to discuss, but everyone is polite, even orange and yellow who are not speaking to each other. I also like that Duncan takes their problems seriously and tries to draw a picture that will make everyone happy. The real star of the book for me is the illustrations. The simple faces and limbs on the crayons somehow make them seem like real characters and manages to show their emotions.
Professional Review
"Duncan's crayons are on strike. One morning he opens his desk looking for them and, in their place, finds a pack of letters detailing their grievances, one crayon at a time. Red is tired. Beige is bored. Peach is naked! The conceit is an enticing one, and although the crayons' complaints are not entirely unique (a preponderance centers around some variation of overuse), the artist's indelible characterization contributes significant charm. Indeed, Jeffers' ability to communicate emotion in simple gestures, even on skinny cylinder of wax, elevates the crayon drawing to remarkable heights. First-class bookmaking, with a clean design, ample trim size, and substantial page stock, adds to the quality feel. A final spread sees all things right, as Duncan fills a page with bright, delightful imagery, addressing each of the crayons' issues and forcing them into colorful cooperation. Kids who already attribute feelings to their playthings will never look at crayons the same way again."
Barthelmess, T. (2013). [Review of The day the crayons quit by Drew Dewalt]. Booklist, 109(21), 77-78. Available from: http://www.booklistonline.com/
Library Uses
This book would be a good fit for a library program on friendship or how to deal with conflict. Both are topics that need to be addressed occasionally in lower elementary school as children make new friends and begin to experience some of the problems that often arise in a larger group of varied friends.
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