Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955)

A little boy goes on an adventure by drawing his own world with a purple crayon.

When Harold decides that he wants to go for a walk in the moonlight, the youngster doesn't allow the lack of either moon or path to stand in his way. Taking his magical purple crayon, he creates them both, drawing the world into existence around him, as he proceeds from adventure to adventure. Falling into the sea, but then drawing himself a sailing boat; plummeting off a one-sided mountain, but creating a hot-air balloon in mid-tumble - Harold has everything he needs in his purple crayon...

Originally published in 1955, this classic picture-book for younger children is one of those universally beloved books that I somehow missed, in my own girlhood reading. I'm glad that it was chosen as one of our November titles over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme this month is "Classic Picture-Book Characters," as this gave me the impetus I needed to finally pick it up. What an incredibly perceptive portrait of a child's imaginative process it contains! How true it is that we create the world around us (and not just as children) through our imaginative lives. The starkly minimal artwork here perfectly complements the simple but effective text, which builds the story outward at first - outward into the blank unknown, where Harold has the freedom to be and do anything, safe in the knowledge that his purple crayon (his creative power) will keep him safe - before returning it to the safety of home and of bed. Amusing, clever, perceptive - Harold and the Purple Crayon is children's literature at its best, demonstrating yet again that for those with the true vision, great artistic and intellectual merit can be found in the simple and the small. ( )

Harold's imagination and his purple crayon can get him out of just about anything! Harold draws a boat to get out of the water and draws landmarks to help him find his way home. This tale is certain to spark the imagination of the reader! ( )

This is my very favorite children's book of all time. I loved it when I was a little girl and I still love it. Purple RULES!

Recent Dates Read:
August 5, 2009
November 20, 2009 ( )

Harold and the Purple Crayon has been a favorite of the picture book genre for quite some time, and the reputation is well deserved. In this charming story about creativity, Harold decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. He needs some moon for a moonlight walk, though, so he draws one. He also draws the path, and the field, and the forest he finds. With his wonderful purple crayon, he draws everything he sees and experiences along his journey, mostly by intention, but occasionally by accident. When he draws a dragon to guard the apple tree, he is so frightened by his own invention that his hand shakes, creating water waves into which he stumbles. Good thing he keeps his head and draws a boat. Or when he draws a mountain to look for his house, but trips at the top; he hasn't drawn the other side of the mountain yet, so he is falling through the air, when he thinks about drawing a hot air balloon, and saves himself. Eventually, Harold finds his way back to his own familiar room. He draws up his covers, and falls asleep.

Harold's adventures show his creativity and the power of his imagination, which sweep him up so completely that sometimes he's controlling it, and sometimes it's controlling him. Each page uses just a small amount of simple sentences, because the illustrations convey so much of the story. This narrative is perfect for reading aloud, not only because the word count is small, but also because the text is readable. The rhythm is just right, the concise descriptions embed sly humor (drew up the covers, and so on). The subject matter is brilliant - children love to draw. My oldest daughter is in a phase right now where she draws all over the place. The act of creation is a powerful force, and children are especially attuned to this gift. Harold's story, about a boy drawing an entire world around him, is therefore quite appealing. My girls, who are just beginning to sit still for simpler picture books, listen closely to this whole narrative, even though it has more pages than others. I definitely agree with this picture book's standing as a child's classic, and recommend it to families. ( )