Harold's ABC

Harold explores the alphabet in this seventh and final story devoted to his crayon-created adventures, using each letter as a step in his imaginative game. From "A for Attic" to "Z for Zzzl" (or "little snore"), Harold incorporates each letter into his drawings, and into his story, giving the book more of an organic feeling than many other alphabet offerings. Setting out from home, he encounters everything from a giant to a witch, rides airplanes, lightning and kites, and eventually winds up (where else?) back home again...

I really enjoyed Harold's ABC, which marks the end of my recent Harold project. I never read Harold and the Purple Crayon or any of its sequels as a girl, so I am very glad to have finally become acquainted with this show more creative toddler and his crayon-fueled play. As with its predecessors, I appreciated the depiction of Harold's imaginative world, and the strength of his creative process. I was particularly impressed here by the way the letters were incorporated into the story and the artwork. A well done alphabet book, and a fitting conclusion to a brilliant series of tales! show less

Nonna and Mamma have fond memories of reading this book in childhood, and the youngest grandchild came home from school library day all excited: "Did you know there's a BOOK about Harold and the purple crayon? a kid in my class borrowed it from the library!" Apparently the movie version of Harold is that good. Time to get out Harold And The Purple Crayon, and Harold's ABC as well since as soon as we thought about Harold, we remembered his adventures with the alphabet with affection. M made mountains, didn't it?

Integrating the brown letters into the purple illustrations allows the alphabet to be distinct enough that this book could be used as a teaching tool and connected in a way that makes one aware of how the drawings themselves are being made. I like that the story is a commentary on its own. 4 stars.

This is an example of fantasy. It is a good example. Harold takes his purple crayon and then uses every letter of the alphabet to make some object that can help him have a fun adventure (like S makes a Sea Serpent that he can ride). It's set in present day and is set in an almost believable world. Almost everything he draws is based on real life things, and it's fantasy in that he uses a purple crayon and floating letters to take him away from home and back again.
Harold is a flat, static character. This story doesn't really have a complex plot or setting and the characterization is sort of irrelevant. It's just short story that goes through the alphabet. We don't learn much about Harold except, I suppose, that he is creative and show more adventurous, but he really doesn't change at all.
Media- Crayon, Charcoal, Pencil
Age Appropriateness- Primary show less

Harold uses his crayon to draw different objects with the different letters of the alphabet.
1 book

FROM LIBRARY CATALOG:
Harold takes a trip to the moon and comes home again simply by drawing his way through the letters of the alphabet with a purple crayon.