about the book
One day Duncan arrives at school, eagerly anticipating all the fun he is going to have while coloring, only to find his crayons have all deserted him! Left behind are letters explaining why each color quit.
Red feels like he is the most overworked crayon in all of history, what with all the fire trucks and Santa Clauses he has had to draw.
Blue is sick of oceans. How many more large bodies of water will he have to suffer through?
Yellow and Orange complain about the other, each arguing that he alone is the true color of the sun.
White feels useless when all Duncan draws on is white paper, while Black knows that he ought to be used for more than just outlining things!
And Peach? Peach is upset that she is “naked,” as for reasons unknown Duncan has removed her paper wrapping. Will Duncan be able to play the mediator in all this, or will he be doomed to color with markers for the rest of his life?
about the author
Drew Daywalt grew up in one of the most haunted houses in Ohio! With his mother reading him all the great children’s lit and his brother indoctrinating him in all the best horror and fantasy films, Drew had two loves. A degree in creative writing from Emerson University offered to let him either write books for young readers or do screenwriting.
After graduation, he followed a friend to Hollywood and spent twenty years making films. But he always wondered “what if.” That is when he gave kid’s literature a try and wrote his first picture book, The Day the Crayons Quit.
Now he gets to live both his dreams. Drew is best known for his work in the movie industry; he has written 23 different films, either short films or feature length, as well as a few TV show episodes, including from the Timon & Pumbaa series based off the Lion King characters.
Though he loves doing warm-fuzzy kid’s stories, you can still find him working away at the really scary stuff. Guess he was equally influenced by his mom and brother!
Sources:
Author interview : Kidlit 411
Author page : IMDB
Author post : Nerdy Book Club
about the illustrator
Oliver Jeffers was born in Port Hedland, Australia, raised in Belfast, Ireland, educated at the University of Ulster, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York. There is something about the creative energy in New York City that appeals to him, he says.
Some of Oliver’s activities include making stuff— like a picture book, drawings, things he calls “art,” and lists of other things to make. When he’s not being modest, Oliver will admit that his art has been exhibited in a lot of places, like London, New York, Dublin, Washington DC, Sydney, and Belfast.
Sources:
Illustrator website
Illustrator interview : Today’s Parent
Illustrator interview : Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Illustator biography : Wikipedia
Also illustrated by Oliver Jeffers:
It Wasn’t Me (Hueys, Book 2). Philomel. 2014.
This Moose Belongs to Me. Philomel. 2012.
The Hueys in the New Sweater. Philomel. 2012.
Stuck. Philomel. 2011.
Up and Down. Philomel. 2010.
The Great Paper Caper. Philomel. 2009.
The Way Back Home. Philomel. 2008.
The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Philomel. 2006.
Lost and Found. Philomel. 2005.
How to Catch a Star. Philomel. 2004.
read more!
A Day with No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch
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Dear Daisy Dunnington by Mathilde Stein
Daisy is the most overworked, downtrodden girl you may ever meet. Her mother is on her case: Do this, and don’t do that! Her only escape is her dreams, which become waking dreams one day when she receives a letter. What is written in the letter inspires Daisy to dream big—like becoming a circus performer, or perhaps a princess—even in the face of boring drudgery.
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers
Wilfred is a somewhat geeky boy with lots of rules. His life is orderly in all areas, except one: his pet moose, Marcel. Marcel listens quietly enough when Wilfred shows him all about his record collection; but Marcel has trouble with Rule #7, to stay close to the house. Why won’t Marcel listen? Perhaps it is because Marcel doesn’t really think Wilfred owns him…