The Crayon Box that Talked [Paperback]

Shane Derolf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 21, 1997 | Age Level: 4 and up

"While walking through a toy store, the day before today, I overheard a crayon box with many things to say..." Once upon a time, Shane DeRolf wrote a poem. It was a deceptively simple poem, a charming little piece that celebrates the creation of harmony through diversity. The folks at the Ad Council heard it--and liked it so much that they made it the theme for their 1997 National Anti-Discrimination Campaign for Children. Following on the heels of nearly a year's worth of televised public service announcements, Random House is phonored to publish the picture book, illustrated in every color in the crayon box by dazzling newcomer Michael Letzig and conveying the sublimely simple message that when we all work together, the results are much more interesting and colorful.  

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2?In this mawkish, didactic tale (a tie-in book to the TV show The Crayon Box), quarrelsome talking crayons learn to appreciate one another when the narrator draws with them, thus showing them how each helps create a bigger picture. The message of the book, to learn to appreciate rather than dislike other people's differences, is conveyed Limburger-strong (and just as cheesy) through the unremarkable rhyming text. The illustrator uses a cartoonish, faux-childlike style and a cross-hatched layering technique to create pictures that are busy rather than vivid. The lack of borders and use of matte paper make them appear crammed into the pages. The colors (especially an overused Pepto-Bismol pink and a ruined-in-the-laundry white) are distracting. Skip this cloying book in favor of Patricia Hubbard's breezy My Crayons Talk (Holt, 1996), which gets the childlike art right and spares readers the weight of the Big Important Message.?July Siebecker, Hubbard Memorial Library, MA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

"While walking through a toy store, the day before today, I overheard a crayon box with many things to say..." Once upon a time, Shane DeRolf wrote a poem. It was a deceptively simple poem, a charming little piece that celebrates the creation of harmony through diversity. The folks at the Ad Council heard it--and liked it so much that they made it the theme for their 1997 National Anti-Discrimination Campaign for Children. Following on the heels of nearly a year's worth of televised public service announcements, Random House is phonored to publish the picture book, illustrated in every color in the crayon box by dazzling newcomer Michael Letzig and conveying the sublimely simple message that when we all work together, the results are much more interesting and colorful.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (October 21, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679986111
• ISBN-13: 978-0679986119
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,423,146 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book that teaches a simple yet important message, December 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Crayon Box that Talked (Paperback)

I read the book The Crayon Box That Talked to my 2nd Grade students. We all thought that the book was super! We talked about the differences in each other and the students each told another student something they liked about them. The students felt good about themselves and each other! This was a great book to start off our Peace Unit. As a diverse staff, we gave this book as a gift to our principal with simple messages of how we complement each other and as a staff we make a complete picture because of our uniqueness! Thanks Shane! Ms. Roushonda Morrison, 2nd Grade Teacher

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Tool for Cultural Diversity, February 17, 2000

By 

G. Badalamenti - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Crayon Box that Talked (Paperback)

As a school social worker I'm using this book to talk to a predominantly African-American 1st grade class who is having problems with teasing due to being too light or too dark. After I read the book I have them hold up their pointer finger and pretend it's a crayon. I tell them to scribble on their desk with their crayon and then look at the scribbles of the kids around them. The color that is produced is the color of their skin. They see that none of the shades are exactly the same, and that leads into a discussion of why we treat people differently due to skin color. It puts a somewhat complex concept into simple terms and is a delight to read. Kids love it!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPER FANTASTIC BOOK!, March 29, 1999

By 

Robby Joyce ([e-mail]) (Chapel Hill, Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Crayon Box that Talked (Hardcover)

This book was great. While attending the TASC (Tennessee Student Council) state convention, one of our keynote speakers read us this book. This was to about 650 junior high and high school students. The kids loved the book. It is one of those books that no matter how old you are, it carries a powerful message. I am buying it for myself (36 year old teacher) and my classes.