From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-The youngster's amazing purple crayon draws him into yet another adventure in this book based on the HBO animated series of Harold's adventures (with no mention of Crockett Johnson's name in it). When the child can't sleep, he decides to read his favorite book in bed. Wondering what it would be like to ride "a big, long-necked dinosaur," he picks up his purple crayon to find out. Naturally, one thing leads to another as Harold explores the jungle, drops into a pterodactyl's nest, and saves the dinosaurs from an erupting volcano. Though this story is not as fresh as Crockett Johnson's original, Harold's imaginative mind and the dinos are a winning combination, providing plenty of child appeal. An additional purchase.
Robin L. Gibson, Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OHCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
PreS-Gr. 1. Looking at his dinosaur book, Harold decides that he'd like to ride a dinosaur, so he sets out to find one by drawing a jungle. He meets several dinosaurs, saves some from a lava flow and one from a pool of tar, rides on one's back, then goes home. In the illustrations, which appear to be digital, Harold's room is shown in muted tones, while the dinosaur terrain is usually depicted in bright, saturated colors. Though Harold carries his purple crayon around wherever he goes, it's more of an identifying prop than an essential, creative tool that Harold wields to define the setting and characters and determine the action. With a story "based on a teleplay," this picture book will disappoint fans of Crockett Johnson's magical little books, though it may satisfy fans of the HBO series. They won't know what they're missing.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
