Review by New York Times Review
AS BOTH SUBJECTS and protagonists, animals seem to rule the world of children's books, and it's easy to see why. They are cute, recognizable and fun to imitate. They play a part in every child's life, sometimes a big one. But what about the toys and tools children use every day? These make more occasional literary appearances - in, for instance, classics such as "Corduroy," about a stuffed bear alone in a department store, or even "The Little Engine That Could," with its dolls and small clown - but they really deserve to be more frequent stars. Children have immediate associations with their treasured belongings in a way they might not with, say, a capybara. Three new books, all by prominent picture book authors, artfully use worldly possessions to approach larger themes, to varying degrees of success. "Waiting," by Kevin Henkes, who both illustrates and writes with a gentle and elegant style, creates an appealing cast of toys to get at the concept of waiting - a tough one to convey to a child. (The best I could do during a recent attempt with my 3-year-old daughter: "It's when you stay in one place until something happens." She was not impressed.) The subjects of this simple, graceful book - the ones doing the waiting - are five toys set on a window ledge, presumably in a child's bedroom: a pig in a dress; a teddy bear; a puppy; a spotted owl on a small pedestal; and a bunny head on a much longer, accordion-shaped one. Henkes, a winner of the Caldecott Medal (for "Kitten's First Full Moon") as well as a Caldecott Honor and two Newbery Honor awards, keeps the writing spare: "There were five of them," it begins. "And they were waiting." It turns out each toy is hoping for something different. The owl, true to its nocturnal nature, waits for the moon; the pig, who carries an umbrella, for the rain; the bear, holding a kite, for the wind; the puppy, set on a sled, for the snow. The rabbit "wasn't waiting for anything in particular. He just liked to look out the window and wait." (Sounds shifty to me.) Each eventually gets its wish in lovely, pastel-hued drawings. Like "Corduroy," "Waiting" is about the secret lives of toys, the stuff that happens when humans aren't around. They sleep, sprawled awkwardly across the ledge. A visitor arrives "from far away" - an elephant clad in an Indian get-up - and then leaves (it shatters after a fall, I'm sad to report). But what follows is the most charming section: wordless shots of the toys reacting to the changing vistas on the other side of the window. A rainbow yields wonder, lightning fear. It's all very mellow and sweet - and calming in a way that emphasizes the theme of patience. Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers, the writer and illustrator of "The Day the Crayons Came Home," take a different approach to a kid's things. The book, a sequel to their still popular hit, "The Day the Crayons Quit," continues its predecessor's pleasing, goofy conceit: Crayons not only have consciousness, they can write, in crayon of course. Both books feature a series of postcards written to a boy named Duncan, their unseen owner, about their lives and, mostly, their discontents, paired with pictures illustrating their messages. (You have to wonder if today's kids even know what postcards are. I guess emails are far less visually appealing.) Confession: Despite its status as a long-time best seller, I found "The Day the Crayons Quit" to be one of those children's books that are probably funnier in concept and execution for the parent than for the kid (and, to be clear, it's very clever). "The Day the Crayons Came Home" is more of the same, for better and worse. Once again, both Daywalt's text and Jeffers's illustrations are endearing. "Dear Duncan," one postcard begins, "No one likes peas. No one even likes the color." The card is, of course, from the pea-green crayon, who declares he is running away to see the world and has changed his name to "Esteban ... the Magnificent! (the crayon formerly known as pea green)." The illustration has him proudly wearing a cape with a closed-eyed look of defiance on his face. He pops back up a few pages later, dwarfed by a human-size door, his hobo-style bindle lying sadly at his side. "Um ... could you please open the front door? I still need to see the world." There is a happy ending, of sorts. While for me the whole thing seems a bit too jokey and wordy for the picture book format, certainly fans of the first will enjoy the sequel. And fans of gimmicks will enjoy the page featuring the glow-in-the-dark crayon, which actually glows in the dark. There are no gimmicks in "On the Ball," by Brian Pinkney, another multiple award winner (including Caldecott Honors for "The Faithful Friend" and "Duke Ellington") with a distinct style. The story is simple: Owen is a young soccer enthusiast who is having trouble keeping his eye on the ball. So much so, in fact, that the ball escapes, and it's "up to Owen to chase it down ... and to get it back." Words take a back seat to Pinkney's energetic illustrations, which might best be described as very swirly. Owen himself is a bunch of swirls and squiggles, and as he follows his escaped ball, he encounters the swirliest of landscapes, rendered beautifully in watercolor: crashing ocean waves, green jungle, pastel clouds. In the process, he turns into a tiger to chase the ball through the jungle, grows wings to follow it through the clouds and, finally, becomes a more confident soccer player. While Pinkney's style leans toward the abstract, it's remarkable how evocative the renderings of Owen's body are - by the end, he really looks like an accomplished young soccer player. There are actually two messages in the book. The obvious one is: Keep your eye on the ball and you'll find your natural ability. But in Owen's case, that also means letting his imagination roam free. It's a tender melding of athletic ambition and youthful inventiveness - and a reminder that simply embracing the stuff in a child's everyday life can be a powerful way into his or her imaginative one. DAN SALTZSTEIN is an editor in the Travel section of The Times.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [August 23, 2015]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* The crayons are back! Well, not all of them. Some of them are scattered hither and yon, and although they'd certainly like to return to Duncan, they'll need his help for that. Happily, all have had access to postcards, which arrive for the boy in a single packet. These cards aren't of the wish-you-were-here variety. See, Maroon Crayon has been lost under the couch since Duncan's dad sat on him and broke him in half. Tan Crayon was eaten by the dog and puked up on the rug. Neon Red, whose star turn was when she depicted sunburn, was left behind on vacation. Only one crayon wants out, not back in: Pea Green, who realizes everyone hates his color, wants to escape to see the world. (Also, he is changing his name to Esteban the Magnificent.) A masterwork of humor and design, this has charmingly realistic postcards facing clever depictions of each crayon's plight: Turquoise stuck to a sock (after a ride in the dryer), Brown morose after having been used to draw bear poop, and so forth. The reunion of the crayons leads to a wonderfully imaginative final spread, in which cardboard boxes provide an apartment complex of new homes. Sure to be as popular as The Day the Crayons Quit (2013). Whatever will they do next? HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The first book was a bit of a blockbuster, and there's no reason the crayons won't continue to color their own paths to glory.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
How do you follow a hit like The Day the Crayons Quit? Stick with what works, and add a twist: instead of letters, Duncan receives a stack of postcards from crayons that have been misplaced or maligned, or are ready for adventure. A directionally challenged neon red crayon tries to get home after being abandoned at a motel; a trip through the dryer has left a turquoise crayon stuck to a sock; and a chunky toddler crayon can't abide Duncan's baby brother ("Picasso said every child is an artist, but I dunno"). Once again, Daywalt and Jeffers create rich emotional lives and personalities for their colorful cast, and it's hard to imagine a reader who won't be delighted. Ages 5-8. Author's agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Paul Moreton, Bell, Lomax, Moreton Agency. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Duncan's crayons are back in this companion to the spectacular The Day the Crayons Quit (Philomel, 2014), and they are just as forthright as ever. A stack of postcards arrive for the neglectful boy, this time written by a new batch of crayons who have been forgotten at motels, lost under the couch, or left behind in the basement. Maroon has been marooned under the sofa, having been broken by Duncan's dad, who sat on it, Tan (or Burnt Sienna) has seen better days and has recently been puked up by the dog, and old frenemies Orange and Yellow have melted in the sun to become one gooey mess. Recurring postcards from Pea Green (aka Esteban), who dreams of traveling, and clueless Neon Red, who writes about grand adventures abroad, will elicit giggles from young ones. Jeffers's mixed-media illustrations of photographed postcards and childlike crayon drawings against white backdrops enhance kid appeal and encourage close visual reading. A glow-in-the-dark spread and chatty household items, such as a sock, a paper clip, and a pencil sharpener, are new aspects to look forward to, and the general theme of home being a place where everyone belongs will resonate with old and young readers alike. VERDICT A brilliant, colorful tale that begs to be read aloud and a must-have for all collections.-Shelley Diaz, School Library Journal © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The personified crayons who revolted against their little-boy owner, Duncan, in The Day the Crayons Quit (rev. 11/13) are writing again. This time, instead of sending indignant resignation letters, they send indignant postcards from their various travels. The world outside the crayon box is harsh, and they would (mostly) like to come home. Neon Red has been forgotten at a hotel pool; Yellow and Orange have melted together outside in the hot sun; Tan (or possibly Burnt Sienna?) was regurgitated by the dog; and little brothers BIG CHUNKY Toddler Crayon first had its head bitten off, then was stuck up the cats nose. Left-hand pages show the missives written (in crayon) on the backs of realistic-looking postcards; facing pages include illustrations (done mostly in crayon) that give the mail more context and humor. Pea Greenappropriately envious of the othersand Neon Red send multiple postcards, interspersed throughout, contributing a light plot to the mix, and Glow in the Dark Crayon provides extra novelty as that page really glows in the dark. Ultimately, Duncan does right by his neglected crayons and finds a solution to which any self-respecting art supply could aspire. Zippy and delightfully full of itself, this clever epistolary picture book could stand alonefor those few children who have not read the previous book. julie roach (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Duncan's crayons are back in this comical sequel to The Day the Crayons Quit (2013), and this time they need to be rescued. Maroon is broken and has been stuffed between the couch cushions, Turquoise got stuck to a sock in the dryer, and Orange and Yellow have melted together in the hot sun. Though a few crayons might have been more aptly placed in the first bookPea Green has run away because no one likes peas or the color pea greenDaywalt and Jeffers still manage to treat readers to a new story. Mixed-media illustrations, done with crayons and photographic postcards, introduce lively new scenery and brilliant characters. Big Chunky Toddler Crayon is desperate to escape from Duncan's baby brother; Neon Red is on a cross-country trip back to Duncan's house after having been left behind on a family vacation; and Glow in the Dark needs rescuing from the sinister basement. Both Neon Red and Glow in the Dark are reproduced with astounding vibrancy, and readers who turn out the lights while viewing Glow in the Dark's postcard are in for a real surprise. Fans of Jeffers will be charmed when they discover characters from his previous works hidden in the postcards' stamps. This new cast of crayons will entertain readers, and admirers of the first book will be pleased to see a few familiar colors. (Picture book. 3-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
