The Day the Crayons Quit

Written by Drew Daywalt · Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers

Part of the The Crayons series

A boy receives a series of letters from his crayons, each with its own unique personality and complaint.

5.7/7 Bookroo experts·4.4/5 Goodreads · 60,702 ratings

30 pages· 774 words· Est. 6 min read-aloud· AD730L

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Duncan faces a colorful crisis when his crayons go on strike, each with unique complaints. Blue is exhausted from endless oceans, Black craves more than outlines, and Orange and Yellow feud over the sun's true hue. With his art at stake, Duncan must navigate their demands and restore harmony. Can he find a way to appease his vibrant friends and get them back to coloring?

From the publisher

Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun.

What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?

Awards

The E.B. White Read Aloud Award (2014)FCBG Children’s Book Award (2015)

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 30
Words: 774
Reading age: 3–7
Audience: Picture
Lexile: AD730L

Themes & topics

Books about art Books about colors Books about being yourself Books about first concepts Books about letter writing

Inside the book

A peek between the covers

What readers & critics say

Reviews

5.7

out of 7

5.8

“How is everything in this book true for every child ever? It's hilarious and oh-so-clever, and a lot of fun to read. For bonus points with preschoolers, do each crayon in a different silly voice.”

Lauren Hancock

Trusted reviewer

The author