July 2017
The Day the Crayons Quit
by Drew Daywalt
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?
A Note from the First Lady:
What a fun read! The Day the Crayons Quit is a creative spin on what might happen if everyday objects could think and take action. In this book, unsuspecting Duncan opens his box of crayons one day to find a stack of letters, each written by a different crayon on strike.
The crayons are fed-up and have written to Duncan with their complaints. You will laugh your way through the story as you imagine how each crayon feels and why they are demanding a change from their owner. Enjoy reading through these letters with your family and friends and discussing each crayon’s argument. I hope this book club choice makes your July a bit more colorful!
Keep up the great reading!
Crissy Haslam
First Lady of Tennessee
Fun Family Activities
Persuasive Writing: Each crayon wrote a persuasive letter to Duncan to express its feelings and argue for change. Which color’s letter was the most convincing to you? Why? What did each crayon include in its letter that made the argument strong? Did the crayons give examples to back up their opinions? Which color do you think should draw the sun?
Flip the Script: In this story, the crayons were frustrated with how Duncan was using them. What if the crayons were happy about the way they were being treated? Pick four colors from Duncan’s crayon box and write a letter from each crayon to Duncan expressing appreciation for how Duncan chooses to use those colors.
Illustration: To illustrate means to explain something using pictures. Each of our favorite picture books come to life on the pages thanks to wonderful illustrators, and this story is no exception. Meet Oliver Jeffers, who drew all of the pictures in The Day the Crayons Quit. How does the illustrator enhance your reading experience? Tap into your artistic talents by illustrating how Duncan might use his crayons differently after reading their letters.
Further Reading: The Day the Crayons Came Home is the next book about Duncan’s mischievous crayons by author Drew Daywalt and illustrator Oliver Jeffries. Visit your local library to find this sequel and more!