Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold #1

by Crockett Johnson

From beloved children’s book creator Crockett Johnson comes the timeless classic Harold and the Purple Crayon! This imagination-sparking picture book belongs on every child's digital bookshelf.

One evening Harold decides to go for a walk in the moonlight. Armed only with an oversize purple crayon, young Harold draws himself a landscape full of wonder and excitement.

Harold and his trusty crayon travel through woods and across seas and past dragons before returning to bed, safe and sound. Full of funny twists and surprises, this charming story shows just how far your imagination can take you.

“A satisfying artistic triumph.” —Chris Van Allsburg, author-illustrator of The Polar Express

Share this classic as a birthday, baby shower, or graduation gift!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Classics, Fantasy, Art, Kids

68 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

Crockett Johnson was the pen name of the American cartoonist and children's book illustrator David Johnson Leisk. He is best known for the comic strip Barnaby (1942–1952) and the Harold series of books beginning with Harold and the Purple Crayon. [From Wikipedia.]

Reviews

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free book that makes for good jokes

Harold has a magic purple crayon that can apparently draw anything Harold imagines.

This book was FREE as an Amazon Prime member, and who doesn't love FREE stuff? As far as content thought, this children's story is average. Although I have read this book before, I forgot what was involved because it was so unremarkable. However, this book does lead well into some good jokes for adults: Harold, what can your green crayon do? Harold, can you please draw me a giant pile of money so I can swim through it like Scrooge McDuck? Harold, do you have a sister called Maude?

This is one of the books from James Mustich's 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die A Life-Changing List.

2024 Reading Schedule
Jan Middlemarch
Feb The Grapes of Wrath
Mar Oliver Twist
Apr Madame Bovary
May A Clockwork Orange
Jun Possession
Jul The Folk of the Faraway Tree Collection
Aug Crime and Punishment
Sep Heart of Darkness
Oct Moby-Dick
Nov Far From the Madding Crowd
Dec A Tale of Two Cities

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[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s amazing what one purple line can do for a story. Harold has a purple crayon and he goes on a journey with his imagination. The illustrations are simple and the book is enduring and cute. Everything is black and white ink drawings with that one purple crayon. It’s pretty brilliant what Crockett did here.

The niece didn’t read this and the nephew is in a phase right now. He’s a bit of a handful and he is just out-of-sorts sometimes. He had been throwing tamtrums all evening. I thought he a story might turn the tide and it did not. Anyway, he said this was a stupid story and he hated it. He gave it 1 star and told me not to read this kind of story to him anymore. He was wound up tonight. He didn’t want to go to sleep either. Not every night can be a good one.

I do think he would enjoy this story at another time, so I might try and read it again.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this many, many times to my twins, and they liked it well enough, but they much preferred Where the Wild Things Are and Stone Soup. I wasn't sure why, but I never gave it much thought until now.

Now, you see, my little Scoutie Kat loves Harold and the Purple Crayon, and I think it is because I finally figured out the voice for reading aloud. One night last month we were sitting around, and I was exhausted, so rather than try to muster energy and liven up proceedings, I simply went with my exhaustion, put in a pseudo-mid-western accent and languidly set off on Harold's journey.

Turns out that languid is a big hit -- at least with Scoutie. Slow and steady and soothing is the voice she likes, and I discovered, much to my surprise, that I liked the story more than I ever had before. I think I'd always been reading it wrong, trying to make it into an adventure, rather than a journey to sleep. Silly me.

I have it now, though, and I'll never read it another way again.

(p.s. Until today I had it ranked at three stars, but I've added another now. Harold deserves it.)

[Sasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here is the first betrayal in a long life of betrayals, child. Your parents told you it was a classic, didn't they? Their eyes were probably limpid with nostalgia as they gave it to you. "It's about imagination," they simpered. And you took it in your grubby little hands, and you put it in your grubby little mouth, and you thought, "THIS IS BORING."

"But it's about how creativity can take you anywhere!" they cried. And "yeah," you babbled: "Anywhere purple." Because that's all it is, child, isn't it? It's just purple lines. "No," they protest, "it's pie and dragons!" Scribbly purple pies and dragons, and not the real thing. The real pie is in the refrigerator, the real dragons are in your sofa fort, and this is boring.

You might as well know now, child: your parents are boring. Your teachers are boring. You will be assaulted on all sides by books that grown-ups think are good for you, and they will be boring. By the end of it, the love of reading will be crushed out of your body and you will become a lawyer.

As you grow, you will face more boring books:

Wind in the Willows
Little House in the Big Woods
Moby-Dick
Proust

They are all boring. Did your parents honestly like them? Yes, they did, because they were never children like you. They were born small adults, and they became big adults, and they have always liked boring things. Throw this book behind the changing table where no parent can retrieve it, and read these instead:

Madeline
Matilda
Harriet the Spy
Wuthering Heights
Borges

And if any grown-up tries to talk to you about Harold and his stupid crayon, bite them.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a children's book, and it is the first book in the Harold series. I have read this book to my twin boys and my daughter a lot. I love this book, and one of my twin boys favorite color is purple. I love that the pictures is simple and super cute. Great book for little kids and toddlers.

[Freefall (ia, find me on discord) · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was gifted a copy by my kindergarten principal—so cute!!

tw: drowning, allusions to mental disorders and suicide, loneliness, eating disorders and anorexia, parental abandonment, large menacing creatures, traumatic experiences, uncensored foreshadowing of future traumatic events

this quaint little children's book explores the imaginative world of harold, a young, onesie-wearing child armed with creativity and a purple crayon. he navigates a blank-canvas world and chooses his own quests and adventures.

this book is very nostalgic for me, and harold is a very likeable main character, who refuses to let his delicious pies get wasted, so he summons the poor and hungry forwards so they can have a...piece of the pie (ba dum tss). it is a monumental activism stance of crockett johnson to not turn a blind eye to the impoverished members of society desperate to beat out starvation.

he also finds many unemployed people jobs to take in his haroldian society, such as giving the dragon the job of a security guard, and finding the police officer a position as the Navigator of Bedrooms. harold also gets to dabble briefly in fashion design, allowing the police officer to wear a finely-crafted outfit emblazoned with a star of honor.

for a children's picture book, this tackles many hard topics and allows children to open their sleep-crusted eyes toward the injustices and flaws of society, but it also tells them that they can carve their own world and characters with the simple but powerful ability of imagination.

this was a buddy read with the wonderful idalina! check out her review here.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about an insomniac toddler who gets out of bed and goes wandering around at night armed with a magic crayon.

What were his parents thinking? Didn't they realize that you should put toddlers to bed early and make sure they stay there? And didn't they know that you shouldn't give magical objects to young children? Harold could have fallen out of bed and ended up with an owie. What is worse, he could have gotten lost, eaten, injured, kidnapped, jailed or drowned.

This book should be prohibited because it encourages neglect and shows a lamentable overuse of imagination.

[Benjamin Winkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crockett Johnson's allegorical retelling of Books 1-6 of Vergil's Aeneid is still as powerful today as when it was originally published in 1955. After being startled by a "dragon" guarding apples - a reference to the Achaian menace brought on by the Golden Apple of Discord - Harold/Aeneas is forced into an involuntary sea voyage, accompanied only by the moon (here a stand-in for his patroness/mother Venus). He lands in a pleasant country, and enjoys a seaside feast (the wealth and luxury of Carthage), accompanied by a "hungry moose" and a "deserving porcupine", allegories for Dido and her sister Anna. It is no accident that it is Anna who is the "deserving" one - Dido, who spurns Iarbas in favor of trying to divert Aeneas from his divine mission is satirized as thin and rapacious.

Abandoning these at their banquet of overabundance, Harold/Aeneas continues his journey. He tries to climb a mountain to help locate his objective (the land where he is destined to settle), but it is only after a plunge into an abyss that he can gain enlightenment. Here Johnson has replaced the Roman conception of the underworld with a more strikingly literal representation - there "wasn't any other side" of the mountain, merely a void. Finally sensing that he is near to his destination, he passes first by a false house and then an entire false city - obvious metaphors for the false destinations such as Sicily which tempt the Trojan settlers. Harold/Aeneas "asks a policeman" (King Latinus) for directions, but, as Aeneas is guided by divine destiny, Latinus merely directs him "the way he was going anyway". Vergil's theme that a divine origin - and the firm religious foundation built upon this - is the wellspring of Roman glory is well symbolized by the ending; the journey of Harold/Aeneas ends when he embraces "pietas" and the destiny placed upon him by Venus, and builds his "room" around her (thus establishing the Roman race).
Crockett Johnson's masterful interpretation of this theme through spartan monochrome illustrations offers a remarkable counterpoint to Vergil's ornate Latin verse. But the pinnacle of his creation lies in the titular instrument. It is no great exaggeration to say that Vergil's patron, Augustus, was at the time engaged in remaking Rome in his own image. The author's metaphor is dual - Harold is not merely Aeneas, founder of the Romans. He is Augustus, the fulfillment of the Aeneid's central prophecies, redrawing Rome with an imperial purple crayon.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 'mommy book' that I remember from my childhood. I can actually remember setting my purple crayon aside...If it worked for Harold it would work for me! This is a wonderful book that will help nurture the imagination of a small child; one of my favorite books for children. Highest recommendation.

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my choice for the Popsugar prompt "A book with your favorite color in the title"

Children's book choice 2 out of 3 and I have to say, after all the hype surrounding what a fantastic book this is, I just didn't see it. Sure it's a cute read, but for something so beloved I expected a little... more? Anyway, on to the next one!

P.S. my kids weren't all that interested either so I guess it wasn't just me.

[Dustin the wind Crazy little brown owl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Amazing! I love this story of imagination & imagery! My favorite part toward the end:
"And then Harold made his bed.
He got in it and he drew up the covers."

Harold and the Purple Crayon is perfect on so many levels. It all starts when Harold wants to go for a walk in the moonlight. He can't see any moon so he draws one with his purple crayon. The moon is then a companion for duration of this magical adventure.

The sad thing is I don't remember reading this as a child - I discovered The Adventures of Harold and the Purple Crayon at age 30 - Where have you been all my life Harold? If you're like me or if you've read it before - do yourself a favor and read this book - rediscover a world of imagination and simplicity.

I like Harold and the Purple Crayon better than Where the Wild Things Are, which is a book of similar material, although not quite as simplistic.

Favorite Passages:

He didn't want to get lost in the woods. So he made a very small forest, with just one tree in it.
______

His hand holding the purple crayon shook. Suddenly he realized what was happening. But by then Harold was over his head in an ocean. He came up thinking fast. And in no time he was climbing aboard a trim little boat.
_____

After he had sailed long enough, Harold made land without much trouble.
_____

He hoped he could see his bedroom window from the top of the mountain. But as he looked down over the other side he slipped - And there wasn't any other side of the mountain. He was falling, in thin air. But luckily, he kept his wits and his purple crayon.

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

After finally having had a chance to read Crocket Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon (which I unfortunately never did get a chance to actually and actively encounter during my own childhood, although I had heard of its existence), and what in my humble opinion makes this timeless classic so very much and inherently, lastingly special is that with the simplicity of the accompanying illustrations, the author/illustrator shows children (no, he actually shows EVERYONE) that imagination and even artistic imagination does NOT need to be realism-based, does not need to be three dimensional, and most certainly does not ever really need to be painterly, as Harold's artistic adventures with his ubiquitous purpose crayon are all depicted as simple line drawings, expressive, evocative, adventurous, but in no way overly involved and with too many minute details (stick figure like renderings that most of us, and even those of us with imagination, and appreciation for art but not really all that much if any talent for drawing, painting and the like could more than likely manage easily enough).

And aside from the sweet, engagingly fun act of reading Harold and the Purple Crayon (either as an independent reader or perusing it with a child or a group of children), of showing, of demonstrating how Harold uses his very active imagination, uses his special purple crayon to create his own imaginative world of whimsy, adventure and even delicious treats, one can of course also make use of the very premise of Crocket Johnson's classic to encourage children (either at home or in the classroom) to create their own drawn purple crayon (or whatever coloured crayon) imaginative adventure storyboards, to read and perhaps even to present, to show and tell. Highly recommended and just so much potential fun (as in my opinion Harold and the Purple Crayon simply begs to be imitated, to be used as a blueprint for playtime and whimsical storytelling, but perhaps it might also and equally be worthwhile if not necessary making sure that especially toddlers do not end up initiating Harold too closely by drawing on walls)!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true classic and for good reason! A marvelous story about all the places imagination (and a purple crayon) can take you! Don't let the book's apparent "simplicity" fool you--this is a treasure.

I'm a creative person, but I'm not especially artistic in terms of drawing/painting/etc. so I could both appreciate Harold's creative spirit and his artistic talents that are beyond me! That said, I think even though Harold uses a purple crayon, the imagination and creativity can be so relevant to various artistic persuasions--writing, music, dance, etc. all help us create worlds :->

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books are classics for a reason. This is one of those books.

I'd happily recommend this book for kids of any age range. They're delightful, and my boys enjoy having them read and re-read to them.

[Najeefa Nasreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crockett Johnson's wonderful little book "Harold and the Purple Crayon" is a classic among children's literature. I have many fond memories of this book (and the other Harold books) about an adorable toddler with an active imagination and a magical crayon that allows him to bring to life anything he draws. I never had a problem with the book as a child, but my cynical (and science fiction/fantasy-addled) adult brain's re-reading uncovers the horrific implications within the story, implications that I'm sure Johnson had absolutely no clue he was writing.

We start with young Harold, alone and (we are to assume) inexplicably placed in an inter-dimensional plane of nothingness, with nothing but his magic crayon as a link to his home world. This dimension does not even have a moon, so he is forced to draw one. Imagine the utter loneliness and despair he must feel to have to draw a moon, simply to feel some connection and link with the world he has lost.

He draws a road, but he soon finds that the road leads nowhere, so he is forced to draw a field with a tree. On a whim, he draws a dragon to guard the tree, but his powers of creativity are so great that his own creation terrifies him. His crayon, trembling from fear in his right hand, creates waves of an ocean, which he nearly drowns in. Quick thinking leads him to draw a boat and eventually an island, and a picnic. This scene is heart-breaking in its innocence. Poor Harold is either unaware of the implications of his plight or he is just so utterly optimistic that he never seems to feel the weight of dread. In this scene we see the inspiring heroism of Harold.

I wish I could say that Harold finds his way back home. Alas, he does not, but his optimism and love for life abounds to the end.

Who knew "Harold and the Purple Crayon" was such a tragic but ultimately uplifting story about the human power to overcome adversity?

[بثينة العيسى · Rating 5 out of 5]

تقرأ كأنك تحلم.

[Karina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Harold and his purple crayon. This kid has an imagination! He fought beasts, made a picnic, went out to sea, floated on a balloon, made giant buildings; and all before bedtime. I liked the simplicity of the purple crayon/marker yet what he did with it was anything but simple. Very cool book to read before bedtime.

[Rosh (will be MiA for a fortnight!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: An ingenious picture book about an imaginative kid who makes his own adventure at bedtime. Whimsical and imaginative, but not exactly my cup of tea. I can see why kiddos will enjoy it though.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You might have heard of ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ books, whereby each story, written in second person, allows the reader to choose where they want the story to go. This is also a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’, not for the readers but for the little titular protagonist.

The story of this classic picture book, first published in 1955, is straightforward enough at least on the surface. Little Harold decides to go on a walk at night with his purple crayon in hand. As he walks, he sketches every component of his adventure, right from the moon, the road, some unexpected perils and some timely solutions.

The purple crayon is some kind of a magical device because whatever Harold sketches in his simple line drawings, the crayon seems to convert to a fully-functional three-dimensional object. It is a vital component of the story as it conveniently allows Harold to escape from sticky situations, merely by drawing himself a solution. This leaves several gaps of logic. As such, whether you enjoy the book or not might depend on how right-brained or left-brained you are. Creative readers will be thrilled with Harold’s magical adventure, while logical readers could be left evaluating the gaps in the storyline. (You know which one I am! 🤭)

There is plenty to learn from little Harold. He doesn’t lose his cool no matter what difficulty he is in, he always remembers his manners, and he never lets go of his most valuable possession even in times of distress. At the same time, he probably also teaches kids why they shouldn’t go wandering out of the house alone at night. 😄

The illustrations are simple but they are exactly what the story needs. Harold is coloured in grayscale, and everything else is nothing but purple lines and squiggles.

Overall, a fun book that ought to work well for little ones who enjoy wildly imaginative storylines. I liked Harold’s presence of mind, but with the somewhat diluted, overly wild plot, I couldn’t like the book better. This is the first of a multi-book series, but I think I shall end my journey here itself.

Recommended to little ones who enjoy quirky storylines. The simple language and graphic style of this children’s classic ought to work well for readers aged 3 to 6 years.

3 stars.


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[Brittany Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy 66th Anniversary!

An imaginative and artistic treasure, this is.

Perfect for creative thinkers, dreamers, and do-ers.

And my is that purple, catching on the page! The smoothness and thickness of the purple lines are so appealing.

Not only is this nice on the eyes, but it also sends an empowering message; we create our world out of nothing.

Creativity and imagination can make anything happen, just grab your favorite colored marker and find out for yourself!

I borrowed this title from the Amazon Prime Reading Program. I was under no obligation to write a review, my honest opinion is given voluntarily.

I'd love to own a copy of this as well as read all the other adventures "Harold and the Purple Crayon" travels.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good stuff.

[ida ☾ (semi-ia)]

preread:

doing this very heavy, lengthy, and introspective piece of literature as a buddy read with freefall!! can’t wait to see how this changes my whole perspective on the world <3

✐ᝰ.

post-read:

no rating cause this is for children- NO I MEAN ITS ADULT LITERATURE, OBVIOUSLY !!

anyway why was this more intense than i remember?? harold falling off a mountain, nearly DROWNING?? also harold has some serious loneliness problems he should probably get that checked out…. i feel really sorry for this old man in a four year old’s body 💔 actually so peak tho !! see freefall’s review here.

[Annie ⚜️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is adorable and I love Harold. We picked this up as a board book in the gift shop of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art (or whatever it's called) in Massachusetts. I was on one of those benders in the gift shop where I HAD to get something. I just had to! Little man was about a year old, give or take, and this place was lovely. The gift shop made me crazy to shop. So we got this and Ezra Jack Keats' A Snowy Day. Anyhow, I was a bit disappointed that everything was just purple but you know what? My son is now 7 and he loves to draw and guess what? A lot of stuff he draws is like Harold's world and we still read this book.

[Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen) · Rating 2 out of 5]

... what are we missing?

Small-fry was bored and his only thoughts were ”why doesn’t Harold have any other colors?” And ”hey, Kaylin! Purple is YOUR favorite color too!”

I get that is about imagination and silly and all that fun stuff. But it’s also just a kid scribbling things that somehow leads to an adventure??

[Lata · Rating 5 out of 5]

A totally fun little story about Harold, who decides to go on a walk, taking his purple crayon with him, drawing himself a great adventure.
I can see where author/illustrator Aaron Becker got his idea for his Journey trilogy.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your child doesn't love this book, you've got an engineer on your hands (not that there's anything wrong with that).

[Mattia Ravasi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harold and his purple crayon break diegetic barriers as if it's nobody's business. Postmodern as fuck.

[Suzy Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book! The whole concept is so playful and imaginative. The storyline is all about dreams, creativity, play and imaginative exploration. Harold's adventures encourage children to be curious and inventive. Harold's journey - all created with his purple crayon - shows children that we can create our reality. The whimsical purple line drawings are quirky and funny. The tone of the writing is optimistic, and sure to appeal to children, in fact, everyone who wants to get in touch with their inner creative natural child.

[Azet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the swedish translation of "Harold and the Purple Crayon" to my little-brother and we both enjoyed the remarkable adventures of the smart little kid Harold.I am not surprised by how beloved this book is.It has so much innocence,wonder and cuteness to it!!

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a desk calendar which recommends lots of fine literary books to read. So, what have I chosen to read so far ? This small childrens book!
Harold has a purple crayon, which sets him off on an adventure. That's it really. Short, fun & a delightfully cheeful read.