Green Is for Christmas

Crayons

by Drew Daywalt, Oliver Jeffers (Illustrator)

In this Christmas story starring the crayons from the #1 New York Times bestseller The Day The Crayons Quit, Green Crayon is certain that he is the only Christmas color in the box. Of course, Red, White, Silver and even Tan have something to say about that...

When Green Crayon claims that green is the only color for Christmas, other crayons let him know that there would be no Christmas without them either. No candy canes or Santa without Red, no snow without White, no bells or stars without Silver, and no cookies or reindeer without Tan! The crayons agree that they all need to come together to make Christmas special.

This humorous, small hardcover Christmas story is the perfect stocking stuffer and a great gift for fans of The Day The Crayons Quit--and all kids who like to color.

Genres: Picture Books, Christmas, Holiday, Childrens, Fiction, Humor, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 18, 2022

About the author

Ever since his childhood in one of Ohio’s most haunted houses, writer director Drew Daywalt has been writing escapist fantasy and building worlds of his own. With a degree in Creative Writing, and a concentration in Children’s Literature from Emerson College in Boston, Daywalt set off to Hollywood where he spent years writing for Disney and Universal on such beloved shows as Timon & Pumba, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody Woodpecker, and where his animated series The Wacky World of Tex Avery garnered an Emmy nomination.

His first trip into live action landed him studio screenwriting and feature film directing work with such Hollywood luminaries as Quentin Tarrantino, Lawrence Bender, Tony Scott, Brett Ratner and Jerry Bruckheimer.

With an eye toward picture book writing, Daywalt’s first book THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, debuted on the New York Times Best Seller’s List in June 2013, and has since become a Number One Best Seller.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why I chose to read this book:
1. I loved this author and illustrator's teamwork (Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers) with their earlier picture books The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home, so I just had to add this one to my WTR list; and,
2. a copy became available through my local library!

Praises:
Once again, I had the chance to read this book aloud to a Grade 3 class that I was subbing. They really like helping me rate and review children's books! Here are their summations:
- "I liked how the crayons expressed their opinions" (Note: this particular class has been recently practicing persuasive writing);
- "It was funny";
- "I loved how the crayons looked"; and,
- "I liked the ending."

Niggle:
I was personally surprised when I picked up my library copy, only to see that this book was a measly 6"x 7" (14.5 cm x 18 cm) in size! This would be fine for single readers or for a bedtime story, but I prefer the 10"x10" (26 cm x 26 cm) size of the original books for read-alouds with a class of children for easier viewing.

Overall Thoughts:
Despite the small physical size of this book, I still love the humor typical of this series!

Recommendation?
If you enjoyed this author and illustrator's other books, or if you're looking for a fun Christmas story for the kidlets, then you will not be disappointed with this newest edition!

[Hilary · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick fun read. Red, green, white and brown crayons explain why they are the colours of Christmas. Nice enough but very short, probably about 30 seconds worth of reading time. Worth a look if your library has this.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is my third outing with the author/illustrator combo, Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. While it has some wit to make me smile, it is a surprisingly fast read that left me wanting more.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green and red crayon are having an argument: who is the true 'Christmas' color? Brown and silver crayon point out that they are 'Christmassy' in there own way - and then white crayon joins the debate! Fun book that you may want to include in your families Christmas reading list for years to come.

[Theresa Grissom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Crayon books!! Students in my school love them as well. Highly popular. Enough said... keep 'em coming.

[mena ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

me and my mom read this in the library parking lot hehe

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful short story about the Crayons. Green thinks he is the only color for Christmas and shares why. The other crayons jump in to share why they are also part of Christmas. Red, Silver, Brown, White all show readers why they are important too. In the end, they realize Christmas needs all of them. An amusing ending when Green shares his opinion.
Always a joy to read Daywalt's latest book in this series.

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun picture book about the crayons and which one is the colour of Christmas. Is it green (trees and more) or red (santa) or is it another colour entirely. I had so much fun reading this and I loved it when other crayons popped up + see what Christmas/wintery items they matched to. And that last page made me snort. Perfect! The art was fun once again~

[Harlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cracked me up. I liked burnt sienna

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious read with simple but lovely illustrations. Great for all ages!

[Summer Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

WHY I READ THIS BOOK:

Author Drew Daywalt and illustrator Oliver Jeffers are a great team. They are creative and funny. I loved their previous books:
The Day The Crayons Quit
The Day The Crayons Came Home
The Crayons book of Feelings
(Loved by my young granddaughter)

Also, it’s the season for holiday books.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK:

• The delightful, humorous illustrations.
• The witty banter. Green and Red try to outdo each other, explaining why each is the “true” Christmas color. Silver, White, and Brown join in with their own arguments of self-importance.
• The ending — Each color is important and needed.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK:

• It was way too short.
• It also fell short in humor when compared with the previously mentioned books in this series.

[JessiZim · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked the other books in Daywalt's Crayon Series, you'll like "Green is for Christmas." Green believes Christmas is all about his color, until his other crayon friends note that their color(s) are also prominent during this holiday season. I think children will enjoy it and would open up conversations about what other colors they see during Christmastime. I did find some of the words difficult to decipher (could be the e-format) - it's not the easiest if you want children to read it to an adult. Overall, a fun holiday book!

Thank you to Edelweiss+ for a review copy.

[Sarah AF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Em loved "The Day the Crayons Quit" when she was younger and this was a super cute little read for Christmas. She's definitely a tad old now, but was very nice for nostalgic reasons.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

A stocking-stuffer-sized book of the crayons arguing over which is the most Christmasy.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green is for Christmas

Love the Crayon books by Drew Daywalt. They’re funny and entertaining. They also look at colors and drawing. This Christmas story is great too. As usual the colors fight over relevance.

[Kristen · Rating 1 out of 5]

8/30/2024 - Some of the wording on the pages seemed flip-flopped. The dialogue was printed so small that it felt like I had to decipher each line.

[Erin Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGosh. This is one of the cutest little Christmas books ever. Love those crayons!

[Teacher Librarian Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another book about the crayons - the colours of Christmas. Fun for early primary and preschool children. It isn’t much of a story but the illustrations are interesting and funny.

[Panda Incognito · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this new Crayons book, the green crayon claims that his color represents Christmas, and other crayons chime in with what their colors represent for the holiday. This doesn't have a plot and isn't really a story, but the pictures and dialogue are amusing. This is much better than the Halloween-related book, but I would still encourage people to read it from the library before deciding if they want to buy it or not.

[Arlene Arroyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Green is for Christmas” by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers is a wonderful picture book that brings forth a variety of colors that we usually see in the holiday season. This book is a simple read for children to follow along and learn to distinguish various colors with the help of Christmas. In this story we have a Green crayon who believes he is the only color that represents Christmas, however the rest of the crayons have something to say about his claims. The story uses repetition throughout the reading by using the phrase “*color* is for *example*”. This helps with reminding children what the color is indicating to, which makes it easier for them to create a connection with the color and the objects that are being shown. Using Perry Nodelman’s essay, “Decoding the Images: How Picturebooks Work”, this book allows children to be conscious of semiotics of their own world in which allows them to create their own point of view of the world than our own views. “Green is for Christmas” does a great job in giving a multitude of examples of what the color can represent and where it can be spotted in everyday life or in this case Christmas time. It’s personification of the colors, objects, and animals, along with their dialogues makes it an enjoyable and funny to read through. This is a good picture book to teach children how to identify colors in the real world.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: Green is for Christmas. Actually, Red is for Christmas, but please tell me more. Green is for Christmas. Green is for holly. 

Premise/plot: The crayons are back for their billionth adventure. I am exaggerating. There haven't been [quite] that many books. The colors are all arguing which is the best [again]. Which crayon IS the color OF CHRISTMAS.

My thoughts: The premise is simple. I'm not sure we need thirty-two pages to get to the [predictable] resolution that all the colors are important to Christmas. But I think if you absolutely loved the original few stories in this series, then this one probably would be worth reading.

[Katie Hutchison Irion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green is for Christmas by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers is a continuation of The Day the Crayons Quit and I AM ALL FOR IT! I think The Day the Crayons Quit is one of my all-time favorite picture books, and I love any iteration on that series. This one is a very small book about what colors truly stand for Christmas. Green and Red are out of sorts because both of them feel like they should be the primary color that “stands for Christmas.” They showcase why they are the color that works best and has examples of why they are the best. Before they finish though, other colors chime in that they are also perfect for Christmas. It is filled with humor and friendship and is darling.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The green crayon would like to think he is the most important Christmas color. After all, you need green for holly and for fir trees.

Ahem! Red would beg to differ. How could you color candy canes or Santa hats without the red crayon?

Hello! Don't forget Silver for silver bells, spoons, and stars.

And Brown is sorely needed for cookies and reindeer (and Burnt Sienna).

Finally, don't leave out white. Where would we be without a White Christmas?

So, it takes a whole group of crayons to color in your Christmas. Enjoy all the colors of the season!

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The crayons disagree about what color represents Christmas.

This picture book is a colorful secular Christmas celebration.

Its only significant drawback is its small format (6" x 7"). In order to be used as read-alouds by teachers, daycare workers, and librarians, books need to be the standard picture book size (8" x 10" or 9.5" x 11"); otherwise, children have difficulty seeing the illustrations.

[Presley Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Green Is for Christmas by Drew Daywalt is a cheerful and funny holiday story featuring the beloved crayons from The Day the Crayons Quit. In this book, Green Crayon is worried that Christmas is all about red and white until he realizes how important green truly is for trees, wreaths, and the holiday spirit. The playful text and bright illustrations make it a fun read-aloud for young children. It’s a great way to celebrate colors, teamwork, and the joy of Christmas in the classroom.

[Rubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, it is what it is....another book about what colors go with what words, BUT it was still cute 😂
In this one, it appears certain colors r having a competitive debate on which color represents Christmas. Of course, they realize Christmas isn't Christmas without them all. But one little crayon still has the last word 😉😂
Short and cute, and Crayons fans will enjoy it haha

[Galaxy-Boy Delivery (Stilo and Korl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drew Daywalt ALWAYS delivers with the iconic Crayons and this time "GREEN IS FOR CHRISTMAS" becomes a holiday favorite. Not only will the charming illustrations teach kids about Christmas colors but will make them want to color their own Christmas pictures too (or "GREEN IS FOR CHRISTMAS" printables).

Cute, educational and a great way to do your own coloring activities during Christmas!

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another story from the crayon saga. This time there is an ongoing argument about what colors should be useful to which holidays, etc. When white and silver get into the mix, the colors must consider they are all valuable. It was a cute story with funny illustrations. I liked it and so will kids. Highly recommended for Grades K-2.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these books. When I was little, I use to play with my crayons like they were dolls and make up stories about them. So I think this series is awesome. The banter between the crayons is so funny! I also love White's appearance (sort of!) And I'm not a huge Santa fan, but his comment is comical.