Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Childhood Favorites, Part II

Next on the list of awesome childhood books: Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson.



Man, I loved that book. Elegant simplicity. Delightful ingenuity. Infinite possibility. I couldn't wait to turn the pages, to see how Harold would draw himself into or out of each new predicament.

Looking at it now I'm amazed at the brilliant use of space and color, at how masterfully those two elements spark the imagination, inviting the reader to step into the book and look around. It was a shared experience: me and Harold, side by side, out for a stroll in the big, wide world.

2 comments:

Vanilla Bryce said...

This is one of my favorite books. I remember reading it when I was in the hospital. I think Harold might be my favorite drawing! He's a little like Camden...

Unknown said...

I loved this book also!