Product Description

Unable to fall asleep one night, Harold uses his purple crayon to create his very own bedtime fairy tale.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6306 in Books
• Published on: 1994-02-28
• Released on: 1994-01-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 64 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780064433471
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
First published in 1956, this picture book chronicles the further adventures of the puckish hero of Harold and the Purple Crayon. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"...sure to keep the onlooker in a state of surprise, anticipation and great good humor." -- The New York Times

"An ingenious and original little picture story..." -- The Horn Book

"Harold is of again, this time to Mars. Very zany adventures of the very resourceful Harold." -- Library Journal

About the Author
Crockett Johnson is the much-loved author and illustrator of five books about Harold and his purple crayon.He is also the illustrator of The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss.

Customer Reviews

2nd best of the series
Impossible to beat the original "Harold and the Purple Crayon", this is certainly the next best thing. This story is appealing to a somewhat older child than the original story, as it is a bit more complex. It is better than "Trip to the Sky", which has an odd story line that children do not follow as well. The new books that go with the television series are weak in comparison to the books written by Crockett Johnson.

Further Adventures with the Purple Crayon

"One evening Harold got out of bed, took his purple crayon and the moon along, and went for a walk in an enchanted garden".

So begins this classic tale, which expands on numerous original elements first introduced in its also excellent predecessor, Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Harold exists in a world entirely defined by his imagination and the lines he draws with his purple crayon. These include a horizontal line - the horizon, the presence of which puts Harold on the ground, and the moon, placed in the sky, to differentiate what is up from down.

But there is a problem with the enchanted garden; "Nothing grew in it. If he hadn't known it was an enchanted garden, Harold would scarcely have called it a garden at all". To deal with the issue, the protagonist of the story decides to have a conversation with the king.

The action that subsequently unfolds has all the elements of a true heroic quest.

Harold draws a castle (because he knows that kings live in castles) but finds his entrance barred by a gate that has been shut. Ever resourceful, he draws a mouse that is larger than he is. As a result, Harold has been downsized and can freely enter via an adjacent mouse hole. And now comes one of my favorite lines, "He invited the mouse in too, but the mouse preferred to stay outside".

Realizing that as a pint sized person his audience with the king may be compromised, Harold sizes the stairs leading up to the throne room so that he is four and a half steps high - his usual height.

Our hero is called upon to utilize all his resourcefulness to deal with the witch that turns out to have caused the enchantment in the garden. And even after this has been accomplished, more adventure accompanies Harold on his journey back home.

But in the end all is well. Swept away on an out of control flying carpet that climbs even higher than the moon, Harold draws the fireplace and the high backed chair from his living room at home around it. The flying carpet is now a familiar rug. Harold asks his mother (who is seated in the chair) to read him a story before he goes back to bed.

This book is a true delight. I suspect you will enjoy reading it to your children almost as much as they enjoy hearing it read.

Gets the imagination going!
You have to love Harold and his purple crayon! You never know where they are going to take you. In this adventure, he and his crayon meet a king who is sad because there are no flowers in his enchanted garden. Well, Harold finds the reason for this crime and takes care of it.
Well written and in such a nice rhythm. Your child will ask questions, think up scenarios, and wonder aloud at what will happen next.