Childhood Favorites....Harold and the Purple Crayon

Childhood favorites. Everyone has a favorite book or author from childhood. A book that touched them or changed them. A book that perhaps initiated their love of reading and put them on the path of libraries and learning.

Childhood Favorites is a monthly series focusing on beloved books from the past. 

Who doesn't love Harold and the Purple Crayon, by Crockett Johnson? Well, I'm sure there is someone out there. But seriously, how can you not love it?

Harold has a purple crayon that can draw anything he imagines. He decides to take a walk and as he walks, he draws his adventure. 

 

Harold flies in a balloon, climbs a mountain, and when he's hungry, creates a picnic out of pie.

 

Nine kinds of pie. And after Harold eats a little of each pie. He's too full to eat more.

So he drew a very hungry moose and a porcupine to finish them.

Harold's creativity takes him on adventures and when he is tired, he draws his window, and bed. He climbed inside and drew up his covers.

The story is sweet and simple, but so clever. It shows children the wonder of imagination. It's been said that purple is the color of creativity. 

I loved this book and I read it to my children, who loved it. I had a child who drew on the walls, because he ran out of paper. Sounds a little bit like Harold...

What about you? What is one of your childhood favorites?