Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, 1955
One of my favorite children's picture books is Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson which follows a young boy on a journey of his own imagination. Harold, wielding the titular purple crayon, decides to go on a walk in the moonlight. When he discovers that there is no moon, he uses his crayon to draw his own. Soon, he draws a whole world of his own creation, where he finds both adventure and trouble. He literally draws his own horizons in a world of infinite possibilities. For Harold, art isn't trivial, it's real. It's reality.
I was first introduced to this book when I was in school, probably 1st grade. Our art teacher read it to us, and we made our own Harold-inspired drawings. This was one of those books and lessons that stuck with me through the years.
Overall, the book's built on simple, accessible sentences, perfect for new readers. The cartoon-like illustrations are integral to the story-telling and prompt an art-integrated unit. The book can be used in lesson plans that promote creativity, problem-solving, visualizing , and goal-setting.
Intrigued? You can download my kindergarten lesson plan for free on this site.