The Crayons' Christmas

by Drew Daywalt, Oliver Jeffers (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrate the holidays with the Crayons in this festive story from #1 New York Times best-selling duo Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers. This special book has letters, games, ornaments, a poster, and even a pop-up Christmas tree!

'Tis the season for all of us to write our holiday wishlists. But everyone—even the crayons—know the best presents are the ones that you give. In this unique book, readers get to see how Duncan, the crayons, and their families celebrate the holidays. With real, folded letters from the Crayons that you can pull from their envelopes and read, games, punch-out ornaments, a poster, and a pop-up tree, this book is the perfect gift for for the holidays and for fans of The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525515746
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	10/15/2019
Series:	Drew Daywalt's Crayons Book Series
Pages:	52
Product dimensions:	9.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	580L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Drew Daywalt grew up in a haunted house, but now lives in a Southern California home haunted by only his wife, two kids, and a German Shepherd. A Hollywood screenwriter when he is not writing for young readers, Drew's favorite crayon is Black. He is the #1 bestselling author of The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home. Follow Drew at @DrewDaywalt.

Oliver Jeffers makes art and tells stories. His books include How to Catch a Star; Lost and Found, which was the recipient of the prestigious Nestle Children's Book Prize Gold Award in the UK and was later adapted into an award-winning animated film; and the New York Times bestsellers Here We Are, What We'll Build, Stuck, This Moose Belongs to Me, and Once Upon an Alphabet. He is also, of course, the illustrator of the #1 smash hit Crayons series, written by Drew Daywalt. His fine art is world-renowned and his dip-art exhibitions are much sought-after events. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Oliver now splits his time between Belfast and Brooklyn, New York. You can visit Oliver Jeffers online at OliverJeffers.com or follow him on Instagram @OliverJeffers.

Editorial Reviews

10/07/2019

The holiday season is underway at Duncan’s house, and with it comes a flurry of mail—for his crayons. In envelope- and package-style pouches that occur throughout, readers will find crayoned correspondence and holiday cards, along with decorations, a foldout game, and other interactive items. Peach’s parents, living the good life in Florida, send much-yearned-for clothes in paper-doll format, including a jazzy purple tux. Duncan isn’t totally neglected: Gray, who is visiting relatives in Tennessee, sends Hanukkah greetings and a punch-out dreidel; Neon Red and Esteban include a mixed-up map of their world travels. Some readers may yearn for a little more of the obstreperous, opinionated personalities evident in Daywalt and Jeffers’s previous books, but the crayons’ ending offering—a pop-up tribute to the boy “who had always given them love, respect, and even a home”—rounds out the book’s meaningfully handmade feel. Ages 3–7. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Day the Crayons Quit
* "Hilarious . . . Move over, Click, Clack, Moo; we've got a new contender for the most successful picture-book strike."—BCCB, starred review

"Jeffers . . . elevates crayon drawing to remarkable heights."—Booklist

"Fresh and funny."—The Wall Street Journal

"This book will have children asking to have it read again and again."—Library Media Connection

* "This colorful title should make for an uproarious storytime."—School Library Journal, starred review

* "These memorable personalities will leave readers glancing apprehensively at their own crayon boxes."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Utterly original."—San Francisco Chronicle


Praise for The Day the Crayons Came Home
"Funnier than the creators' original blockbuster."—Parents Magazine

"Mr. Daywalt's text blends with Mr. Jeffers's illustrations to make a picture book that will have children clamoring for more crayon adventures."—The Wall Street Journal

"Continues its predecessor's pleasing, goofy conceit...Once again, both Daywalt's text and Jeffers' illustrations are endearing."—New York Times Book Review

"By telling stories from the points of view of crayons, giving voices to the small and ignored, Daywalt and Jeffers have created two books that offer plenty of charm and fun, but also make children feel deeply understood."—The Boston Globe

"Not only stands on its own merit, but may be even more colorful than the original."—Huffington Post

From the Publisher

2019-08-18
A flurry of mail addressed to Duncan's crayons ushers in the Christmas season in this novelty spinoff of the bestselling The Day the Crayons Quit (2013) and The Day the Crayons Came Home (2015).

Actual cards and letters are tucked into envelopelike pouches pasted to the pages; these are joined in some cases by other ephemera for a package that is likely to invite sudden, intense play followed by loss and/or damage that will render the book a disappointment to reread. That's probably OK, as in contrast to the clever story that kicked this small series off, this outing has a hastily composed feel that lacks cohesion. The first letter is addressed to Peach from Mom and includes a paper doll of the "naked" (de-wrappered) crayon along with a selection of tabbed changes of clothing that includes a top hat and tails and a bikini top and bottom. Peach's implied gender fluidity does not mitigate the unfortunate association of peach with skin color established in the first book. The sense of narrative improvisation is cemented with an early page turn that takes the crayons from outdoors snow play to "Feeling…suddenly very Christmas-y, the crayons headed inside." Readers can unpack a box of punch-out decorations; a recipe for gluten-free Christmas cookies that begins "go to store and buy gluten-free cookies"; a punch-out dreidel (turns out Grey is Jewish); a board game ("six-sided die" not included); and a map of Esteban (aka Pea Green) and Neon Red's travels with Santa.

Haphazard but jolly enough for one outing; it probably won't last for more. (Novelty. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews