“Red: A Crayon’s Story” by Michael Hall

A blue crayon mistakenly labeled as “red” suffers an identity crisis in this picture book by the New York Times–bestselling creator of My Heart Is Like a Zoo. This funny, heartwarming, colorful picture book about finding the courage to be true to your inner self can be read on multiple levels, and it offers something for everyone.

Funny, insightful, and colorful, Red: A Crayon’s Story is about being true to your inner self and following your own path despite obstacles that may come your way. Red will appeal to fans of Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, and The Day the Crayons Quit, and makes a great gift for readers of any age!

Red has a bright red label, but he is, in fact, blue. His teacher tries to help him be red (let’s draw strawberries!), his mother tries to help him be red by sending him out on a playdate with a yellow classmate (go draw a nice orange!), and the scissors try to help him be red by snipping his label so that he has room to breathe. But Red is miserable. He just can’t be red, no matter how hard he tries!

Finally, a brand-new friend offers a brand-new perspective, and Red discovers what readers have known all along. He’s blue!

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Looking to dig deeper into the book? Try these questions listed below from https://www.prindleinstitute.org

Questions for Philosophical Discussion

Identity

Red thought he was a red crayon, but he couldn’t draw red things.

1. Why did Red and the other crayons think he was a red crayon?
2. What went wrong when Red tried to draw red things like strawberries?
3. Berry encourages Red to draw a blue ocean. Why did Red refuse to draw a blue ocean at first?
4. How did Red discover that he was a blue crayon?
5. Why was Red happy to continue drawing blue things afterward?
6. What makes Red a blue crayon? What are you? What makes you you?
7. What if you tried to live underwater like a fish? Why can’t you do that?
8. There are some things you can change about yourself and something you can’t. What can you change? What can’t you change?
9. How are you different from a fish or a crayon?

Red was very good at drawing blue things.

1. What made Red very good at drawing blue things?
2. Have you ever tried to do something that you just couldn’t do, no matter how hard you tried? What was it?
3. What makes a crayon a bad crayon? What makes a crayon a good crayon?
4. What makes a person a bad person? What makes a person a good person?
5. Is it easy to be a good person or does it take practice and work? Why?
6. Can you be good or bad at being yourself?

Berry encourages Red to draw a blue ocean for her boat. But Red is reluctant.

1. Are you ever scared to try something new?
2. Have you ever tried to avoid doing something that you didn’t know much about? Why?
3. Have you ever tried something new and it turned out you were good at it or really enjoyed it?
4. Have you ever tried something new and it turned out it wasn’t as easy as you thought? What was it?
5. Have you ever tried to do the right thing and it turned out to be harder than you thought?

Have you read this book and shared it with your child? What did you/they think? 
Let me know in the comments or on social.