Red: A Crayon's Story Hardcover – Picture Book, February 3, 2015

An insightful approach to helping people (kids and adults) understand difference. The crayon just can't be the crayon others want him to be... despite his best efforts, and their caring attempts to 'fix' him. This sweet story can be used to represent so many different ways individuals don't/can't fit into the expectations of society. Please don't let the nay-sayers scare you away from this delightful book. I read the book from cover to cover several times looking for so-called 'agenda/indoctrination' .... nothing to be found but a creative portrayal of helping people be who they truly are.

Best best best story for anyone loving anyone who doesn’t fit inside society’s box. LGBTQ+ , disabilities, or just a quirky friend. A great way to help see the person exactly as they are and support them there.

This book is officially now one of my children’s favorite books. I read about it being banned by a teacher who said it was a travesty because it helped so many children. I immediately ordered it and could not agree more that this book is so beautiful, inspiring and well-written. I think it helps children understand a very complex subject matter than just because they may be labeled as anything from their race, their religion, their special need, what their parents want them to do, or their gender (as I imagine the ban is concerned), they are more than their label and individual on the inside. The excitement my younger daughter expresses when the crayon figures out he is blue is so joyful. And, the discussions my older daughter and I can have after are so organic. It’s a really excellent book!

From the author"I began writing Red: A Crayon’s Story, thinking about funny events that might result when a crayon’s label does not match the crayon’s color. But as I collected crayon puns — He’s not sharp enough; He’s not bright enough; He needs to press harder — I began to hear voices from my past. I knew that, at some level, this was my story.I am dyslexic. As a child, I didn’t think of myself as mislabeled; I thought I wasn’t very bright. (In fact, I wasn’t very bright. But I was like everyone else: bright about some things and not bright about other things.) Red, a blue crayon with a red label, judged himself only by how well he could draw red. He accepted the label he was given and suffered profoundly. He tried in vain to draw himself as a red crayon, he was humiliated in front of his classmates, and he finally stormed off in a fit of frustration.Both Red and I were blessed with a supportive community. Everyone tried their best to help. But almost no one could see beyond the label, and their actions only made things worse. I believe that most of the damage we do to each other is the result of ignorance rather than cruelty.This notion was tested recently when I read an article about a high school teacher in Tennessee who was unhappy with a question one of his students asked. He responded by writing the word stupid on the student’s forehead — in front of the class, with a permanent marker, backwards so it could be read in a mirror. Thankfully, that sort of literal labeling is rare these days, but more subtle forms of labeling persist.I hope Red will be among the many resources that help young children learn about colors. I hope readers of all ages enjoy the antics of Red’s well-meaning friends and family, who simply cannot see beyond his official label. I hope the book will provoke classroom discussions about issues like judging people based on outside appearances, how all of us have both strengths and weaknesses, and the importance of being true to oneself. And I hope Red will inspire reflection about the subtle ways children become mislabeled, judging children based on their successes rather than their failures, and the unmitigated joy of finding one’s place in the world.

This book was identified to be appropriate for children 3-7 years old. However, I work with kids with a wide age range. While this would be nice for younger children it was great for older ones too. Each child presented with varying opinions on the book from bullying to being transgender. Conversations arose that showed how a simple story can be incredibly powerful in many ways.The "age" identified was applicable for only some participants.The "difficulty" rating is not for the actual reading, but noted for the understanding.

The purchased book for my kindergarten age child for Christmas. It’s an absolutely wonderful book through and through.However, I ordered the book new and yet it came with multiple pages folded in the corners and creased down the centers, exactly where you would see creases if a child had been flipping through the book.