You know a picture book must be good if you catch your teenagers reading it and laughing, and then rereading their favorite parts!  By that measure alone, this one is a winner.  The premise is lighthearted and humorous.  One day Duncan reaches for his crayon box to color and instead finds a stack of letters awaiting him.  Each crayon has written to him with engaging voice and personality.  There are complaints, requests, and compliments.  Each crayon presents its case with a unique voice and with much fun for the reader.  How will Duncan keep his crayons happy and resume his “coloring career?”  At the end Duncan manages to find a creative solution that satisfies him, his crayons and his teacher! 

Out of the many picture books I’ve previewed this summer with an eye to acquiring for the classroom, this is one of the few that has made it to the “must buy” stack. It is a delight from start to finish and I can’t wait to share it with my second graders this fall.  I can foresee using this as a mentor text to teach about point of view, voice, persuasive letter writing and more.  More importantly, I know kids will immediately fall into the spirit of the story.  I can already hear them giggling at the humor and predicting what each color will write.  I suspect they’ll look at their crayons through a different lens and perhaps even be inspired to add a new color to their coloring repertoire! 

Bottom line, this book is a delightful read aloud for all and a wonderful addition to any home or classroom library.