A review by halschrieve
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

5.0

Harold’s simultaneous creation and exploration of a fantasy world is enticing for readers who have already begun the process of generating imaginary worlds and events for the purposes of play and can see themselves in the infinitely powerful artist the center of this story. The illustrations are exciting for children who are just learning about the world and all it contains. We watch Harold create buildings, mountains, trees, and figures of authority to affirm his own choices, before finally drawing his own home around himself and going to sleep in his own bed. It isn’t clear whether the room Harold draws is the same one he departed from at the beginning of the story, but this gives the safety of the story’s ending an aura of enticing mystery and awe.