|
|
|
|
A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
Harold and the Purple Crayon
The first Harold and the Purple Crayon book was published in 1955, and he has steadily grown in popularity throughout the years. This adorable little baby is now the star of his own TV show on the HBO Family Channel. Beyond that, he has several well-loved books. Two of the newest titles are Harold Finds a Friend and Animals, Animals, Animals! Both of these titles are geared for ages 4-7 and list for $3.99.
Harold, for those who don't know, is a little boy who uses his imagination to explore different adventures. By just a few lines from his purple crayon, Harold manages to conjure up the most fascinating items. And when he is finished, he draws his bedroom window and climbs in. Harold teaches kids how to use their creativity in a positive manner.
In the book Harold Finds a Friend, Harold decides he wants a real dog, so with his wonderful imagination, he turns his stuffed dog Lilac into a real one. They play catch with the ball he draws. Then when Lilac runs away, Harold draws some other animals, but he misses Lilac, so he ends up drawing a lighthouse and using that to locate his missing dog. Soon he finds her and they are reunited. After awhile, he draws his bedroom window and they both return to his room for a good night's sleep.
Animals, Animals, Animals! has Harold drawing and playing with a variety of animals. Elephants, monkeys, cheetahs, penguins, and camels are all inside this little boy's mind and come out through the magic of his purple crayon.
Harold is an imaginative little boy. He also has a heart of gold, and for a long time has been entertaining and educating kids about how to use their own imaginations to explore new places and discover new things. After his mom tucks him in for the night, he is usually unable to fall asleep, so his imagination takes over and his adventures begin. At the end of each exploit he returns to his bed, cuddles up with his stuffed dog, with the moon for a nightlight he drops off to sleep, and the crayon drops to the floor. This kid will never be bored or lonely with an imagination like his.
The HBO Family Channel, which airs the Harold TV shows, has a wonderful site for kids. They are able to pick up a purple crayon and draw just like Harold. Plus, there are coloring pages for little minds to create masterpieces. Perhaps they won't match the expertise of this little boy, but they will have a lot of fun!
© 2002 Francine Brokaw
Let's Talk About It!
Issues newsgroup
Join us to talk about this article!
|
|
|
