Harold and the Purple Crayon

"Harold and the Purple Crayon" is a 1955 childrens' book by Crockett Johnson. Johnson's most popular book, it inspired a series.

The protagonist, Harold, is a curious four-year-old boy who, with his purple crayon, has the power to create a world of his own simply by drawing it.

Harold wants to go for a walk in the moonlight, but there is no moon, so he draws one. He has nowhere to walk, so he draws a path. He has many adventures looking for his room, but, in the end, he draws his own house and bed and goes to sleep.

The story was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning HBO television show and a 2002 short film. The television show can be found on HBO On Demand and is a jaunt into the imagination of a little boy who just cannot seem to fall asleep. The program is especially intended for preschool aged children.

Simple yet engaging, Harold and the Purple Crayon -- the game -- captures the spirit of the original book by Crockett Johnson, first published in 1955. This delightfully clever and well-designed storytelling game encourages children to develop their imaginations as well as reading, memory and communications skills.

The rules are clear and flexible enough to allow play to be fun and not brutally competitive. Players choose a card, draw the object pictured, and use it to tell a story. The story unfolds as players add more pictures. The player able to repeat the entire story, from beginning to end, wins.

Although designed for kids 4-7 to play themselves, don't exclude parents or kinder older siblings from joining this charming game. Like the book, it is a tribute to the wonders of imagination.

Harold and the Purple Crayon | Harold's Fairy Tale | Harold's Trip to the Sky
Harold at the North Pole | Harold's Circus | A Picture for Harold's Room
Harold's ABC | Harold's Purple Crayon Treasury

The best Crockett John Links on the Web are found here on the
Crockett Johnson Homepage.