The Crayons Go Back to School

Crayons

by Drew Daywalt, Oliver Jeffers (Illustrator)

The crayons are getting ready to go back to school, and each crayon has a subject they're looking forward to the most. They're also ready to meet new friends. . . and let loose during their very favorite time of day: art class.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, School, Back To School, Juvenile, School Stories, Kids

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 2023

About the author

Ever since his childhood in one of Ohio’s most haunted houses, writer director Drew Daywalt has been writing escapist fantasy and building worlds of his own. With a degree in Creative Writing, and a concentration in Children’s Literature from Emerson College in Boston, Daywalt set off to Hollywood where he spent years writing for Disney and Universal on such beloved shows as Timon & Pumba, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody Woodpecker, and where his animated series The Wacky World of Tex Avery garnered an Emmy nomination.

His first trip into live action landed him studio screenwriting and feature film directing work with such Hollywood luminaries as Quentin Tarrantino, Lawrence Bender, Tony Scott, Brett Ratner and Jerry Bruckheimer.

With an eye toward picture book writing, Daywalt’s first book THE DAY THE CRAYONS QUIT, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, debuted on the New York Times Best Seller’s List in June 2013, and has since become a Number One Best Seller.

Reviews

[Bree Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

First one is still my favorite but I enjoyed this one. A cute back to school story that celebrates the excitement of seeing one another again and making messes.

[Robin Pelletier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I plan to have a colorful start to the school year. Last year, I used the first book in this series as a way to teach color symbolism. This year, this will be a fun way to welcome students back to class! I can’t wait.

[Ava W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting me (an 11th grader) hyped for back to school 😎😎‼️‼️🔥🔥🚨‼️🔥🙌🙌

[Mehsi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun back-to-school book featuring the Crayons! I really like the books about The Crayons so of course I had to pick this one from the library when I spotted it there. This book is all about The Crayons going back to school and telling us about what they want to do/favourite subjects, about the colours, and more. It was really cute and fun and this would make a perfect book to give to a little one who is about to start school (or a new school year).

[Trish Banda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book 🥰 Not as good as the original but better than the 2nd. Simple storyline. Adorable pictures.

This one would be good for the first week of school. Kids could make their own book and draw pictures with crayons:

1. wave goodbye to…what did you do in the summer?
2. What are you wearing for the 1st day of school or what’s your favorite thing to wear if your school wears uniforms
3. Who are your friends or students that you already know?
4. Who are your new friends/new classmates?
5. Who likes math?
6. Who like writing?
7. Who loves reading?
8. Who loves science?
9. Free art
10. Is there something everyone likes? (Maybe recess. Maybe Art.)

[Shane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I swore I was done purchasing Crayons books a few volumes ago, but a combination of a sale and the back to school topic sucked me in one more time.

This is cute, but lacks the cleverness and humour of the original and first sequel. There is no real story, just a list of elements involved with school.

[Bel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful back to school book with familiar characters and lots of cheer!

[Rachel B · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think they need to stop making these books... they're not funny anymore and that was the whole draw in the first place.

[Jayne at the Library In my re reading my childhood books Era · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so much fun reading this book with my kids

[Nick Schlegel · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s like they completely forgot the character development from the The Day The Crayons Quit???? The plot is also nonsensical why does the White Crayon like to read and why does the Purple Crayon like to do math? We just making stuff up now???

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this at Target yesterday to add to our school library collection. My students LOVE The Day the Crayons Quit (for good reason) and any book about The Crayons, but I haven't really loved any of the new additions to the collection. As with the others, the story is overly simplistic and lacks the humor of the original. It's still cute though, and this one is sure to be constantly checked out.

Story: 2
Illustrations: 4
Read-aloud: 3

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is just too adorable! The crayons are so cute and the illustrations are so well done! Very cute book, would highly recommend!

Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Ezekiel Basilio · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Crayons Go Back to School” is a book out of a series where different colored crayons express their excitement for the first day of school and the things that they are excited for.

This book is a fun, quick, and simple read for elementary schoolers entering or coming back into a new school year. Through covering different aspects of what the new school year can bring, it enforces the same excitement through readers to find what they also like about school. It imposes a positive outlook on subjects and things that children might find daunting or scary and simply states them to be fun and enjoyable.

Despite its simple sentences, the art depicting the crayons itself and its simplicity is what makes the book especially attractive to readers. In an article called “Decoding the images: How picture books work” by Perry Nodelman, he talks about the importance of children being aware of complex significances in simple and obvious words and pictures in books. With the simplicity of the art and its adorable artstyle, it allows for a digestible and relatable way for young readers to keep their attention and create a connection to what’s being told, like how a certain crayon would like a certain subject, creating a connection to that crayon could possibly inspire a reader to enjoy that same subject.

[Juf Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

De krijtjes gaan naar school is een vrolijk en toegankelijk prentenboek waarin de krijtjes zich klaarmaken voor hun eerste schooldag. Terwijl ze nieuwe dingen ontdekken, ervaren ze verschillende gevoelens: blijdschap, een beetje spanning en nieuwsgierigheid. Zo leren de krijtjes samen hoe leuk het is om nieuwe avonturen te beleven.

Het boek is uitermate geschikt om kleuters na een vakantie voor te lezen. Het verhaal biedt volop gelegenheid om kleuren te herhalen, maar ook om kort te verwijzen naar vakken die ze op school leren, zoals rekenen (bijvoorbeeld 1 + 1 = 2), taal en tekenen. Het nodigt uit om in gesprek te gaan over gevoelens rondom het (weer) naar school gaan. Door de korte, overzichtelijke verhaallijn is het eenvoudig te volgen en snel voor te lezen. Het boek kan bovendien dienen als inspiratie voor een creatieve verwerking, bijvoorbeeld: “Teken je eigen vakantieavontuur.”

[Jaelyn Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about crayons and their excitement for returning to school. The crayons say goodbye to summer and then come back to school to say hello to their friends. Each of the crayons have different interests in school.

I liked this book, and I liked how it pointed out the differences students may have from one another, as well as some similarities. It even referred to different students being interested in different subjects.

I could use this book at the beginning of the school year to teach colors, but also to teach about differences we may have but that we are all one class and we should be excited to be together.

[Aaliyah Rashid · Rating 4 out of 5]

The witty narrative and vibrant illustrations maintain the charm established in the previous crayon-themed books. While the concept is entertaining, some readers might find it reminiscent of the earlier works, lacking a bit of the novelty. Nevertheless, the book succeeds in delivering an enjoyable and engaging story that encourages creativity and celebrates the back-to-school experience. Overall, it's a delightful addition to the Crayons series that will entertain both children and adults alike.

[Atlanta Bushnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Crayons Go Back to School by Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers is the next book in the much loved Crayons series of picture books.

It follows the Crayons as they return from holidays and go back to school! The illustrations are bright and colourful, which children will absolutely love!

The Crayon stories have always been so entertaining and accessible for children. This next one is no different! I highly recommend for early primary school aged children.

Thank you Harper Collins Australia for the #gifted review copy.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Crayons are getting ready to go back to school. Different Crayons are excited about different subjects, but they are all looking forward to art class.

I recommend reading this once and just focusing on the printed text. I tried to read all the Crayon’s comments along with the text the first time and it broke up the flow so much I wasn’t even sure if the main text made sense. (It does. I read it again.) Also, the Crayon’s comments are all in cursive (pretty much a secret code for modern kids) so the average kid will likely need help reading this.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun back-to-school book featuring the Crayons! Once again the Crayons are going back to school and telling us about their favorite subjects, its teachers about the colors, and more.

I really like the books about The Crayons so of course I had to pick this one from the book sale. It was really cute and fun and this would make a perfect book to give to a little one who is about to start school

[Dorthe Svendsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg elsker disse bøkene. Gleder meg til å shoppe alle, og når alle er i hus er jeg sikker på at jeg har ett halvt år planlagt i engelskundervisning på småtrinnet skinnende forran meg. De bader oss i begreper, de gir oss tips til noe å skrive og tegne op, de gir oss motivasjon til å lage egne historier.

[Dimity Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adored the first couple of crayon books in this hilarious anthropomorphic picture book collection. Witty, fun, colour-filled! This latest title continues along the same vein with a strong emphasis on returning to school and what kidlets could look forward to on the subject front. Fun but with less oomph than its predecessors.

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always with Drew Daywalt's crayon books, it is charming and adorable. The crayons are excited to go back to school, to see their old friends, and make new friends. a sweet and funny little story. I love the picture where the green crayon has crossed out the word green, and renamed itself Esteban. If you are a fan of the crayons, you will enjoy this story too.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars (I liked it)

Definitely not as good as the original, although I like the nods to the original like purple liking math because it's neat and black liking writing and how he starts with an outline (and then winks). I just think there are better Back to School books out there.

Still cute though!

[Sarah Alamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're so proud of you for reading "The Crayons Go Back to School"! You learned something wonderful – that every color (and every person!) is special and important in their own way. Just like each crayon has its own job, you have special gifts too. You can use this idea by being kind to all your friends, even when they're different from you. Great job, sweetheart! Keep reading and learning!

[Angela De Groot · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s back to school time. Not just for the kids but for the crayons too. After saying goodbye to summer (and the beach!) the cartoons head into school where they greet old friends and make some new ones. Then it’s time for class. And what’s their favorite class of all?

[Elaine Fultz, Teacher Librarian, MLS · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute, gift book sized. Nice to re-visit with the crayons who have their consistent character traits, but nothing special. White is barely visible while reading The Invisible Man, haha. Nudie peach is deciding which outfit to wear.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed that there were crayons from both the original book and the sequel interacting in this little book. I feel like you have to have read those to be in on the jokes of these Little books. I like the bigger ones better because they are funnier.

[Ms. McKelvie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is perfect right for the start of a new school year, probably for PreK-1. I don't know that I would really read it after the start of the year and I am not sure I would read it much older than 1st grade.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great and very simple back to school book as all the different subjects a student returning to school would have are mentioned, as well as what it's like to reunite with old friends and meet new friends.

[Presley Fort · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super cute and good for story time with your class. The crayon books are always a fan favorite and this one was especially good seeing as the crayons go back to school. Love this book and definitely recommend to lower elementary school students.