It was an important occasion for all of the misunderstood, misrepresented, overworked, or underused crayons of the world. On June 27, debut author Drew Daywalt and illustrator Oliver Jeffers celebrated the release of their new picture book, The Day the Crayons Quit (Philomel), at McNally Jackson Books in New York City. They were joined by a large, multigenerational crowd, as well as by crayons of many colors (even a few bipedal ones).
The book is told through letters composed by crayons that refuse to color until their concerns and demands are addressed: Blue is tired from coloring so much water and sky, Beige wants to be acknowledged independently of Brown, and Orange and Yellow can’t stop fighting over the color of the sun. In a starred review of the book, PW said: “These memorable personalities will leave readers glancing apprehensively at their own crayon boxes.” Here are some highlights from the lively summer signing and author/illustrator meet-and-greet.
