A bestselling picture book typically begets sequels, and the publishers of The Day the Crayons Quit (Philomel, 2013) were looking to build on the success of that title and its 2015 follow-up, The Day the Crayons Came Home.
“As we were making the board book versions [of those books] we were thinking about what is the next step in the Crayons’ universe,” said Francesco Sedita, president and publisher of Penguin Workshop. The books, written by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, have more than five million copies in print. Featuring a box of anthropomorphized crayons used by a boy named Duncan, the plot of the first book consists of letters written by the crayons to Duncan, complaining about the limitations placed on them by their hues. Were “Letters to Santa” the logical next step? “We all thought that to see the crayons at holiday time would be adorable,” Sedita said.
The Crayons’ Christmas, written and illustrated by the same collaborators (Penguin Workshop), goes on sale October 15, with a first print run of one million copies. The book will feature removable folded letters written by the crayons that can be pulled from envelopes and detail their search for the perfect present for Duncan.
“I pulled from all of my warmest, most personal family memories, from wrapping presents with Dad to making Christmas cookies with Mom,” Daywalt said. “It’s all in there, and it’s all deeply personal, especially the part where the crayons get to give back to the boy who’s given them so much.”
Though the first two books were published by Philomel, the Christmas book moved to Penguin Workshop where Sedita’s design team has experience with its unique production demands.
“As this idea came together, it really made sense to have it on the Workshop list,” Sedita said. “There are so many different moving parts of this book that my design team is prepared to handle.” The book will be produced in China with supervision from Sedita’s staff.
The removable pieces are made of paper but Sedita acknowledges the book will be a challenge for libraries because of its interactive elements. “All the pieces that come out are easy to put back in, but there will be wear and tear,” he said. “It’s a book that should be played with, a book that belongs on the dessert table after the holiday meal or to take out once you put the roast in and the kids need something to do until it’s ready. We want families to engage with it.”
Sedita said he can’t give away too much about the plot because part of the book’s charm lies in its surprises. “I don’t want to say too much but there’s a moment at the end that’s such a beautiful, fun surprise that it’s just thrilling,” he said. “To see these characters communicating to the reader in a different way than they’ve been able to before is really special. I think a lot of people will be just as charmed as I am.”
