Starred Review ALA Booklist (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Starred Review Red is blue can't seem to color anything correctly. Other crayons try to help, to no avail. His parents and grandparents worry. Everyone is afraid there is something wrong with Red until Purple, who has drawn a fine boat, asks him to draw a blue ocean. At first, Red says he can't, but Purple insists he try. Children who know their colors will immediately see what's wrong: Red's paper sleeve has been mistakenly put on a blue crayon! Readers will share all the emotional elements of the tale mor, despair, sadness, frustration, and finally, excitement Red (and all the other crayons) witness and take pride in his success. The solid text is matched by the eye-catching artwork. Often placed against pages of shiny white or black, the crayons and their scribblings will charm children (who will also get the message that when it comes to creativity, strawberries and hearts can also be colored blue). Adults may have to help younger kids catch the nuances of size and color, such as the slightly worn-down brown and olive-green crayons for parents, and short, stubby silver and gray crayons for grandparents. There's lots to look at here. This fresh approach to colors and feelings will be great for sharing one-on-one or in a larger group.

Horn Book (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Crayon Red is labeled red, but he colors blue, which creates frustration for the other crayons, and thus Red himself. Red struggles until new friend Berry asks him to make a blue ocean. Once he lets go of his label everything turns around, including the other crayons' minds. Smart design and sharp details keep the story effective and amusing.

School Library Journal (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

PreS-K Step inside the life of a crayon in this funny and poignant picture book. The star of the show is Red, a blue crayon who mistakenly has a red label. His teacher tries to convince him to draw strawberries, but they show up blue. He tries on a red scarf, but it just does not match. His mother suggests he mixes with other colors, but the results are not what he expects. No matter how hard Red tries, his efforts just keep coming out blue. His other crayon friends try to help him reinvent himself, but no matter what they do, Red is still a blue crayon. After much self-doubt and denial, Red makes a new friend, a Berry-colored crayon, who asks him to complete his drawing by adding a blue ocean for his boat. Red gives it a go, and suddenly, he finds his true self and discovers what his other art-supply friends knew all along. The rest of his crayon friends are impressed with his new style, and Red comes to embrace his true identity. Hall's latest picture book is all about staying true to oneself, no matter what others say. The illustrations emulate children's artwork, giving readers a great opportunity to identify colors and new vocabulary. Large, clear text make this perfect for a read-aloud, as well as independent reading. VERDICT Reminiscent of Drew Daywalt's The Day the Crayons Quit (Philomel, 2013), this witty and heartwarming book is sure to become a favorite for children and adults alike. Natalie Braham, Denver Public Library